Project History (July 21)
SAN PEDRO CALUNGSOD WAS BORN
July 21, 1654
According to surviving records and other documents, on this day the catechist, sacristan and the second Filipino saint of the Catholic church, Pedro Calungsod, was born. He was born in 1654 in the town of Ginatilan, Cebu. There are very few records left about Pedro Calungsod's young life, but according to historical records, at the age of 14 he was one of the young native catechists and sacristans who joined the Spanish Jesuit missionaries on Isla del Ladrones or present islands of Guam and Marianas. The purpose of the missionaries there was to preach Christian doctrine and baptize the native Chamorro of the island into new faith. Pedro Calungsod was one of the young catechists who preached to indigenous children. Although many natives were persuaded to join the new religion, some doubted the purpose of the missionaries.
Until a Chinese exiled to Guam Choco spread rumors among the natives that the water used by the missionaries in their infant baptism was poisonous. This convinced the indigenous Chamorro leader Mata'pang, who hated the spread of missionaries of their religion in his territory. Mata'pang became even angrier when he learned that his daughter had been baptized by Father Diego Luis de San Vitores, a Jesuit missionary. He attacked the priest, but the catechist Pedro Calungsod defended him. On April 2, 1672, Mata'pang stabbed 17-year-old Pedro Calungsod with his spear, while he was beheaded by Mata'pang's companion Hirao, also a native. They also killed Padre San Vitores, tied the two to a large rock, and then threw him into the sea.
The beatification process was launched on Padre San Vitores, a few months after his death, until he was beatified in October 1985. Former Archbishop of Cebu Ricardo Cardinal Vidal proposed to start the beatification process on Pedro Calungsod, who became a martyr in the cheap age in the name of the Christian religion. On March 5, 2000, Pedro Calungsod was beatified by Pope John Paul II, and on October 21, 2013, Pope Benedict XVI ordained him as the second saint from the Philippines.
A miracle from Pedro Calungsod was reported in March 2003, when with the help of the intercession of Blessed Pedro Calungsod, a woman from Leyte who had been "clinically dead" for two hours was healed.
The feast of San Pedro Calungsod is designated on March 27, and he is considered by the Catholic church as the patron saint of the youth, altar servers, Overseas Filipino workers, the Cebuanos, and the Archdiocese of Cebu.
PRAXEDES JULIA FERNANDEZ WAS BORN
July 21, 1871
Born July 21, 1871 in Sta. Cruz, Manila Praxedes Julia Fernandez, also known as Yeyeng. He is well known in the field of presentation. She was one of the founders of the Fersuta Company, from the name of the principal lady players Fernandez, Suzara and Tagorona. Their group presents benefit shows for the bereaved wives and children of bereaved Spanish soldiers.
On September 30, 1891, the Spanish army held a gala affair in honor and gratitude to Fernandez for the charity performances he held for them. He was given a silver crown that night.
He ended his performing career with a farewell presentation of the opera titled La Viuda Alegre on November 14, 1911 at the Manila Grand Opera House.
She married Ricardo Penalos Pastor, a professor at the Escuela de Artes y Oficios in Iloilo, on August 18, 1892. But they were not blessed with a child.
The so -called "singing sweetheart of Manila" and recognized "Queen of Philippine Drama" passed away on August 22, 1919 at the age of 48.
MARGARITA MORAN CROWNED AS MISS UNIVERSE 1973
July 21, 1973
For the second time, a Filipina was crowned on this day in 1973 as Miss Universe. The then 20-year-old candidate from our country Maria Margarita “Margie” Moran was the winner of the prestigious Miss Universe pageant, when Miss Universe 1973 was held at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens, Greece.
As many as 61 candidates from around the world competed in beauty, talent and skill in answering the question, and in wearing national attire, evening attire and swimwear attire. Candidate from Spain Maria del Rocio Martin won Best in National Costume, while Amanda Jones of the United States won 1st Runner-up, Aina Walle of Norway 2nd Runner-up, María Martín 3rd Runner-up of Spain and 4th Runner-up Limor Schreibman-Sharir of Israel.
Miss Universe 1973 was the first Miss Universe pageant held in Europe. Margarita Moran is currently the President of Ballet Philippines and Chairwoman of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
QUEEN REGENT MARIA CHRISTINA WAS BORN OF SPAIN
July 21, 1858
Today is the 163rd birthday of the Queen Consort and Queen Regent of the Kingdom of Spain Maria Christina Henriette Desideria Felicitas Raineria von Habsburg-Lothringen or simply Maria Christina de Habsburgo or Maria Cristina. He was born in 1858 in the province of Moravia, former territory of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the son of Archduke Karl Ferdinand and Archduchess Elizabeth Franziska of Austria.
November 29, 1879 when she married as the second wife of King Alfonso XII of Spain, as part of the alliance between Spain and Austria. The union produced two daughters and a youngest son, but even before Maria Christina gave birth to her son Alfonso in May 1886, King Alfonso XII died in November 1885.
Maria Christina was appointed Queen Regent of Spain on the day her husband died, meaning she would rule the kingdom and its colonies on behalf of her young son king Alfonso XIII. As Queen Regent of Spain it was her duty to take care of the kingdom and prepare her son the king to rule himself. She implemented reforms in the kingdom to prevent any political strife in the country, and respected the Constitution setting out her power as Queen Regent. But his regime also witnessed the outbreak of revolutions in Cuba, Puerto Rico in 1895 and in the Philippines in 1896, the defeat and loss of the Spanish colonies in the Spanish-American War in December 1898.
When her son Alfonso XIII married and ruled the kingdom, all ceremonial duties of the now mother Queen Maria Christina became ceremonial. He died on February 6, 1929 at the palace of Madrid, Spain at the age of 70 due to heart disease. The death of his mother is said to have been a major blow to his son Alfonso XIII, causing the monarchy to collapse two years later.
ACCOMPLICES SHOT IN FRONT OF FIRING SQUAD IN ATTEMPT TO KILL ADOLF HITLER
July 21, 1944
"Long live Sacred Germany!"
This was the cry of 37-year-old Colonel Claus Schenk Count von Stauffenberg before firing in front of the firing squad at midnight on this day in 1944. German reserve army troops arrested Nazi government officials and occupied the government office, arrived at Benderblock, the office of the German high command in Berlin, carrying the order to arrest alive those involved in the attempted coup and assassination of Adolf Hitler. Colonel von Stauffenberg, his adjutant Lt. surrendered to the Benderblock authorities. Werner von Haeften, Colonel Albrecht Mertz von Quirnheim, General Ludwig Beck and Friedrich Olbricht after the brief shootout, and in front of the impromptu court martial led by General Friedrich Fromm, one of the silent accomplices in the attempt to overthrow the Hitler regime, and immediately Colonel von Stauffenberg was sentenced to death, despite an order to arrest them alive. General Beck committed suicide after the verdict was heard, and after that, they were taken out of the courtyard of Benderblock lit only by the headlight of the army truck, and they were shot one by one in front of the firing squad.
Claus von Stauffenberg came from a blue -blooded family, and he joined the German army before World War II. He became a loyal soldier of Hitler, serving in the Nazi Germany campaign in Poland, France and northern Africa. But because he was also a devout Catholic, von Stauffenberg rejected its harsh policies against Jews, and the colonel lost even more confidence when he witnessed the brutality of his fellow soldiers against Jews and civilians in Russia. During his campaign in Tunisia in Africa they were ambushed by the British, and he had his arm amputated, his left eye blinded and even two fingers amputated.
After recovering, he was assigned to the army general office, where he met General Olbricht, the author of Operation Valkyrie that would serve as an emergency contingency plan in case there was a coup against the government. General Olbricht was one of the military officers, including General Beck, Field Marshal Erwin von Witzleben, General Henning von Treskow, Colonel Mertz von Quirnheim, who conspired to oust Hitler, and planned to use the Valkyrie to sabotage the government. Nazis and form a new government to negotiate with the Allies. The accomplices had previously persuaded Colonel von Stauffenberg to join the destabilization against Hitler, and was later convinced as well. For the plan to succeed, Hitler had to die as well as his possible successors such as Hermann Goering and Heinrich Himmler, government officials who would not join the new government, and buildings and offices occupied. And because Colonel von Stauffenberg regularly attended military meetings with Hitler, he himself volunteered to kill Hitler.
July 20, 1944 when Colonel von Stauffenberg went with his adjutant to Wolfsschanze, headquarters of the German high command on the Eastern Front, where Adolf Hitler and some of his generals met in a conference room instead of a concrete bunker, carrying bombs hidden inside the attaché case, After hiding the attaché case with only explosives under the table near Hitler the colonel simply left Wolfsschanze with his adjutant, when the explosion occurred. Colonel von Stauffenberg quickly went to Berlin, and carried out Operation Valkyrie. The situation was reversed when Hitler was probably still alive, although he received only a few scars. He angrily ordered the arrest of the mastermind of the attempted murder of him. General Fromm immediately ordered the execution of Colonel von Stauffenberg, to cover up his involvement in destabilization. Colonel von Stauffenberg's brother, along with others, were also hanged for involvement in destabilization in August 1944.
The last attempt to overthrow the Hitler regime was dubbed the July Plot, and Colonel von Stauffenberg was considered heroes for their sacrifice to overthrow the oppressive and rotten Nazi regime.
References:
Everyday History (2019, July 21). # July 21 | On this day in 1654, Filipino Catholic martyr and missionary catechist St. Pedro Calungsod was born in Ginatilan, Cebu. [Status update]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/1427143654226060/posts/2308516122755471/
Wikipedia (n.d.). Pedro Calungsod. Retrieved from https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Calungsod
The Shame Project (n.d.). Today in Philippine history, July 21, 1871, Praxedes Julia Fernandez was born in Sta. Cruz, Manila. Retrieved July 21, 2020, from https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/1578/today-in-philippine-history-july-21-1871-praxedes-julia-fernandez-was-born-in-sta-cruz-manila
Wikipedia (n.d.). Margie Moran. Retrieved from
Wikipedia (n.d.). Miss Universe 1973. Retrieved from
Wikipedia (n.d.). Maria Christina of Austria. Retrieved July 21, 2021, from https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Christina_of_Austria
Wikipedia (n.d.). Claus Con Stauffenberg. Retrieved from
Wikipedia (n.d.). July 20 Plot Retrieved from