Proem

Only very recently the authorities of the Roman Catholic Church decided to transfer the town fiesta of Maribojoc from November 24 to May 5. However, some traditionalists in Maribojoc still continue to celebrate the town fiesta on Nov. 24.

The Reasoning

The Patron Saint of Maribojoc, Bohol is St. Vincente Ferrer. Officially the feast day of St. Ferrer is April 5. Church authorities say that Nov. 24 is a wrong date. However, the date May 5 is also a wrong date. The traditionalists argued; What is the use of transferring from a supposed wrong date to another wrong date? Therefore it is better to use the traditional date of Nov. 24.

Forgotten Record

When I was researching for my Ph.D. degree, I remembered that I read somewhere the reason for the November 24 fiesta tradition of Maribojoc. The trouble is I could no longer remember where I read the article or document. I did not give importance to it because it was not my topic of research. So I will just try to reconstruct what I could remember.

Loon and Maribojoc

Loon and Maribojoc were jointly established as a visita or mission field by the Jesuit Fathers. They were both advocated to the Nuestra Señora de la Luz (Our Lady of the Light). On June 22, 1753, Loon was established as a separate parish.

In the year 1768 the Jesuits were expelled and the Augustinian Recollects took over.

On October 21, 1768, Maribojoc was established as a separate parish. It was also advocated to the Nuestra Señora de la Luz. As a consequence, the Parish of Loon transferred its advocacy to the Santo Cetro (Holy Scepter).

In the year 1791 something significant happened in the town of Maribojoc. It caused Maribojoc to transfer its advocacy to the Santa Cruz (Holy Cross) and choose St. Vincent Ferrer as the town's Patron Saint. As a consequence, Loon went back to its old advocacy of the Nuestra Señora de la Luz.

The Legendary Story

According to Dr. Cecilio Putong in his book "Bohol and Its People," the timbers used in the construction of the Loon and Maribojoc churches were taken from the place called Maitum (Now part of Catigbian, Bohol). The logs were dragged by carabao to Tubigon, Bohol and then floated by sea to Loon and Maribojoc.

Sometime in 1791 there was a Moro raid in Maribojoc. The people ran to the hills. To their surprise the Moros did not land to plunder. When the Moros withdrew, the people investigated and found out that the Moros were "defeated" by the floating logs, which the Moros did not see from afar. The people took it as a "miracle" attributed to St. Vincent Ferrer. As a way of giving thanks, the people took one of the logs and cut it. A portion was made into a huge cross and the other was carved into the image of St. Vincent Ferrer, which they honored to be the Patron Saint of the town.

The traditional story says that the event happened at the present location of the watchtower at Punta Cruz, Maribojoc. But it would be illogical. Why would the Moros attack at a desolate place and why would the logs be there?

The best explanation would be that the attack happened at the poblacion because it was where the people were and where the church would be built using the logs.

The watchtower was constructed at Punta Cruz because it is the best location for a watchtower. It was constructed to prevent the repetition of a surprise Moro raid. To commemorate the event, the cross was also constructed beside the watchtower and made the advocacy of the town of Maribojoc. The watchtower was finished in 1796 or 5 years later and dedicated to St. Ferrer and the holy Cross as engraved in the face of the tower.

Probable Date

A pirate raid needs fast attack and withdrawal. To do it, the raiders must have the wind behind them. The wind blows from Mindanao to Bohol during the habagat season from June to November. By the month of December the wind will begin to blow in the opposite direction and favorable to the Moro raiders for going home.

Therefore the Moro raid that was "miraculously" aborted must have occurred between June and November. Since the people of Maribojoc celebrated the fiesta in honor of the Santa Cruz and St. Ferrer on November 24, then it must have been the date of the Moro raid. Why would the priest and the people celebrate a "wrong" date for the fiesta of St. Ferrer without a compelling reason?

Personally, between a supposed "miracle" (Nov. 24) in Maribojoc and the transfer of the bones of St. Ferrer (May 5), I would prefer November 24 because it is locally significant.