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- Title:
- ST. JOHN’S DAY
- Date Created:
- 2021-06-24
- Description:
- The Great Comet of 1680 was seen in the Philippines according to the Augustinian priest Casemiro Diaz. His writings published in 1718 are among the references for our on-going series about Philippine cuisine during the second colonial century. It was visible in Filipinas from November 20, 1680 till February 14 the next year. It was the first comet to be discovered using a telescope. The credit goes to Gottfried Kirch. Diaz described it as a frightful sight “so large that it extended, like a wide belt, from one side of the horizon to the other, with but little difference [on its breadth], causing in the darkness of the night nearly as much light as the moon in her quadrature”. In Pampanga of the 1700s, the words for comet were taclan and batuin. He added, “This comet was visible throughout the world, giving rise to much discussion over its effects, which in truth were generally very evil”. His commentary reveals that indeed the modern, scientific age was far in the future. In 1685 smallpox hit the world. Even deer and wild swine in the Philippine mountains got sick. Millions of people died in China causing famine which would have had effects on food exports to Manila. In June 1686 the Sangley of Manila’s Parian revolted. They had plotted in the bakery inside Intramuros where they worked. By today, June 24, St. John’s Day in 1689 the comet’s ill will must have ended because the galleon named Santa Rosa de Lima arrived safely in Cavite from Acapulco.
- Subjects:
- Casemiro Diaz Gottfried Kirch Comet Santa Rosa de Lima Smallpox
- Exhibition:
- Philippine Food 200
- Source:
- The Great Comet of 1680 Over Rotterdam. Lieve Verschuier, painter.
- Type:
- Image;Still Image
- Format:
- image/jpeg
Source
- Preferred Citation:
- "ST. JOHN’S DAY", Philippine Food History, Felice P. Sta. Maria
- Reference Link:
- felicepstamaria.net/items/coll253.html
Rights
- Rights:
- public domain