Almendral, Evan P.

November 11, 2022

BS METE -1101 Readings in Philippine History

Position Paper One past but many histories

Limasawa or Masao?

The first Holy Mass was usually held to be the event that brought Christianity to the

Philippine Islands. However, for decades, many Filipinos, including the experts in history,

education and even politicians, have disagreed about the accurate location of the "First Mass" on

Easter Sunday, which is claimed to have take place both in Butuan City and Limasawa.

Countless people seek the historical truth about the origins of Christianity in the Philippines

based on facts, independence, thorough interpretation, and the idea that truth only exists in the

course of a search and in whatever is discovered. I believe that the country's first Christian Mass,

which was held on March 31, 1521, was celebrated on the island of Limasawa, south of Leyte,

rather than at Butuan City, as stated by the National Historical Institute (NHI).

Various studies and discoveries by NHI demonstrate that Antonio Pigafetta's narrative of

his "First Voyage Around the World" is the most credible and reliable source regarding the origins

of Christianity in the Philippines. This account, which was provided by a key eyewitness to the

event, describes in detail the lives of early navigators as well as the histories and records of the

catholic missions on the islands as well as the political, economic, and religious conditions of the

nation. It also provides descriptions of the islands and their inhabitants. It comprises the two key

elements that caused the first mass to occur in the Philippines in Limasawa and not Butuan.
The first point is Pigafetta's statement regarding the route and map he created for "Mazzaua

Island," the location of the first mass. Butuan is a city situated in the Caraga Region, whereas

Limasawa is an island off the southwest coast of Leyte. As said, Butuan is a river village that is

close to the Agusan River delta, which is not mentioned in the witness's statement. Accordingly,

Mazaua is situated at a latitude of 9 and two-thirds degrees towards the Arctic pole and a longitude

of 162 degrees from the line of demarcation. The island mentioned corresponds to the description

of Limasawa, which is located at 9 degrees and 54 degrees north on the southern edge of Leyte.

The absence of any connection to the river that is used to describe the Mazaua Island and the

geographic evidence that the first mass occurred in Limasawa.

The second argument is the evidence that two strong kings, the King of Butuan and the

King of Mazaua, were present when Magellan visited the island. It was known that the latter was a

visitor from Mazaua, whose home island was Butuan. Therefore, Mazaua can be stated to not be

Butuan.

Triana, the town's main barangay, is yet another piece of evidence that indicates Limasawa

Island was the actual location of the Easter Sunday Mass. It's in Limasawa, the local government.

The barangay was names by Magellan himself. Magellan married Beatriz Barbosa in the town's

main church in Triana, a suburb of Seville, Spain.

In an Article titled “Butuan or Limasawa? The Site of the First Mass in the Philippines: A

Reexamination of the Evidence”, by Father Miguel Bernad, S.J. In order to examine the Masses

held during Magellan's expedition, Father Miguel, a professor and researcher from Saint Xavier

University in Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao, traveled to Limasawa, Southern Leyte, and Mazaua,

Butuan City. In Spain and other locations connected to Magellan's Mass, he carried out research

projects. His study led him to the Pigafetta map, where he saw that Mazaua was located near the
southernmost point of Leyte. Modern maps will demonstrate that this fits with Limasawa and not

Butuan. As a result, he concluded that Magellan and his fellow explorers arrived in Limasawa and

celebrated Mass in there.

The Evidence of Albo's Log-Book stated that Francisco Albo joined the Magellan

expedition as a pilot in Magellan's flagship. He was one of the eighteen survivors who returned

with Sebastian Elcano after having circumnavigated the world. Albo began keeping his own

diary- merely only a log-book on the voyage out, while they were sailing southward in the

Atlantic along the coast of South America, off Brazil. His account of their entry into Philippine

waters. Events which were recorded in his log correlated with Pigafetta’s manuscripts, however

undeniably names of places had dissimilarities such as Albo, an island as called as “Yunagan”,

which was named as “Samal” or Samar in Pigafetta’s Account.

According to the evidence in Francisco Albo's logbook, he served as a pilot on Magellan's

flagship when he joined the Magellan expedition. He was one of the 18 survivors that traveled

around the world with Sebastian Elcano and returned. While they were traveling south in the

Atlantic, off the coast of South America, Albo started writing a diary of his own. It was merely a

logbook. His description of how they entered Philippine waters. The events in his journal matched

those in Pigafetta's manuscripts, there were unavoidable name differences, such as the island Albo,

which Pigafetta referred to as "Yunagan" but called "Samal" or "Samar" in his account.

There is also an island where they anchored and restocked their water supplies. Albo

referred to this island as "Gada" whereas Pigafetta termed it "Acquada," but either way, it means

the same thing. Both terms refer to the same location, the island of Homonhon, off the coast of

Guiaun Point in Eastern Samar, where they restocked their water supplies and took use of some

generously offered native supplies. Leyte was referred to as "Seilani" in Albo's logbook, although

Pigafetta's account referred to it as "Ceylon." Moreover, Albo's logbook does not clearly state that
Magellan and his crew were in Masaua for a week and on Easter Sunday, when the First Mass was

celebrated. however, it is to be noted that Albo did make mention to the cross's placement on a

mountaintop following the mass, from which three islands could be seen to the west and southwest.

But Limasawa's southernmost point also meets this criteria. It does not apply to the shore of Butuan,

from which only the north was visible and no islands could be seen to the south or southwest.

Last but not least, on June 19, 1960, Republic Act No. 2733, often known as the Limasawa

Law, was passed without the consent of the Executive. The legislative act designated Magallanes,

Limasawa Island in the Province of Leyte, the location of the first Mass celebrated in the

Philippines as a national shrine to honor the country's conversion to Christianity. The first Catholic

service to be celebrated in Asia was on Limasawa Island on Easter Sunday, 1521, by Father Pedro

de Valderrama while serving with Ferdinand Magellan's ship.

To sum it up, all the supporting evidence mentioned above, gave a strong support in the

argument on the first mass in the Philippines took place. From Francisco Albo’s logbook in which

detailed description is provided in the First Voyage, to the Republic Act No. 2733 that really

confirms even the experts in history and education that Limasawa is the place where the First mass

in the Philippines took place.

Reference
Bernad, M. (2002). Butuan or Limasawa: The Site of the First Mass in the Philippines: A

Reexaminationof the Evidence. Budhi: Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City

Retrieved from: https://ajolbeta.ateneo.edu/budhi/articles/211/2357

Mercado, S. (2019). Limasawa or Mazzaua? 7th Millennium Community Maasin City 06600,

Southern Leyte, Philippines. Retrieved from:

http://7th_millennium.tripod.com/7mc/Limasawa.html

Province of Southern Leyte (2019). MUNICIPALITY OF LIMASAWA. Retrieved from:

Saint Mary's College of California (2019). The Site of the First Mass in the Philippines: Butuan or
Limasawa?

Retrieved from: https://www.coursehero.com/file/16437675/AAAAA/