VILLASO, CLARISSE D.
HM1-3 GECO 2
PROF NELSON GALICIA
READING REPORT IN READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY
ARTICLE: LIMASAWA VS.BUTUAN: THE FIRST EASTER MASS
The first ever Easter Mass in the Philippines – a landmark in the history of
Philippine Christianity – was held in 1521 on the island of Mazaua, known today
as Limasawa Island, Leyte.
This was the conclusion drawn by Dr. Antonio Sanchez de Mora, an expert on
Spanish medieval history and head of the reference service at the Archivo General
de Indias in Seville, Spain, after combing over sources in the archive pertinent to
the initial encounter and first mass celebrated in an island called Mazaua and
comparing them with other archival sources.
Mora said the documents, primary sources and maps from the 16th century confirm
that the island of Mazaua was the site of an Easter Sunday Mass on March 31,
1521 and that on a hill on this island a cross was raised to be seen from afar.
“The geographical description, the analysis of the directions, the revision of the
maps and the references to the island of Mazaua between 1521 and 1565 must
identify it with [modern-day] Limasawa,” he said.
Up until 1921, it was believed that the event was held somewhere near the mouth
of the Agusan River in what is today the municipality of Magallanes, Agusan del
Norte. The shift to the Limasawa tradition happened following the publication of a
transcription of a logbook from a pilot of the ship Victoria (one of the vessels in the
Magellan expedition), stating that the crew placed a cross on an island called
“Mazaua” whose location is closer to Cebu.
LEARNING DIARY
Personally, the first mass in the Philippines was familiar, and I have some knowledge about
it.But to have a clear explanation, the very first known Catholic Mass in the Philippines was held
on Easter Sunday, March 31, 1521. This one was accompanied by Father Pedro de Valderrama’s
account of Ferdinand Magellan’s voyage all along the coasts of what Antonio Pigafetta referredto
as “Mazaua.” In my own perspective, after reading all of the sources that were gathered on us, I
have learned that the first mass in the Philippines was almost well documented by Antonio
Pigafetta, althoughit was documented, there is still debate in regards to the place where it was
held. There are beliefs among the historians and, surprisingly, the government as well, that the
first mass washeld in Limasawa off the topic of Southern Leyte. Consequently, until at least the
19th century, it must have been widely assumed that the first mass was conducted in Butuan.
Some people believe that the first mass was held at Masao, Butuan, rather than in Limasawa. But
with that, the National Historical Commissions of the Philippines said that the
arguments and evidence provided by pro-Butuan advocates are not complete and were indeed
insufficient to cover and justify everything that the first mass was held in Masao, Butuan.
Furthermore, Pigafetta, one of the eighteen survivors who successfully returned to Spain
aboardthe “Vitoria,” has written the fullest overview of Magellan’s expedition, “First Voyage
Around theWorld.” Indeed, Pigafetta was regarded as an eyewitness to the major events that
occurred on the first mass, which Magellan named the Islands of Saint Lazarus, which ultimately
became knownas the Philippine Archipelago.Moreover, on March 31, 1521, Easter Sunday,
Magellan commanded a Mass to be said, which was conducted by Father Pedro Valderrama. The
First Holy Mass, held on the island’s coastlines,marked the beginning of Roman Catholicism in
the Philippines. Colambu and Siaiu were amongthe earliest indigenous people to attend Mass in
the archipelago, which had not yet been called”Philippines” until the voyage of Ruy Lopez de
Villalobos in 1543.In comparison with the evidence, Gomez observed that Pigafetta forgot to
mention several parts of the voyage where the masses were held, such as when they were at the
port of San Julian.During their trip to the west, Pigafetta described a Palm Sunday liturgy
conducted on April 1,1520, but never referenced Easter Sunday. When the armada landed in the
Philippines, Pigafetta only reported the Easter Sunday Mass, leaving Palm Sunday blank. On the
other hand, the firstmass in the Philippines was not mentioned in Francisco Albo’s narrative, just
the planting of thecross on a mountain top from where three islands could be observed to the
southwest and west,where they were informed there was abundant gold. It also applies to
Limasawa’s southern end.It simply does not match Butuan’s shore, from which no islands can be
seen to the south orsouthwest but only to the north.Most importantly, according to our law, it
occurred on Limasawa Island in the province of Leyte.Furthermore, this legal statement has been
challenged by a party that claims Butuan was the location of the first mass in the Philippines. As
a result, Limasawa’s assertion showed solid and concrete evidence supporting their claims. So it
was finally resolved and confirmed beyond doubt that Limasawa was really the site of the first
mass in the Philippines.
