Key Points on the First Mass in the Philippines and the Butuan Controversy:
Mazaua and the First Mass:
- According to Antonio Pigafetta, chronicler of Magellan’s expedition, the first mass was held on Easter Sunday in
1521 on an island called Mazaua.
Present were two native chieftains: one from Mazaua and one from Butuan.
The Two Claims: Limasawa vs. Butuan:
Limasawa Claim: Suggests that Mazaua refers to Limasawa, a small island south of Leyte.
Butuan Claim: Another belief claims that Mazaua is the area at the mouth of the Agusan River in Butuan, Northern Mindanao.
The Butuan Tradition: The belief that the first mass was held in Butuan was widespread during the 17th, 18th, and 19th
centuries.
A monument was even erected in Butuan in 1872 commemorating this, although it was based on incorrect dates and
assumptions.
Jesuit historians Fr. Francisco Colin, S.J. and Fr. Francisco Combes, S.J. supported the Butuan tradition and
claimed that Magellan visited both Butuan and Limasawa.
Shift to the Limasawa Tradition:
- The shift in opinion occurred after the publication of Antonio Pigafetta’s account and the rediscovery of Francisco
Albo’s logbook.
- Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera and Fr. Pablo Pastells, S.J. were instrumental in rejecting the Butuan claim, favoring
Limasawa as the site of the first mass.
- Pastells’ study of primary sources (Pigafetta and Albo) concluded that Magellan did not go to Butuan, but instead, he
went directly from Limasawa to Cebu.
Supporting Evidence for Limasawa:
- Albo’s logbook details Magellan’s route.
- Pigafetta’s narrative describes the journey, maps, and the two native kings.
- Further confirmation from the Legazpi expedition (which followed Magellan’s route).
- The Verdict:
- Historical evidence strongly supports the Limasawa claim.
- The Butuan claim has been largely discredited but still has a small group of supporters.
Key Names and Sources:
- Antonio Pigafetta – Chronicler (chronicler is a person who records historical events in chronological order)
- Francisco Albo – Pilot of Magellan’s ship, his logbook corroborates Pigafetta.
- Fr. Francisco Colin, S.J. and Fr. Francisco Combes, S.J. – 17th-century Jesuit historians who supported the
Butuan tradition.
- Fr. Miguel Bernad, S.J. – Scholar who reexamined the controversy in modern times.
- Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera and Fr. Pablo Pastells, S.J. – Scholars who corrected the error and favored
Limasawa.
Important Dates:
March 31, 1521: The date of the first mass (Easter Sunday) according to Pigafetta.
April 7, 1521: Magellan arrived in Cebu, one week after the first mass.
Conclusion:
Magellan never went to Butuan. The evidence overwhelmingly supports Limasawa as the site of the first mass in the
Philippines.
