Proposition

First Affirmative Speaker:

Our team would like to specify first the definition of mass, it is known as a practice among Christian

people to honor and worship their [Link] the central act of worship of the Roman Catholic Church,

which culminates in celebration of the sacrament of the Eucharist.

For our argument which is in

accordance to the accounts of Antonio Pigafetta and Francisco Albo, who are eyewitnesses of Magellans

Voyage. They both stated that the first mass took place on an island they callaed Mazau in Albo’s account

at Mazaua in Pigafetta’s account. They both asserted that from the island of Homonhon they went

westwards towards the island of Leyte and turned so a southwest direction to reach this island.

Based on these geographical locations provided by Albo and Pigafetta the island of Limasawa in Southern

Leyte is the counterpart. Thus, the proposition team strongly supports the motion of this house that the

first mass in the Philippines took place in Limasawa.(LIMASAWA IN FAVOR)

Second Speaker

I strongly disagree with the claims of the opposition, Ramusios version of Pigafetta’s manuscripts are not

reliable.

The transmission of test from Pigafetta to Louise of Savoy to Simon de Coline is without documentary

support. Pigafetta himself didn’t mention that he gave a copy of his manuscripts to Louise of Savoy but

simply a gift of a certain thing. Our claims from the First Agumentative Speaker, was based on the

original Ambrosian text of Pigafetta and I would like to point out, based on Father Colin’s account,

Magellan and his own men went to Cebu on April 7 1521. But in the monuments inscription the first

mass was held on April 8 1521 on Butuan. How is it possible to go back to Butuan from Cebu in just one

day where in Butuan is 236 km away from Cebu and the ships of Magellan that time are not fast enough.

To add to our argument on the same day of the mass, a cross was erected on the summit of a mountain

and according to Francisco Albo on the summit of a mountain you can see three islands from west and

southwest wherein Butuan can be seen on the northern direction. Based on the topographical details

given by Albo and Pigafetta it describes the present in Limasawa therefore we firmly believe that the first

mass was held in Butuan.(FAVOR IN BUTUAN)

Third Speake
Scientific wise it should also be noted that the process is not found anywhere near butuan but on the

separate island of Mazzau also geographical evidences are showing that the play store island where the

mass took place was in limasawa from the logbook of Albo a pilot from magellan's flagship Trinidad. from

the island of homonhon and the large island of Seilani or which is now known as leyte, they come up

with the island they have called Mazzau. which lies at the latitude of 9 and 2 degrees north. The said

island is deemed fit with the island of limasawa and island on the southern tip of leyte with the

coordinates of 9 and 54 degrees north it also describes an event of planting across and a mountain top

were three islands to the west and southwest can be seen. this also fits the location of limasawa and not

the coast of butuan where there is no islands can be seen from the south or south west only from the

north. moreover as described by pigafetta the route of the expedition coincides substantially with what

is described in the log of Albo . before getting to cebu, the southernbmost point they reached, is the

Mazau which is 9 and 2/3 degrees north latitude. pigafetta also has sketches of the islands do have been

too although his sketches are nothing like a navigational charts they are very helpful in identifying the

islands he mentioned in his narrative in terms of its relative location and sizes three maps were

mentioned :

one island of samar 2. island of limasawa and the last one is the island of mindanao respectively it can be

seen in this maps that the island of Mazau is roughly equivalent to the actual position of limasawa and

so, Ma'm we stand from the firmly on our motion that the first mass happened on the island of

limasawa(IN FAVOR OF LIMASAWA)

*IN ACCURACY OF THE MAP AND THE CALCULATION OF EXACT LOCATION OF THE ISLAND OF MAZAU IS A

QUESTIONABLE EVIDENCE TO CLAIM THAT THE FIRST MASS HAPPENED IN LIMASAWA IF GEOGRAPHICAL

FEATURES SAYS IT'S MASAWA,BUTUAN IF YOU TRULY UNDERSTAND PIGAFETTA'S JOURNAL ,IT SAYS

THERE THAT THE ISLAND OF THE MAZZAU HAS GREAT QUANTITY OF FAWLS, GOATS, PIGS AND MANY

MORE SPECIALLY RICE AND GOLD MINES. MASAWA HAS IT ALL RICHLY AND LIMASAWA A SMALL AND

POOR ISLAND ,LACKS IT SPECIALLY THE PRESENCE OF FERTILE RICE FIELD AND ABUNDANCE OF GOLD

.ALSO THERE IS AN EXISTING ROUTE FROM BUTUAN TO CEBU AND LEAST TWO CITY HAS A GREAT

RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH OTHER SINCE THEN THAT LIMASAWA TO CEBU HAS [Link] AGAIN, THE

PRESENCE OF BALANGHAI IN THE BUTUAN IS THE MOST SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO PROVE THAT THE

BIRTHPLACE OF CHRISTIANITY IN THE PHILIPPINES IS NON OTHER THAN BUT IN MASAWA, BUTUAN. (IN
FAVOR OF BUTUAN)

I repeat we still stand with our motion before the house today ,that the first mass in the philippines

happened in limasawa because of the following evidence in a logbook by francisco albo and pigafetta’s

account ,the geographical evidences were showing that Mazaua is roughly equivalent to actual position

of limasawa. The two kings when magellan visited the island the king of mazaua and of butuan the fact

known that the latter is a visitor of mazaua and history is on butuan which is another island ,so it can be

said that masawa is not butuan .butuan is situated in agusan river and near the delta of the river is a

beach called masao .where it is argued that the first mass occurred the evidence that there is no river

mentioned in pigafetta’s account and that Mazau is an island proves that it is surrounded by the sea not

a river delta. Lastly pigafetta’s account a primary source, that we used by opposing parties the anti

limasawa propagandists used collins and combes .the original and complete text we’re not available to

them that time the fab re/Ramusios text is that they used a translation that greatly misrepresented an
altered some facts. Therefore we firmly stand in Limasawa not in Butuan. (IN FAVOR OF LIMASAWA)*We
firmly stand that Butuan was the place where the first mass happened. As my team members
mentioned, there are a lot of things that can be questionable. Such as the inaccuracy of map as well as
the geographical location. Moreover, when it is stated in the accounts of Pigafetta, that it’s description
was favorable on the side of Butuan , because it was a rich island while Limasawa does not , because it
was an area that was prone to typhoons and floods. In addition the word”Limasawa” was not stated in
the accounts of Albo and Pigafetta. Instead we have the word”Mazau” which is much closer to the word
Mazzaua and not Limasawa . How come that passing a law could be a substantial evidence when it was
not approved by executives. Even the presence of gold mines can be found in Butuan. Also the most
sufficient evidence that could be found in Butuan was the presence of Balanghai boats. Which only
proves that the first mass really happened in Butuan. (IN FAVOR OF BUTUAN)
SITE OF THE

FIRST MASS

• The first documented Catholic Mass in the Philippines was held on March 31, 1521, Easter
Sunday.

• It was conducted by Father Pedro de Valderrama.

• However, until at least the 19th century, the prevailing belief was that the first mass was held in
Butuan.

• When Ferdinand Magellan and his European crew sailed from Sanlúcar de Barrameda for an
expedition to search for spices, these explorers landed on the Philippines after their voyage from
other proximate areas.

• On March 28, 1521, while at sea, they saw a bonfire which turned out to be Mazaua (Limasawa)
where they anchored

• Francisco Albo’s log

 Was a Greek sailor of the

16th century

 He was part of the Magellan’s-Elcano expedition

 Become pilot of the Victoria

 On 16th of March (1521) as they sailed in the westerly course from ladrones, they saw land
towards the northwest; but owing to many shallow places they did not approach it. They found
later that its name Yunagan

 They went instead that same day southward to another small Island name Suluan, and there
they anchored. This Island was at 9 and two-thirds degrees North Latitude

 Departing from those two Islands, they sailed westward to an uninhabited island of “Gada”.

 From the Island they sailed towards a large Island

 names Seilani “Ceylon.

 * Sailing southwards they turned southwest to a small island called “Mazava” , the people of
mazava there are Spaniards planted a cross upon a mountain-top.

 They sailed again towards Seilani, Northwesterly direction, they saw three Islands.

 They entered a channel between two Island which was called “Matan” and “Subo”.
 Antonio Pigafetta's log

• Famous Italian traveler who studied navigation

• Known as Antonio Lombardo or Francisco Antonio Pigafetta

• Joined captain Ferdinand Magellan and his crew

• Wrote the “First Voyage around the world”

• Survivor

• Thursday, March 28

—They seen a boloto came with eight natives. It was thursday in Holy week (Holy Thursday)

• Friday, March 29

— “Holy Friday” Another exchange of gifts was made.

• Saturday, March 30

— Pigafetta and his companion spent previous evening feasting and drinking with the king and his son.

• Sunday, March 31

— The last March and Easter day, Magellan send the priest ashore to prepare for the mass.

• Monday, April 1

— Magellan sent men ashore to help with harvest. But no work was done that day because two kings get
drunk.

• Tuesday, April 2 and Wednesday, April 3

— Work on the harvest during the next two days.

• Thursday, April 4

— They leave Mazaua, bound for Cebu.

 EVIDENCES FOR MASAO

1. The name of the place

2. The route from Homonhon

3. The latitude position

4. The geographical features

a) the bonfire

b) the balanghai

c) house
d) abundance of gold

e) a developed settlement

 EVIDENCE FOR LIMASAWA

1. The evidence of Albo’s log-book

2. The evidence of Pigafetta

a) Pigafetta’s testimony regarding the route;

b) The evidence of Pigafetta’s map

c) The two native kings

d) The seven days at “Mazaua”

e) An argument from omission

3. Summary of evidence of Albo and Pigafetta

4. Confirmatory evidence from the Legazpi expedition

o PROCLAMATION OF THE NATIONAL SHRINE

On June 19, 1960, Republic Act No. 2733, known as the "Limasawa Law", was enacted without
executive approval on June 19, 1960. The legislative fiat declared "The site in Magallanes, Limasawa
Island in the Province of Leyte, where the first Mass in the Philippines was held is hereby declared a
national shrine to commemorate the birth of Christianity in the Philippines.“ Magallanes is east of the
island of Limasawa.