First Mass in The Philippines: Limasawa Group VS. Butuan Group

Reading in Philippine History News

FIRST MASS IN THE

PHILIPPINES
Limasawa Group VS. Butuan Group
FIRST MASS IN THE
PHILIPPINES
POPE FRANCIS HOLDS A MASS FOR THE 500 YEARS OF CHRISTIANITY
Background
 According to Pigafetta, the first
mass in the Philippines was
held on Eastern Sunday, March
31, 1521, officiated by Father
Pedro de Valderrama on an
island named “Mazaua”.
 The two native chieftains were present: Rajah Siaiu (ruler of Mazaua)
and Rajah Colambu (ruler of Butuan)
 After the mass, they went to a little hill and planted a wooden cross
upon a summit.

 Limasawa―Butuan Controversy
There is a controversy regarding the
FIRST site of the first mass celebrated in
the Philippines.
MASS The main subject of the controversy
IN is the true identity of the place which
Pigafetta calls “Mazaua.
THE
There are two claims; the one was an
PHILIPPINES island in Southern Leyte called
CONTROVERS Limasawa; the other one was an
island and part of the Agusan River
Y near Butuan is called Masao.
Limasawa
 The first claim was Limasawa, an

island located near at the
Southern Leyte.
Butuan
 The other claimed as the site for

the First Mass was a beach
called Masao. A part of the
Agusan River in the Northern
Mindanao near the village (now
the city) Butuan.
Historical Background
Butuan Tradition
• Butuan was claimed rest upon tradition almost
unbroken for three centuries, namely the 17th, 18th
and 19th century.
• The date of the First Mass was April 8, 1521
• Monument was erected in 1872 to strengthen the
tradition.
Fr. Fransisco Colins & Fr. Fransisco
Combes’ Account
• The site of the First Mass was in Butuan, Agusan del Norte
(17th to 19th Century).
• The 2 priests worked as missionaries and wrote their

accounts based on 2nd information.
• Their account has strong influence over suceeding

historians whos quoted their narratives.
Shift of opinion from Masao to Limasawa

• Emma Blair and James Alexander Robertson
published a book titled “The Philippine
Islands”.
• It consist of primary source documents for

Philippines that is translated to English.
• The reason of the shift of opinion was from

Father Pablo Pastells S.J. with the
rediscovery of Pigafetta’s account and Albo’s
log book.
First Mass in the Philippines
Evidences
EVIDENCES FAVOR IN
BUTUAN
First Evidence:
The name of the place mentioned in both Pigafetta and Albo’s
Account.
In Pigafetta’s Account the place was called “Mazaua”, while in Albo’s

Log, the place was called “Mazava”.
The name of the place was three syllables, something close to

“Masao” while the Limasawa that has four syllables.
EVIDENCES FAVOR IN
BUTUAN
Second Evidence:
There was a monument erected in 1872, as the commemoration
of the First Mass in the Butuan.
EVIDENCES FAVOR IN
BUTUAN
Third Evidence:
The latitude position.
In Albo’s log stated, “they turned southwest to a small island called

Mazava. That island is also at a latitude of 9 and two-thirds degrees
north.”
In Pigafetta’s journal stated, that island “lies in latitude of nine and

two-thirds towards the Artic Pole and in longitude of 100 and sixty-
degrees from the line of demarcation.”
 The latitude position of Limasawa because it is 9.9303°
N, and it is closer by ten degrees.
 While the Butuan strengthen the claims with a latitude

of 8.9910° N. Almost exactly as 9 degrees.
EVIDENCES FAVOR IN
BUTUAN
Fourth Evidence:
The Balanghai Relics.
The balanghai boat was also mentioned in
Pigafetta’s account.
“Here the Spanish ships stopped to allow the

king of Mazaua to catch up with them, since
the ships were much faster than the native
Balanghai ― a thing that excited the
admiration of the king of Mazaua.”
 As Pigafetta mentioned the existence of Balanghai
used by the people in Mazaua.
 According to BCHFI, Butuan recovered 10 Balahanghai

boats which were accidentally dug up near Masao
River in 1976.
 In contrast, Limasawa has no significant archeological

relics or Balanghai tradition.
EVIDENCES FAVOR IN
BUTUAN
Fifth Evidence: The route to Cebu
It was Thursday. 4th day of April. Magellan and his crew left the
Mazaua, bound for Cebu. They were accompanied by the king of
Mazaua who sailed on his own boat to serves as their guide
towards Cebu.
The distance to Cebu according to Pigafetta was 35 leagues

(140 miles). If they actually came in Limasawa the distance
would only be 80miles, or only half of the alleged distance
travelled.
“They sailed from Mazaua west by northwest into the
Canigao Channel, with Bohol Island to port an Leyte and
Canigao Islands to startboard. They sailed northwards
along the Leyte coast, past Baibai to Gatighan. The
identity of Gatighan is not certain. But we are told that it
was twenty leagues from Mazaua and fifteen leagues
from Subu (Cebu).”
-Miguel Bernard’s citation from Pigafetta’s

first-hand documents
Thank
You!
Reference List
 BERNAD, Miguel A.. Butuan or Limasawa: The Site of the First Mass in the
Philippines: A Reexamination of the Evidence. p. 133-166, jan. 2013. ISSN
2243-7886. Available at:
<https://journals.ateneo.edu/ojs/index.php/budhi/article/view/582/579>.
 SERANO, Ben. Butuan to pursue claim it was site of First Mass in RP 485 years
ago. Retrieved from
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2006/04/02/329389/butuan-pursue-
claim-it-was-site-first-mass-rp-485-years-ago
 DERIADA, Louwell. First Mass in The Philippines. Retreived from
https://www.scribd.com/document/406009227/First-Mass-in-the-Philippines
 Finding Latitude of Masao and Limasawa. Location to Coordinates &
Coordinates to Location Finder. From
https://www.distancesto.com/coordinates.php
Group 2 Members
Abadiano, Jerome
Dagupan, Mary Jamaeka
Dejucos, Juby May
Dela Cruz, Jayme
Sapungan, Lyquel Marie

First Mass in The Philippines: Limasawa Group VS. Butuan Group

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

First Mass in The Philippines: Limasawa Group VS. Butuan Group

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

First Mass in The Philippines: Limasawa Group VS. Butuan Group

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Reading in Philippine History News

FIRST MASS IN THE

 The first claim was Limasawa, an

 The other claimed as the site for

• The 2 priests worked as missionaries and wrote their

• Their account has strong influence over suceeding

Shift of opinion from Masao to Limasawa

• It consist of primary source documents for

• The reason of the shift of opinion was from

In Pigafetta’s Account the place was called “Mazaua”, while in Albo’s

The name of the place was three syllables, something close to

In Albo’s log stated, “they turned southwest to a small island called

In Pigafetta’s journal stated, that island “lies in latitude of nine and

 While the Butuan strengthen the claims with a latitude

“Here the Spanish ships stopped to allow the

 According to BCHFI, Butuan recovered 10 Balahanghai

 In contrast, Limasawa has no significant archeological

The distance to Cebu according to Pigafetta was 35 leagues

-Miguel Bernard’s citation from Pigafetta’s

You might also like