The Site of The First Mass1

THE SITE OF THE
FIRST MASS
Butuan or Limasawa?
■ Mazaua
> Pigafetta
> March 31, 1521
■ Two conflicting claims: Butuan or Limasawa.
The Butuan Tradition
■ It was the only accepted claim from the 17th to the
■ 19th century.
■ Monument for Magellan at Magallanes
> built in 1872
> at Mactan Island of Cebu, Philippines.
■ Labor Evangelica
> Fr. Francisco Colin S.J. (1663)
> annotated by Fr. Pablo Pastells S.J.
after 240 years (in 1903).
* “…on Easter day, in the territory of
Butuan, the first mass ever offered in
these parts was celebrated and a
cross planted… the 7th of April, the octave
of Easter.”
• Historia de Mindanao y Jolo (History of Mindanao)
> Fr. Francisco Combes S.J. (1667)
> annotated by Wenceslao Retana after 230 years.
> the first mass was not mentioned.
• Some readers of Colin misread his work, causing historical errors in

other works, as well. One example is fray Juan de la Concepcion’s
History of the Philippines.
Shift in Opinion
■ Father Pablo Pastells S.J.
> “Magellan did not go to Butuan.
Rather, from the island of Limasawa, he
proceeded directly to Cebu. In that island,
he had dealings with Rajah Siagu, chieftain
of the Butuan; and this would explain the
author’s (i.e. Colin’s) error. See the “Voyage"
of Pigafetta and of Albo’s log, both of whom
were eyewitnesses.”
The Evidences
■ Albo’s logbook
> Francisco Albo was a pilot of the Magellan expedition.
■ Evidence from Pigafetta
> Antonio Pigafetta was a member of the Magellan expedition.
> “First Voyage Around The World”
a) Pigafetta’s testimony regarding the route
b) Evidence of Pigafetta’s map
c) Presence of the two native kings
d) Events of the seven days at “Mazaua” island
e) Argument from omission
■ Summary of Albo and Pigafetta’s evidences
■ Confirmatory evidence from the Legazpi expedition
■ Point’s of Albo’s logbook
> 16 March 1521: they sailed to the west from Ladrones
> On the same day, they went to an uninhabited island of “Gada” where they collected
supplies of wood and water.
> They then sailed west and arrived at Seilani.
> They sailed the south coast of Seilani, turned southwest and arrived at Mazava (9 and
two-third degrees North latitude) where they planted a cross at the mountain top.
> They sailed towards Seilani again and sailed the northwestern coast of Seilani.
> There they entered the channel between Matan and Subu island, and stayed at Subu.
■ Albo’s “Gada” = Pigafetta’s “acquada” or “Homonhon”.
■ Seilani = Leyte
■ Mazava is located at 9 and two-third degrees North. This fits Limasawa’s location, which is at the
south of Leyte. It’s southern tip is at 9 degrees 54’ North.
■ Evidence from Pigafetta
a) Pigafetta’s testimony regarding
the route
> March 16, 1521: sighting of
Zamal, coming from Ladrones
> March 17, 1521: landed at
Humunu/Homonhon and stayed there for
8 days (March 17-25, 1521) Albo’s logbook and Pigafetta’s testimony
coincides in most details, strengthening both
> March 28, 1521: landed at of their works.
Mazaua and stayed for 7 days, leaving on
April 4, 1521.
> They sailed past Ceylon, Bohol,
Canighan, Baibai and Gatighan.
> Sailed westward to Polo,
Ticobon and Pozon.
> Sailed and stayed at Subu.
b) The evidence of
Pigafetta’s maps
c) Presence of the two native kings:
> Rajah of Mazaua: Raia Siaui, and Rajah of Butuan: Raia Colambu was a visitor
at Mazaua
> “That island of his was called Butuan and Calagan. When those kings wished
to see one another, they both went to hunt in that island where we were”.
– Pigafetta on the Rajah of Butuan
> “the island where we were” = Mazaua
d) Seven days at Mazaua Island
> March 28, 1521 – April 4, 1521.
e) Argument from omission
> Only the survivors of Magellan’s expedition went to Butuan (in other words, they
went only after Magellan’s death). Pigafetta did not mention a river during their
seven day stay at Mazaua, so taking him literally made beliefs that Mazaua is
surrounded by the sea.
■ Other arguments:
> Teddy “Buddy” Gomez (press secretary of former president Cory Aquino)
mentioned that Pigafetta never mentioned it was the “first” mass. (Butuan)
> The position paper of the Butuan Historical Commission states that:
“Pigafetta invariably mentioned Mazaua in relation to Butuan.” (Butuan)
> Prof. Teodoro Agoncillo poses the hypothetical question: “Why should the
Spaniards call Masao, Masava?” (Limasawa)
■ Summary of Albo and Pigafetta’s evidences:
> They stayed at Mazaua for a week, where they celebrated Mass and planted
a cross on top of a hill.
> Mazaua lies at a latitude of 9 and two-third degrees North. Limasawa’s
location is described as 9 degrees and 54 minutes North. Both are said to be
at the South of Leyte.
> After staying at Mazaua, they went to Cebu.
> Only the survivors of Magellan’s expedition, excluding Magellan himself, went
to Butuan.
■ The Legazpi Expedition
> Mazaua was an island near Leyte and Panaon; Butuan was on the island of
Mindanao. The two were entirely different places and in no wise identical,
according to the pilots of the expedition.
ADDITIONAL CLAIM:
BOLINAO, PANGASINAN
■ Bolinao church is the claim that the town hosted the first mass in the Philippines in
1324, or almost 200 years before Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan arrived
in the country.
■ At the front yard of the church is a memorial marker claiming that in 1324,
Franciscan missionaries led by an Italian priest named Odorico took refuge in the
town during a typhoon and that he celebrated a Thanksgiving Mass in honor of the
safe journey of the mission. Odorico also baptized natives during his brief stay in
Bolinao.
■ The markers, which were put up in July 2007, were donated by Italian priest Luigi
Malamocco, who hailed from Odorico’s hometown of Friuli, Italy.
■ A memorial of
supposedly the site of
the first Catholic Mass
heard on Philippine soil.
Conclusions
■ The Butuan tradition was a good claim that many people would
certainly believe that it was the site of the first mass. However, due to
a huge historical error (the date on the monument), it lost its
legitimacy, especially after the works of Pigafetta and Albo emerged.
The Butuan tradition, however, is still very important and plays an
important role in the Philippine history.
■ In the beginning there was no Philippines, but there was Butuan.
■ The National Historical Institute (NHI), actually, has already reached a
conclusion after a two-year study. In 1996, it reaffirmed the popular
belief propelled by Republic Act 2733 that the first Holy Mass was
celebrated in Limasawa Island on March 31, 1521.The NHI cited the
memoirs of Antonio Pigafetta, who chronicled the expedition of
Ferdinand Magellan, as “the only credible primary source that yields
the best evidence of the celebration of the first Christian Mass on
Philippine soil.”

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THE SITE OF THE

• Some readers of Colin misread his work, causing historical errors in

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