Site of the First Mass Controversy

In 1998 the National Historical Institute (NHI) declared that Limasawa Island was the place where the First Mass take place in
the Philippines.

Although despite the declaration the debate was still alive as other historians claimed that Butuan was “Mazaua” (The
name of the place referred to Antonio Pigafetta’s journal) not the Limasawa, the question is:

Where was the Site of the First Mass? Is it in Limasawa or Butuan?

Mass is known as a practice among Christian people to honor and worship God.

Butuan Tradition
 The Butuan claims were remain unanimous and unbroken for three centuries, the 17 th, 18th and the 19th century.
 Monument was erected in 1872 at the mouth of the Agusan River, with an inscription postulating that Magellan
arrived at Butuan.
 Date given in the First Mass was April 8, 1521.

17th Century

 According to Fr. Francisco Colin S.J who published Labor Evangelica, he stated that the First Mass happened in Masao
along with the solemn planting of the cross.
 According to Fr. Francisco Combes S.J who published Mindanao y Jolo, he stated that Magellan went to Butuan to
meet the chieftain of Butuan after learning that he is influential, in order to forge a future alliance and to satisfy the
chieftain they planted a cross on the hill in a solemn ceremony.

18th Century

 A passage in Fr. Francisco Colin S.J made an error that misled the later writers, in Colin’s notes he insisted that
Magellan went to a different route starting from Cape of San Agustin then sailed northwards along the Pacific coast of
Mindanao, rounded Surigao point and then sailed westward to Butuan.
 Fray de la Concepcion made an error related to Colin’s false claim in Magellan’s voyage.

19th Century

 The Butuan Tradition was taken for granted since misinformation and misstatements in the passages were numerous
compared to Pigafetta’s account.

The Shift in Opinion

How then did the shift in opinion from Butuan to Limasawa?

 Emma Blaire and James Alexander Robertson’s publication of the 55-volume collection of documents on the
Philippine Islands on 1903 to 1909.
 According to Fr. Pablo Pastells S.J the rediscovery of Pigafetta’s chronicles and Albo’s log book are the reasons of the
shift of opinion.
 In the early 20th century two Filipino scholars Trinidad Padro de Tavera and Jayme de Veyra rejected the Butuan
tradition and were in favor of Limasawa.
Two Primary Sources:
A log kept by Francisco Albo, a pilot of one of Magellan’s ship, Trinidad. He was one of the 18 survivors who returned with
Sebastian Elcano on the ship Victoria after they circumnavigated the world.

The account of Antonio Pigafetta, Primo viaggio intorno al mondo (First Voyage around the World). Pigafetta, like Albo, was a
member of the Magellan expedition, an Italian noble man, a cartographer and geographer sent by the king of Spain to
document Magellan’s voyage, an eyewitness of the events, particularly, of the first Mass.

Both asserted that they first sighted the eastern coast of Samar on March 16, 1521, then they landed on the island of
Homonhon spending almost two weeks then leaving, they went westward towards the island of Leyte and turned to a
southwest direction to reach this island, on this geographic location provided by Albo and Pigafetta, the island of Limasawa is in
Southern Leyte.

Evidence of Albo's log book:

He did not mention the first mass although the description of the latitude and the location of the island was fit to the
location of the Limasawa Island the Southern tip of Leyte.

Evidence from Pigafetta:

Natives welcome the Europeans offering provisions/supplies including the two chieftains, a complete journal of the
location, their 7-day activity in Masaua Island and the day to day expedition from March 16, 1521 to April 4, 1521, a complete
description of how the First Mass happened, where, and when, they stayed in Masaua Island during the holy week.

Both stated that the First Mass took place on an Island they called “Mazava” in Albo’s account, “Mazaua” in Pigafetta’s account.
The First Mass was presided by Fr. Pedro Valderrama, a friar who joined Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition to discover lands,
spices and gold, after befriending Rajah Kolambu and Rajah Siagu, who guided him to Cebu, after the battle of Mactan, the
expedition survivors went to Butuan after Magellan’s death.

Source: https://journals.ateneo.edu/ojs/index.php/budhi/article/view/582/579