Butuan

Butuan City, which sprawls across the Agusan Fr. Francisco Collins S.J. (1592-1660)
River, is situated in the northern Agusan Valley,
Mindanao. Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur,  He was an educator and historian
Butuan Bay, and Agusan del Norte form its who served as a Spanish missionary
northern, western, and southern boundaries, for the Society of Jesus. Around
respectively. 1640, Colin, who had lived in the
Why is it called the site of the first mass in Philippines for many years,
Butuan? produced historical reports.
 He published the Labor Evangelica in
 It was a tradition believed by many in
1663.
the 17th-19th century.
 Early versions claimed that the First
Mass was celebrated in Butuan, Agusan
del Norte, notably on an island known
as Masao. These accounts were
primarily made by friars who relied on
accessible documents and tradition.
 WOODEN CROSS

(waley akong mahnap na pic)

Fr. Francisco Combés S.J. (1620 – 1665)
 In the 17th century, he was a Spanish
priest who founded Christian
monasteries in the Philippines. He also
served as a missionary.

In Madrid, Spain, in 1667, he authored Historia

de Mindanao y Jolo.

BALANGHAI
 Why is Butuan's claim to
be the site of the first mass
debunked?
 It isn't necessarily true, simply a
widely accepted tradition.
 The stories published by Combres
and Collin, which had several faults
from the start, are the foundation
and inspiration for all additional
evidence.
 Combres avoided specifically
mentioning Butuan's initial mass
site.
 The routes of Collin and Combres'
accounts are inconsistent. Both of
them recorded that Magellan
traveled to Limasawa and Butuan
before continuing on to Cebu. But
Combres made reference to two
trips to Limasawa. According to his
account, Magellan first visits
Limasawa before traveling to Butuan
and finally Cebu.
 Other credible versions indicate that
Magellan traveled directly to Cebu
instead of Butuan.