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TAGOLOAN Community College
Baluarte, Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental
Tel.No. (08822)740-835/(088)5671-215

College of Arts & Sciences

GEC 2 : Readings in Philippine History
2nd Semester of A.Y. 2020-2021

The Site of the First Mass

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Introduction
In this module you are going to familiarize yourself with the primary documents in different historical periods
of the Philippines most specifically on the event of the First Mass in the Philippines which signifies the
beginning of Christianity in our country. Moreover, you are also expected to analyze the content and context
behind each selected document and primary evidences behind the controversies between Limasawa and Masao
Butuan island.

Rationale

Deconstruct conflicting views in history based on varying reliable sources.

Intended Learning Outcomes

I. Effective questioning, using various techniques and genres.

II. Historical analysis of a particular event or issue that could help others understand the chosen topic

III. Explain present day historical controversies based on the understanding of root causes, and the
varying exposition of different views based on reliable sources

Level of Learning

Analyzing : Learn history through Primary Sources.

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Discussion

Where did the First Catholic Mass took place in the Philippines?

Mypope.com.ph
Butuan has long been believed as the site of the first mass. In fact, this has been the case for three centuries,
culminating in the erection of a monument in 1872 near Agusan River, which commemorates the
expedition’s arrival and celebration of mass on April 8, 1521. Towards the end of the19 th century and the start
of the 20th century, together with the increasing scholarship on the history of the Philippines, a more nuance
reading of the available evidence was made, which brought to light more considerations in going against the
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more accepted interpretation of the first mass in the Philippines, made both by Spanish and Filipino scholars .
It must be noted that there are only two primary sources that historians refer to in identifying the site of the
first mass. One is the 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 other, and the more complete, was the account by Antonio Pigafetta, Primo viaggio intorno al
mondo (First Voyage Around the World). Pigafetta, like Albo, was a member of Magellan Expedition and an
eyewitness of the Events, particularly, of the first mass.

Primary source Francisco Albo’s log

Diario o derotero del viage de Magallanes desde el cabo se S. Agustin en el brazil hasta el regreso a Espana de la nao Victoria, escrito por
Francisco Albo,” Document no. xxii in Collecion de viages y descubrimientos que hicieron por mar los Espanoles desde fines del siglo XV, Ed.
Martin Fernandez de Navarrete (reprinted Buenos Aires 1945, 5 Vols.) IV, 191-225. as cited in Miguel A. Bernad “Butuan or
Limasawa? The Site of the First Mass in the Philippines: A Reexamination of Evidence” 1981, Kinaadmaan:
Ajournal of Southern Philippines, Vol. III,1-35. On the 16 th of March (1521) as they sailed in a westerly
course from Ladrones, they saw the land towards the northwest; but owing to many shallow places they did
not approach it. They found later that its name was Yunagan. They went instead that same day southwards to
another small island named Suluan, and there they anchored. There they saw some canoes but these fled at
the Spaniards’ approach. 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” where they took in a supply of wood
and water. The sea around that island was free from shallows, (Albo does not give the latitude of this island,
but from Pigafetta’s testimony, this seems to be the “Acquada” or Homonhon, at 10 degrees North latitude.)
From that island they sailed westwards towards a large island names Seilani that was inhabited and was
known to have gold. (Seilani- or, as Pigafetta calls it “Ceylon”- was the island of Leyte. Sailing southwards
along the coast of that large island of Seilani, they turned southwest to a small island called “Mazava.” that
island is also at a latitude of 9 and two-thirds degrees North.

The people of that island of Mazava were very good. There the Spaniards planted a cross upon a mountain-
top, and from there they were shown three islands to the west and the southwest, where they were told there
was much gold. “They showed us how the gold was gathered, which came in small pieces like peas and
lentils.” From Mazava they sailed northwards again towards Seilani in a northwesterly direction, ascending
up to 10 degrees of latitude where they saw three small islands. From there they sailed westwards some ten
leagues, and there they saw three islets, where they dropped anchor for the night, in the morning they sailed
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southwest some 12 leagues, down to a latitude of10 and one third degree. They sailed down that channel and
then turned westward and anchored at the town (la villa) of Subu where they stayed many days and obtained
provisions and entered into a peace-pact with the local king. The town of Subu was on an east-west direction
with the islands of Sukuan and Mazava and Subu, there were so many shallows that the boats could not go
westward directly but has to go (as they did) in a round-about way. It must be noted that in Albo’s account,
the Location of Mazava fits the location of the Island of Limasawa, at southern tip of Leyte ,

Primary source: Pigafetta’s testimony on the route of Magellan’s expedition

 Emma Blair and James Alexander Robertson, The Philippine Islands. Vols.33 and 34, as cited in Miguel A. Bernad, “Butuan or
Limasawa? The Site of the First Mass in the Philippines: A Reexamination of Evidence” 1981, Kinaadman: A Journal of Southern
Philippines, Vol. III, 1-35.

1. Saturday, 16 March 1521- Magellan’s expedition sighted a “high land” named “Zamal” which was
some 300 leagues westward of Ladrones (now the Marianas) Island.
2. Sunday, March 17- landed on “another island which was uninhabited”. There they set up two tents
for the sick members of the crew and had a sow killed for them. The name of the Island was
“Humunu” (Homonhon). Located at 10 degrees North Latitude.
3. Sunday, March 17- Magellan named the entire archipelago the “Islands of Saint Lazarus,” It was
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Sunday in the Lenten season when the Gospel assigned for the Mass and the Liturgical Office was
the eleventh chapter of St. John. Which tells of the raising of Lazarus from the dead.
4. Monday, March 18- In the afternoon, They saw a boat coming towards them with the nine men in it.
An exchange of gifts was effected. Magellan asked for food supplies, and the men went away,
promising to bring rice and other supplies in “four days.”
5. There were two spring of water on that island of Homonhon. They saw there some indications that
there was a gold in these Island. Consequently Magellan renamed the Island and called it the “
Watering place of Good Omen” (Acquada la di bouni segnialli)
6. Friday, March 22 – At noon the native returned, they were in two boats and they brought food
supplies.
7. Magellan’s expedition stayed at eight days at Homonhon: from Sunday, March 17, to the Monday of
the following week, March 25

8. Monday, March 25 – In the afternoon the expedition weighed anchor and left the Island of
Homonhon. In ecclesiastical calendar, this day was the feast-day of the Incarnation. Also called the
feast of the Annunciation and therefore “Our Lady’s Day.” An accident happened to Pigafetta: He
fell into the water but was rescued. He attributed his narrow escape from the death as grace obtained
through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary on her feast-day.

9. The route taken by the expedition after leaving Homonhon was “toward the west southwest, between
four Island (Cenalo, Hiunanghan, Ibusson and Albarien.” “Cenalo” is a misspelling the Italian
manuscript for what Pigafetta in his map calls “Ceilon” and Albo calls “Seilani” (island of Leyte).
“hiunanghan” (a misspelling of Hinunangan) seemed to Pigafetta a separate Island, but is actually on
the mainland of Leyte. Hibuson (Pigafetta’s Ibusson) is an Island east of Leyte southern tip.

10. They left Homonhon sailing westward towards Leyte, then followed Leyte coast southward, passing
between the Island of Hibuson on their portside and Hiunangan Bay on their southboard continued
southward, then turning westward to “Mazaua”

11. Thursday, March 28 – In the morning of Holy Thursday, March 28, they anchored off an Island
where the previous night they had seen a light or a bonfire. That Island “lies in a Latitude of nine and
two-thirds towards the Arctic Pole and in a longitude of one hundred and sixty-two degrees from the
line of demarcation. It is twenty-five leagues from the Acquada, and is called Mazaua”. They
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remained days on Mazaua Island

12. Thursday, April 4- they left Mazaua , bound for Cebu. Guided by the king of Mazaua who sailed in
his own boat. Their route took them 5 Islands (Ceylon, Bohol, Canighan, Baibai, and Gatigan.”

13. At Gatigan , they sailed westward to the three Islands of the Camotes Group (Poro, Pasihan and
Ponson. Here the Spanish ships stop to allow the king of Mazaua to catch up with them. The Spanish
ships were much faster than the native Balanghai – a thing that excited admiration of the king of
Mazaua.

14. From the Camotes Islands they sailed southwards towards “Zubu.”

15. Sunday, April 7 – at noon they entered the harbor of “Zubu” (Cebu). It had taken them three days to
negotiate the journey from Mazaua to Camotes Islands and then southwards to Cebu.

Primary source: Pigafetta and the seven days in Mazaua

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Emma Blair and James Alexander Robertson, The Philippine Islands. Vols.33 and 34, as cited in Miguel A. Bernad, “Butuan or Limasawa? The
Site of the First Mass in the Philippines: A Reexamination of Evidence” 1981, Kinaadman: A Journal of Southern Philippines, Vol. III, 1-35.
1. Thursday, March 28 – In the morning they anchored near an Island where they had seen a light the
night before a small boat (boloto) came with eight natives, to whom Magellan threw some trinkets as
presents. The natives paddled away, but two hours later two larger boats (balanghai) came, in one of
which the native king sat under an awning of mats. At Magellan’s invitation some of the natives went
up the Spanish ship, but the native king remained seated in his boat. In the afternoon, the Spanish
ships weighed anchor and came closer to shore, anchoring near the native king’s village this
Thursday was on holy week ,Holy Thursday.

2. Friday, March 29- Magellan sent his slave interpreter ashore in a small boat to ask the king if he
could provide the expedition with food supplies, and to say that they had come as friends and not as
enemies. In reply the king himself came in a boat with six or eight men, and went up Magellan’s ship
and the two men embraced. Another exchange of gifts was made. The native king and his
companions returned ashore, bringing with them two members of Magellan’s expedition as guests for
the night. One of the two was Pigafetta.

3. Saturday, March 30 – Pigafetta and his companion had spent the previous evening feasting and
drinking with the native king and his son. Pigafetta deplored the fact that, although it was Good
Friday, they had to eat meat. At Saturday Pigafetta and his companion took leave of their hosts and
returned to the ships.

4. Sunday, March 31 – “Early in the morning, the last of March and Easter day,” Magellan sent the
priest ashore with some men to prepare for the Mass. Later in the morning Magellan landed with
some fifty men and Mass was celebrated, after which a cross was venerated. Magellan and the
Spaniards returned to the ship for the noon-day meal, but in the afternoon they returned ashore to
plant the cross on the summit of the highest hill. In attendance both at the mass and the planting of
the cross the king of Mazaua and the king of Butuan.

5. Sunday, March 31 – on that same afternoon, while on the summit of the highest hill, Magellan asked
the two kings which ports he should go to in order to obtain more abundant supplies of food than
were available in that Island, they replied that there were three ports to choose from: Ceylon. Zubu,
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and Calagan. Zubu was the port with the most trade. Magellan said that he wished to go to Zubu and
to depart the following morning. He asked for someone to guide him there. The kings replied that the
pilots would be available “any time.” But later that evening the king of Mazaua changed his mind
and said that he would himself conduct Magellan to Zubu but that he would first have to bring the
harvest in. He asked Magellan to send him men to help with the harvest.

6. Monday, April 1 – Magellan sent men ashore to help with the harvest, but no work was done that day
because the two kings were sleeping off their drinking about the night before.

7. Tuesday, April 2 and Wednesday, April 3 – work on the harvest during the “next two days”

8. Thursday , April 4- They leave the Mazaua, Bound for Cebu

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image : xu.edu.ph

Using the primary sources available, Jesuit priest Miguel A. Bernad in his work, lays down the argument that
in the Pigafetta’s account, a crucial aspect of Butuan was not mentioned – the river. Butuan is a riverine
settlement, situated on the Agusan river. The beach of Masao is in the delta of said river. It is a curious
omission in the account of the river, which makes part of distinct characteristics of Butuan’s geography that
seemed to be too important to be missed.

Links & Other Additional Sources

Video links :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyJSqs91Fg4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TODmLli3wQ&t=2s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX7ZBiQNqXg

Assignment

Discussion Forums

In this activity, read & understand the discussions regarding the two claims on the site of the first
Mass which was presented earlier on this module. Choose your side from the following
controversies which you think best supports the claim. Choose only one (1) side and give at least
one (1) evidence of your claim. Remember to justify your side using a concrete evidence / source
taken from your further research of the issue. Submit & Share your stance to your classmates to
open a discussion of which you can also comment on their answers as well.

Please follow instructions and Goodluck !

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Submission ( How & where to submit )

Right after the discussions you are expected to submit and share your stance based on your research.
Please refer to our LMS (Learning management System) in Google classroom and find the
Discussion bin section to comment or submit your assignment. Reminders: Be polite when
commenting on the open forums shared by your classmates. Please be guided. Goodluck !

Sources Additional Resources

Candelaria, J. & Alporha, V.(2018) Readings in Philippine History, Manila, Philippines, Rex Publishing
I
Torres, J.V.(2018). Batis: Sources in Philippine History.Manila, Philippines, C & E Publishing, Inc.
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