In partial fulfillment for the requirements in Readings in Philippine History

A Position Paper
“Limasawa Island: Site of the First Mass in the Philippines and in Asia”

Submitted by
Magbanua, Sirach Anne
Manigsaca, Chim
Palomar, Kingsly
Remitar, Nikka Angela
Villegas, Felipe III O.
BS Geology- 1st year

Submitted to
Ma’am Jessa Celebio
Subject Teacher

Negros Oriental State University

September 13, 2018

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 Limasawa Island: Site of the First Mass in the
Philippines and in Asia

I. Brief Background on Limasawa

Limasawa Island is situated at the southern tip of the Province of Southern Leyte. It is
bounded on the north by the municipality of Padre Burgos, on the east by Panaon Island, on the
south by Camiguin Island (Mindanao Sea), and onthe west by Province of Bohol (Canigao
Channel). It has a total land area of 7 square kilometers andis composed of six barangays
namely: Cabulihan,Triana, Magallanes, Lugsongan, San Bernardo and San Agustin.
A small yet flourishing town, Limasawa was the site of the First Christian Mass in the
Philippines and in Asia. The First Cross and the First Mass shrine, are some of the frequently
yisited spots that give tourists a rare experience of retracing the historic footsteps of the
Portuguese explorer the way for the beginning of Christianity in the country (NSCB, 2009).
Mazaua" is the original name of this municipality. There are two assumptions how the
municipality got its name: One assumption is that before the Spanish men arrived to the island,
the natives don't really have a name of their place. Upon the arrival of Ferdinand Magellan and
his men, one of the natives was asked for the name of their place. The native, unable to
understand what it meant, mistakenly interpreted the question to mean as to "how many wives
their Rajah has". So he answered immediately "Lima'y Asawa" , meaning that their Rajah has
five wives. The Spanish too, thinking that was the answer to his question, return to tell his
companions that the island is named "Lima 'y Asawa And from then on, the answer to his
question, return to tell his companions that the island is named "Lima'y Asawa.
And from then on, the place came to be called as "Limasawa". Another assumption is that
when the Spanish men arrived to the island, they named it "Mazaua" for the beauty of the place.
As it is their custom to add the prefix "Le" to mean a particular name, it became the tongue of
everyone in the place to call it as "Le Mazaua ". It was the local people themselves who later
changed the spelling and joined the two words into "Limasawa" (Cebu Travel Blog, 2017).

II. Evidences and supporting facts

a. Republic Act 2733

Do you know where was the first mass in the Philippines was held? Did
you hear some issues that it was held to a different location? Many people are
quiet confused on where was the first mass of the Philippines took place, but
on this paper we will erase that confusion written in your faces and questions
that are bugging your mind about this issue.

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 In this paper, we will prove that the first mass in the Philippines was held at
Magallanes, Limasawa Island in the Province of Leyte.

To prove that the first mass was held at Limasawa Island, here is an
evidence. The Republic Act 2733, proves it all. This piece of legislation states
that the first mass was really held at Limasawa Island. Below is the copy of
Section where it states our stand in this paper:
“Section 1. The site in Magallanes, Limasawa Island in the Province of
Leyte, where the first Mass in the Philippines was held is hereby declared a
national shrine to commemorate the birth of Christianity in the Philippines.

So what could go wrong to this Republic Act? That we all know, that all
Republic Acts are used to create policy in order to carry out the principles of
the Constitution. It is crafted and passed by the Congress of the Philippines and
approved by the President of Philippines. It can only be repealed by a similar
act of Congress.

b. Antonio Pigafetta’s records.

The first ever Christian Mass in the country on March 31, 1521 was
celebrated in the island of Limasawa, south of Leyte and not in Butuan City, so
declared the National Historical Institute. The most complete and reliable
account of the Magellan expedition into Philippine shores in 1521 is that of
Antonio Pigafetta which is deemed as the only credible primary source of
reports on the celebration of the first Christian Mass on Philippine soil. James
Robertson's English translation of the original Italian manuscript of Pigaffeta's
account is most reliable for being ''faithful'' to the original text as duly certified
by the University of the Philippines' Department of European Language.
Pigafetta's Mazaua, the site of the first Christian Mass held on Philippine soil,
is an island lying off the southwestern tip of Leyte while Masao in Butuan is
not an island but a barangay of Butuan City located in a delta of the Agusan
River along the coast of Northern Mindanao. The position of Mazaua, as
plotted by Pigafetta, matched that of Limasawa. (Arnaiz, ).
Like the Philippine government, the powerful Roman Catholic Church also
recognized Limasawa Island as the site where Magellan and his crew landed
and held the First Mass. Furthermore, the Embassy of Spain recognized
Limasawa as the site of Magellan's landfall such that they also sent the Galleon
Andalucia to visit Maasin City for 5 days and Limasawa for about 3 hours. The
Embassy of Portugal in Metro Manila recognized Limasawa as the "Mazzaua"
which Pigafetta wrote about as the island where Magellan and his troops

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 observed the First Mass on Easter or introduced Christianity to the island's
inhabitants.

c. Albo’s log book

In Albo’s logbook, there is no direct evidence that the first mass was held
in Limasawa and he does not mention the first mass either. It is stated that the
location of Mazava fits the location of the island Limasawa, at the southern tip
of Leyte, 9 degrees 54 minutes North. He also mentions the planting of the
cross upon a mountain-top from which could be seen three islands to the west
and southwest, which also fits the southern end of Limasawa.

d. Ship route Magellan

The age of exploration is a period of competition among European rulers to

conquer and colonized lands outside their original domains. Initially, the goal
was to find alternative routes by sea to get Asia, the main source of spices and
other commodities (Alporha & Candelaria, 2018).

On 1519, Magellan with his crew started to sought westward route to

the spice island of Indonesia as he was supported/ funded largely by King
Charles V of Spain. Their goal wasn’t just to search for an alternative passage
but also, to make spain’s territory bigger and spread Christianity as they go
along with their western journey.

On 26 September 1521, Magellan cross and stopover at the Canary Island

and on December 13, they anchored at the Rio de Janeiro bay. Afterwards, they
continued to sail south along South America's east coast and on 21 October
1520, they reached the all saint strait and heading northwest, the crew passed
by at the Mariana Island and finally, on the 16th March 1521, the explorer
landed at the Himonhon Island of the Philippines (Panganiban, 2016).

According to Blair & Robertson (1906) cited by Bernard (2013), Magellan

sailed again on 28th march 1521 and while at sea, they saw a bonfire which
turned out to be Mazaua (believed to be today’s Limasawa) before a small boat
came with eight natives, to whom Magellan threw some trinkets as presents.
The natives paddled away in one of which the native king sat under an awning
of mats. At Magellan’s inivitation some of the natives went up the Spanish

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 ships weighed anchor and came close to shore, anchoring near the native king’s
village. It was Thursday in Holy Week or known as Holy Thursday.

On 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 this time went up Magellan’s
ship and the two men embraced. Another exchange of gifts was made.

On Saturday, March 30, Pigafetta and his companion had spent the previous
evening feasting and drinking with the native king and his son. The following
morning (March 31, 1521), 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.

III. Bibliography

Alphora & Candelaria, J.L. (2018). Readings in Philippine History. Manila: Rex
Book Store, Inc.

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 Arnaiz, J. (1999). 1st Mass controversy: It's Limasawa. Retrieved September 6,
2018 from http://firstcircumnavigator.tripod.com/limasawa.htm

Mercado, S. V., (2015). Limasawa or Mazzaua? Retreived September 6, 2018

from http://7th_millennium.tripod.com/7mc/Limasawa.html

National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), (2009). Limasawa Island: Site of

the First Mass in the Philippines and in Asia: A Municipal Profile.
Retrieved September 6, 2018 from
http://www.nap.psa.gov.ph/ru8/profiles/Municipal_
%20Profile/Municipal_Profile_Limasawa.pdf

“(1960, June 19). Republic Act No. 2733. Congress of the Philippines
19 June 1960 Retrieved from https://www.thecorpusjuris.com/legislative/republic-
acts/ra-no-2733.php

Panganiban, R. (2016). Rediscovery of the Philippines. Retrieved September 10,

2018, from https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/selpanganiban/rediscovery-
of-the-philippines

Bernard, M. (2013). Butuan or Limasawa: The Site of the First Mass in the
Philippines: A Reexamination of the Evidence. Retrieved September 10,
2018, from https://journals.ateneo.edu/ojs/budhi/article/view/582/579
Cebu Travel Blog. (2017). Mazaua means Limasawa. Retrieved September 13,
2018 from
google.com/amp/s/cebutravelblogph.wordpress.com/2107/08/27/mazauame
anslimasawa/amp/

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