Cite of First Mass in The Philippines

Antonio Pigafetta
Around 1491 when he was born at Vicenza, Republic of Venice or was Know now as Italy and died at the aged Of 39-40 around 1531.

Marco POLO
He studied astronomy; Geography and cartography
He travelled with the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and his crew on their First Voyage around the world He was one of the 18 men who returned to
Spain in 1522

ELM-FRAI PEDRO DE VALDERRAMA

The first Catholic Mass in the Philippines was Held on March 31, 1521 (Eastern Sunday) *
Father Pedro de Valderrama
LIMASAWA???
BOTUAN???

Limasawa
Holy First Mass marked the birth of Roman Catholicism in the Philippines

1872 : A monument to commemorate the site Of first mass on the Philippines was erected in Butuan
*1953: The people in Butuan asked the Philippine Historical Committee to Rehabilitate the monument or place a marker On the site

On the basis of this objection the monument Was re erected but the marble slab stating it Was the site of first mass was removed

Zaide identified Masao in Butuan as The location of the first mass.

The basis Zaide’s claim is the diary of Antonio Pigafetta, chronicle of Magellan’s voyage

Jaime de Veyra stated that the first mass Was celebrated in Limawasa not in Butuan

Historian Pablo Pastells stating by the Footnote to Francisco Colin’s Labor Evangelica That Magellan did not go to Butuan but form Limasawa to Cebu

Francisco Albo ( pilot of Magellan’s flagship )Does not mention the first mass but he writes That they erected a cross on a mountain which Overlooked three
islands the west and the Southwest.

James Robertson agreed with Pastells in A footnote that “Mazua” was actually Limasawa.

In the authentic account of Pigafetta, the port Was not in Butuan but an island named Mazua ( Masawa) *Father Bernard studied all the Pigafetta’s maps, which
place in Mazau off the Southern tip of the larger island of Leyte., a Check with the modern maps will show that This jibes with Limasawa and not Masao or
Butuan.

The Evidence
• The evidence of Albo’s Log-Book
• The Evidence of Pigafetta a) Pigafetta’s Testimony regarding the route; b)The Evidence of Pigafetta’s map c)The two native Kings d) The seven days at “Mazaua”
e)An Argument from omission
• Summary of the evidence of Albo and Pigafetta. 4. Confirmatory evidence from the Legazpi expedition.

1.The name of the place

2.the route from Homonhon
3.the latitude position
4.The geographical features a) the Bonfire b) the balanghai c) house d) abundance of gold e) a developed settlement

Case Study 1: Where Did the First Catholic Mass Take Place in the Philippines?

The popularity of knowing where the “firsts” happened in history has Been an easy way to trivialize history, but this case study will not Focus on the significance
(or lack thereof) of the site of the First Catholic Mass in the Philippines, but rather, use it as a Historiographical exercise in the utlization of evidence and
Interpretation in reading historical events.

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 8 April 1521. The Butuan claim has been based on a rather
elementary Reading of primary sources trom the event.

Toward the end of the nineteenth century and the start of the Twentieth century, together with the increasing scholarship on The history of the Philippines, a
more nuanced reading of the Available evidence was made, which brought to light more Considerations in gong against the more accepted interpretation of The
first Mass in the Philhppines, 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.

1.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.

2. 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 the Magellan Expedition and an eyewitness of the events, particularly, of the first Mass.

Primary Source: Albo’s Log

 1. On the 16th of March (1521) as they sailed in a westerly course From Ladrones, they saw land towards the northwest; but owing to Many shallow
places they did not approach it. They found later that Its name was Yunagan.

2. 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.

3. 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 Pigatetta's testimony, this seems to be the
"Acquada or Homonhon, at 10 degrees North latitude.)

4. 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.)

5. 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.

6. 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 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.

7. From Mazava they sailed northwards again towards Seilani. They Followed the coast of Seilani in northwesterly direction, ascending Up to 10 degrees
of latitude where they saw three small islands.

8. 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 southwest some 12 leagues, down to a Latitude of l0 and one-third degree. There they entered a channel Between two islands, one of which
was called “Matan” and the other “Subu.”

9. 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.

10. The town of Subu was on an east-west direction with the islands Of Suluan and Mazava. But between 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.

Primary Source: Pigafetta’s Testimony on the Route of Magellan’s Expedition

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) Islands.

2. Sunday, March 17 “The following day” after sighting Zamal Island, They landed on “another island which was uninhabited” and which Lay
“to the right” of the above-mentioned island of “Zamal.” (To the “righť here would mean on their starboard going south or Southwest.)
There they set up two tents for the sick members of the Crew and had a sow killed for them. The name of this island was Humunu
(Homonhon). This island was located at 10 degrees North Latitude.

3. On that same day (Sunday, March 17), Magellan named the enure Archipelago the “Islands of Saint Lazarus,” the reason being that it Was 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 trom the dead.

4. Monday, March 18- In the afternoon of their second day on that Island, they saw a boat coming towards them with 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 springs of water on that island of Homonhon. Also They saw there some indications that there was gold in these islands.
Consequently Magellan renamed the island and called it the “Watering Place of Good Omen” (Acquada la di bouni segniali).

6. Friday, March 22-At noon the natives returned. This time they Were in two boats, and they brought food suppies.

7. Magellan’s expedition stayed 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 the ecclesiastical Calendar, this day (March
25) was the feast-day of the lncarnation, Also called the feast of the Annunciation and therefore “Our Lady’s Day. On this day, as they were about to
weigh anchor, an accident Happened to Pigafëtta: he fell into the water but was rescued. He Attributed his narrow escape from 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 islands: namely, Cenalo, Hiunanghan,
Ibusson and Albarien.” Very probably “Cenalo is a misspelling in the Italian manuscript for what Pigafetta In his map calls “Ceilon and Albo calls
“Seilani: namely the island
Of Leyte. Hiunanghan” (a misspelling of Hinunangan) seemed to Pigafetta to be a separate island, but is actually on the mainland Of Leyte G.e.,
“Ceylon’”). On the other hand, Hibuson (Pigafetta’s Ibusson) is an island east of Leyte’s southern tip.

Thus, it is easy to see what Pigafetta meant by sailing toward the West southwest” past those islands. They left Homonhon sailing Westward towards
Leyte, then followed the Leyte coastSouthward, passing between the island of Hibuson on their portside And unangan Bay on their starboard, and
then continued southward, Then turning westward to “Mazaua.

10. Thursday, March 28 In the morning of Holy Thursday, March 6, They anchored off an island where the previous night they hadseen a Light or a bonfire.
That island “lies in a latitude of nine and two-thirds Towards the Arctic Pole (i.e., North) and in a longitude of one Hundred and sixty-two degrees from
the line of demarcation. Lt is Twenty-five leagues from the Acquada, and is called Mazaua.

11. They remained seven days on Mazaua lsland.

 12. Thursday, April 4-They left Mazaua, bound for Cebu. They were Guided thither by the king of Mazaua who sailed in his own boat. Their route took
them past five “islands” namely: “Ceylon, Bohol, Canighan, Baibai, and Gatighan.”

13. At Gatighan, they sailed westward to the three islands of The Camotes Group, namely, Poro, Pasihan and Ponson. Here the Spanish ships stopped to
allow the king of Mazaua to catch up with Them, since the Spanish ships were much faster than the native Balangha-a thing that excited the
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 northwards to
the Camotes Islands and then southwards to Cebu. It must be pointed out that both Albo and Pigafetta’s Testimonies coincide and corroborate each
other. Pigafetta gave More details on what they did during their weeklong stay at Mazaua.

Primary Source: Pigafetta and Seven Days in Mazaua

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. An exchange of gifts was effected. In the Afternoon that day, the Spanish
ships weighed anchor and came Closer to shore, anchoring near the native kings village. This Thursday, March 28, was Thursday in Holy
Week, i.e., Holy Thursday.

2. Friday, March 29-“Next day. Holy Friday, 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. 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 teasting and drinking with the native king and His son.
Pigafetta deplored the fact that, although it was Good Friday, they had to eat meat. The following morning (Saturday) Pigafetta and his
companion took leave of their hosts and returned To the ships.

4. Sunday, March 31-“Early in the morning of Sunday, 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 at the planting of the cross were 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 to choose from:
Ceylon, Zubu, and Calagan. Of the three, Zubu was the port with the most trade. Magellan then said that He wished to go to Zubu and to
depart the following morning. He asked for Someone to guide him thither. 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 bout the night before.

7. Tuesday, April 2 and Wednesday, April3- Work on the harvest During the “next to days, 1.e., Tuesday and Wednesday, the 2nd and 3rd of
April.

8. Thursday, April 4-They leave Mazaua, bound for Cebu. Using the Primary sources avallable, Jesuit priest Miguel A. Bernad in his Work
Butuan or Limasauwa: The Site of the First Mass in the Philippines: A Reexamination of Evidence (1981) lays down the Argument that in the
Pigafetta account, a crucial aspect of Butuan Was not mentioned-the river. Butuan is a riverine settlement, Situated on the Agusan River.
The beach off Masno is in the delta of Said river. It is a curious omission in the account of the river, which Makes part of a distinct
characteristic of Butuan’s geography that Seemed to be too important to be missed.

The Age of Exploration

The Age of Exploration is a period of competition among European rulers to conquer and colonize lands outside their Original domains. Initialy, the goal was to
find alternative routes by Sea to get to Asia, the main source of spices and other Commodities. Existing routes to Asia were mainly by land and cost Very
expensive. A sea route to Asia means that Europeans could Access the spice trade directly, greatly reducing costs for traders. Spain’s major foray into the
exploration was through Christopher Columbus, who proposed to sail westward to find a shorteut to Asia. He was able to reach the Americas, which was then
cut-off From the rest of the known world.

Spain colonized parts of North America, Mexico, and South America In the sixteenth century. They were also able to reach the Philippines And claim it for the
Spanish crown. Later on, other European Rulers would compete with the activities of exploring and conquering Lands. It must also be pointed out that later on,
after Magellan s Death, the survivors of his expedition went to Mindanao, and Seemingiy went to Butuan. In this instance, Pigafetta vividly Describes a trip in a
river. But note that this account already Happened after Magellan’s death.