Sabangan, Lyka Pearl C.

Activity #2 (The Site of the First Mass)

BS Mathematics, MT31 September 10, 2020

1. Where do you think was the first mass in the Philippines held? Support your answer with

primary sources.

According to the National historical Commission of the Philippines (NCHP), the “First

Easter Sunday Mass” that was held in 1521 after the discovery of Philippines by Ferdinand

Magellan was held at Limasawa Island.

The NHCP adopted a recommendation from a panel of Church historians in a resolution 

dated July 15 but released only on Wednesday, August 19, reaffirming its earlier stand that LIma

sawa Island was the site of the first mass that started Christinaity in the Philippines.

In 1995, former Agusan del Norte Rep. Charito "Ching Plaza," who is now managing

director of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), filed a bill alleging that Butuan

City was the location of the first mass.

The House of Representatives then forwarded the matter for further study to the NHCP,

then known as the National Historical Institute.

The question of the exact position of the historical mass was addressed earlier by the

NHI, the NHCP 's predecessor, through two expert panels: the first chaired by former Supreme

Court Justice Emilio Gancayco in 1995 and the second by historian Benito Legarda in 2008.

Both panels ruled that Limasawa Island was the location of the 1521 Easter Sunday Mass.
 The findings were then supported by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the

Philippines. As per The Inquirer, “The panel reassessed the studies and literature on the matter,

gathered the extant copies of Antonio Pigafetta’s chronicles and other accounts abroad, surveyed

the presumed sites of the event in Butuan and Limasawa, consulted experts in geology and

cartography, and submitted its report for review by the history departments of various Philippine

universities “ Per Pigafetta, chronicler of the Magellan Expedition, the Easter Sunday Mass that

expedition chaplain Fr. Pedro Valderama celebrated on March 31, 1521, happened in a place he

identified as Mazaua.

Due these findings, President Duterte declared that March 31 of every year as holiday in

Southern Leyte to mark the historic Mass held in town.

2. Create a table providing similarities and differences of different accounts and versions of

the first Mass in the Philippines.

Arguments in favor of Limasawa, Southern Leyte

Accounts/Versions of Similarities Differences

Chronological Orders
Francisco Albo’s Account The island has gold and

quantities of gingers.
Miguel Lopez de Legaspi The expedition entered the

and/or Hernando Riquel Philippines at the island of

(Home Clerk of the Samar called Tandaya

Home/Office) Account
Pigafetta’s Account The island has quantity of They didn’t go to dine, but

gold. instead to held mass and

introduce Christianism to the

people.
Jose Arcilla, Historian Islanders and Europeans

became friends.

Arguments in favor of Masao, Butuan City

Accounts/Versions of Similarities Differences

Chronological Orders
Gregorio Zaide They all sail up to the soil of

the Philippines.
Fred Atkinson They all sail up to the soil of They sail westward

the Philippines.
John Ford They all sail up to the soil of They sail eastward

the Philippines.

3. Do you favor the enactment of law as a means to settle the controversy of the place where

the first mass in the Philippines was held? Justify your answer.

Yes, I am in favor of this reenactment. Though the law was enacted without the

President’s signature, the still presented multiple evidences as a proof in which there was

a strong proof that the first mass was held in Limasawa.