MY WRITTEN REPORT

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Alberto H. Negre Jr.

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Lyza Dugay Francia

GENERAL EDUCATION 2
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INTRODUCTION

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 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 utilization 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, culmination 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 from 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 going against the more accepted

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interpretation of the First Mass in the Philippines, made both by Spanish and Filipino scholars.

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It must be noted that there are only two primary sources that historians refer to in identifying the site of

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the First Mass . One is the log kept by Francisco Albo, a pilot of one of Magellan’s ships, Trinidad. He was
one of the 18 survivors who returned with Sebastian Elcano on the ship Victoria after they

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circumnavigated the world. The other, and the more complete, was the account by Antonio Pigafetta,
Primo viaggio ntorno al mondo (First Voyage Around the World). Pigafetta, like Albo, was a member of
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the Magellan expedition and an eyewitness of the events, particularly, of the First Mass.
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SUMMARY
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PRIMARY SOURCE: ALBO’S LOG

On the 16th of March (1521) as they sailed in the westerly course from ladrones, they law saw land
towards the northwest; but owing to many shallow places they did not approach it. They found later that
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its name Yunagan.

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They went instead that same day southward to another small Island name Suluan, and there they
anchored. There they saw some canoes but these fled at Spaniards’ approach. This Island was at 9 and
two-thirds degrees North Latitude.
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Departing from those two Islands, they sailed westward to an uninhabited island of “Gada” where took
in a supply of wood and water. From the Island they sailed towards a large Island names Seilani “Ceylon”
that was inhabited and was known to have gold.

Sailing southwards they turned southwest to a small island called “Mazava” , the people of mazava there
are Spaniards planted a cross upon a mountain-top.

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 They sailed again towards Seilani, North-westerly direction, they saw three Islands. They entered a
channel between two Island which was called “Matan” and “Subo”. And anchored at the town of (la villa)
subo, where they stayed for many days and obtained provisions and entered into a peace-pact with the
local king.

Town of Subu was on east-west with the island of Suluan and Mazava. But between Mazava and Subu,
there were so many shallows that the boats could not go westward.

PRIMARY SOURCE: PIGAFETTA AND SEVEN DAYS IN MAZAUA

Thursday March 28, They seen a boloto came with eight natives, Magellan threw some trinkets as
present, the native paddle away, but 2 hours later 2 larger balanghai came. In the afternoon the Spanish
ships weighed anchor and came closer to shore, anchored near native king’s village , This Thursday,
March 28 was Thursday in Holy week (Holy Thursday).

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Friday, March 29, “Holy Friday” Another exchange of gifts was made. The native king and his companions

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returned ashore, bringing with them two members of Magellan’s expeditions as guest for the night. (One

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of the two was pigafetta).

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Saturday, March 30, Pigafetta and his companion spent previous evening feasting and drinking with the

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king and his son, Pigafetta deplored the fact that although it was Good Friday they had to eat meat.
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Sunday, March 31, The last March and Easter day, Magellan sent the priest ashore to prepare for the
mass. Later on Magellan landed with fifty men and Mass was celebrated, 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
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planting of the cross were the king of Mazaua and king of Butuan. Magellan asked the two kings to
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obtain more abundant supplies of food and they choose from Ceylon, Zubu and Calagan but among the
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three Zubu was the port with the most trade.

Monday, April 1, Magellan sent men ashore to help with harvest. But no work was done that day
because two kings get drunk.Tuesday, April 2 and Wednesday, April 3 – Work on the harvest during the
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next two days.Thursday, April 4 – They leave Mazaua, bound for Cebu.
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CONCLUSION
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This island is surrounded by lovely white beaches and calm clear water and can be easily reached from
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Southern Leyte. It is well known to hold the first Catholic mass in the Philippines on Easter Sunday March
31 1521. To reach the site one needs to climb 400 steps. Upon reaching the top you won’t be
disappointed as there are breathtaking views to be seen.
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According to the 2010 census this small island has a population of only 5,835 inhabitants, making it the
smallest municipality in the province,

On the boat trip from Southern Leyte you may be lucky enough to see whale sharks or dolphins. We only
saw dolphins upon returning back to Southern Leyte.

There is a controversy regarding the site of the first Mass ever celebrated on Philippine soil.Pigafetta tells

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 us that it was Held on Easter Sunday, the 31stof March 1521, on an island called"Mazaua". Two native
chieftains were in attendance: the rajah of Mazaua and the rajah of Butuan. After the Mass the crowd
went up a little hill and planted a wooden cross upon its summit. The subject of controversy is the
identity of this place which Pigafetta calls"Mazaua," There are two conflicting claims as to its identity:
one school of thought points to the little island south of Leyte which in the maps is called Limasawa; the
other school rejects that claim and points instead to the beach called Masao at the mouth of the Agusan
River innorthernMindanao, near what was then the village (now the city) of Butuan. But in summary, I
believe that Limasawa is the location of the first mass in the Philippines. It is because there are lots of
evidences that support so.

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REFERENCES
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PRIMARY SOURCE: Francisco Albo’s Log

Source: “Diario ó derotero del viage de Magallanes desde el cabo se S. Agustin en el Brazil hasta el
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regreso a Espana de la nao Victoria, escrito por Frandsco Albo,” Document no. xxii in Colleción de viages
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y descubrimientos que hicieron por mar los Españoles desde fines del siglo XV, Ed Martin Ferdnandez de
Navarette (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,
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Kinaadman: A Journal of Southern Philippines, Vol. III. 1—5.

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PRIMARY SOURCE: Pigafetta's Testimony on the Route of Magellan's Expedition

PRIMARY SOURCE: Pigafetta and Seven Days in Mazaua
Source: Emma Blair and James Alexander Robertson, The Philippine Islands, Vols. 33 and 34, as cited in
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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.

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