If you will be the team to re-evaluate the issue on the first Mass in the Philippines, what are your

findings? Cite at least  3 and explain.

-The Magellan expedition's most thorough and trustworthy account the arrival of Antonio
Pigafetta in the Philippine Islands in 1521, the first Christian Mass was celebrated on Philippine
soil, according to the sole primary source considered to be reliable.

-In the account of Pigafetta, Gomez noticed that he failed to mention some points of the journey
where the masses were held, one example is when they were at the port of San Julian. Pigafetta
mentioned about a mass held on Palm Sunday which was held on April 1, 1520 during their
voyage to the west but never mentioned about Easter Sunday. Same situation happened when the
fleet arrived in the Philippines, Pigafetta only mentioned about the Easter Sunday Mass while he
is silent on the Palm Sunday.

-In the Account of Francisco Albo, he did not mention about the first mass in the Philippines but
only the planting of the cross upon a mountain top from which could be seen three islands to the
west and southwest, where they were told there was much gold. This also fits the southern end
of Limasawa. It does not suits the coast of Butuan from which no islands could be seen to the
south or the southwest, but only towards the north.

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The first documented Catholic Mass in the Philippines was held on March 31, 1521, Easter
Sunday. It was conducted by Father Pedro de Valderrama of Ferdinand Magellan's
expedition along the shores of what was referred to in the journals of Antonio Pigafetta as
"Mazaua".

Today, this site is widely believed by many historians and the government to be Limasawa off
the tip of Southern Leyte, However, until at least the 19th century, the prevailing belief was that
the first mass was held in Butuan. This belief is maintained by some, who assert that the first
mass was instead held at Masao, Butuan.

The pro-Butuan group presented non-eyewitness accounts decades after the Mass as their proofs.
Meanwhile, the pro-Limasawa group provided the panel coordinates of Mazaua given by the
eyewitnesses, studies and projects that retraced the Magellan–Elcano expedition using modern
navigational instruments, and the copies of Pigafetta's original accounts.

So therefore, 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.