SITE OF THE FIRST MASS

 One of the most controversial topic in Philippine history is the site of the first Catholic Mass, which
happened on March 31, 1521 (Easter Sunday).
 Today, debates on the matter are being opened as the Philippines celebrates the 500th years of
Christianity, and this time it is not just Masao, Butuan and Limasawa Island in Leyte, but including
other places in Butuan such as Baug Island, Suatan and Bood Promontory.
 In this lesson, we will continue reading the accounts of Antonio Pigafetta which is considered as a
complete record of the journey of Magellan.
Primary Source:
The First Voyage Around the World, translated from the accounts of Antonio Pigafetta accompanied by original
documents, with notes and an introduction by Lord Stanley of Alderley.

In the island belonging to the king who came to the ship there are mines of gold, which they find in pieces as big as a
walnut or an egg, by seeking in the ground. All the vessels which he makes use of are made of it, and also some parts of
his house, which was well fitted up according to the custom of the country, and he was the handsomest man that we saw
among these nations. He had very black hair coming down to his shoulders, with a silk cloth on his head, and two large
gold rings hanging from his ears, he had a cloth of cotton worked with silk, which covered him from the waist to the
knees, at his side he wore a dagger, with a long handle which was all of gold, its sheath was of carved wood. Besides he
carried upon him scents of storax and benzoin. He was tawny and painted all over. The island of this king is named
Zuluan and Calagan and when these two kings wish to visit one another they come to hunt in this island where we were.
Of these kings the painted king is called Raia Calambu, and the other Raia Siagu.
On Sunday, the last day of March, and feast of Easter, the captain sent the chaplain ashore early to say mass, and the
interpreter went with him to tell the king that they were not coming on shore to dine with him, but only to hear the mass.
The king hearing that sent two dead pigs. When it was time for saying mass the captain went ashore with fifty men, not
with their arms, but only with their swords, and dressed as well as each one was able to dress, and before the boats
reached the shore our ships fired six cannon shots as a sign of peace. At our landing the two kings were there, and
received our captain in a friendly manner, and placed him between them, and then we went to the place prepared for
saying mass, which was not far from the shore. Before the mass began the captain threw a quantity of musk rose water on
those two kings, and when the offertory of the mass came, the two kings went to kiss the cross like us, but they offered
nothing, and at the elevation of the body of our Lord they were kneeling like us, and adored our Lord with joined hands.
The ships fired all their artillery at the elevation of the body of our Lord. After mass had been said each one did the duty
of a Christian, receiving our Lord. After that the captain had some sword-play by his people, which gave great pleasure
to the kings.
Then he had a cross brought, with the nails and crown, to which the kings made reverence, and the captain had them
told that these things which he showed them were the sign of the emperor his lord and master, from whom he had charge
and commandment to place it in all places where he might go or pass by. He told them that he wished to place it in their
country for their profit, because if there came afterwards any ships from Spain to those islands, on seeing this cross, they
would know that we had been there, and therefore they would not cause them any displeasure to their persons nor their
goods; and if they took any of their people, on showing them this sign, they would at once let them go. Besides this, the
captain told them that it was necessary that this cross should be placed on the summit of the highest mountain in their
country, so that seeing it every day they might adore it, and that if they did thus, neither thunder, lightning, nor the
tempest could do them hurt. The kings thanked the captain, and said they would do it willingly. Then he asked whether
they were Moors or Gentiles, and in what they believed. They answered that they did not perform any other adoration, but
only joined their hands, looking up to heaven, and that they called their God, Aba. Hearing this, the captain was very
joyful, on seeing that, the first king raised his hands to the sky and said that he wished it were possible for him to be able
to show the affection which he felt towards him.
The interpreter asked him for what reason there was so little to eat in that place, to which the king replied that he did not
reside in that place except when he came to hunt and to see his brother, but that he lived in another island where he had
all his family. Then the captain asked him if he had any enemies who made war upon him, and that if he had any he would
go and defeat them with his men and ships, to put them under his obedience. The king thanked him, and answered that
there were two islands the inhabitants of which were his enemies; however, that for the present it was not the time to
attack them. The captain therefore said to him that if God permitted him to return another time to this country, he would
bring so many men that he would put them by force under his obedience. Then he bade the interpreter tell them that he
was going away to dine, and after that he would return to place the cross on the summit of the mountain. The two kings
said they were content, and on that they embraced the captain, and he separated from them.
After dinner we all returned in our dress coats, and we went together with the two kings to the middle of the highest
mountain we could find, and there the cross was planted. After that the two kings and the captain rested themselves; and,
while conversing, I asked where was the best port for obtaining victuals. They replied that there were three, that is to say,
Ceylon, Zzubu, and Calaghan, but that Zzubu was the largest and of the most traffic. Then the kings offered to give him
pilots to go to those ports, for which he thanked them, and deliberated to go there, for his ill-fortune would have it so.
After the cross had been planted on that mountain, each one said the Paternoster and Ave Maria, and adored it, and the
kings did the like. Then we went down below to where their boats were. There the kings had brought some of the fruit
called cocos and other things to make a collation and to refresh us. The captain, being desirous to depart the next day in
the morning, asked the king for the pilots to conduct us to the above-mentioned ports, promising him to treat them like
themselves, and that he would leave one of his own men as a hostage. The first king said that he would go himself and
conduct him to this port, and be his pilots but that he should wait two days, until he had had his rice gathered in and done
other things which he had to do, begging him to lend him some of his men so as to get done sooner. This the captain
agreed to.
This kind of people are gentle, and go naked, and are painted. They wear a piece of cloth made from a tree, like a linen
cloth, round their body to cover their natural parts: they are great drinkers. The women are dressed in tree cloth from
their waists downwards; their hair is black, and reaches down to the ground; they wear certain gold rings in their ears.
These people chew most of their time a fruit which they call areca, which is something of the shape of a pear; they cut it
in four quarters, and after they have chewed it for a long time they spit it out, from which afterwards they have their
mouths very red. They find themselves the better from the use of this fruit because it refreshes them much, for this country
is very hot, so that they could not live without it. In this island there is a great quantity of dogs, cats, pigs, fowls, and
goats, rice, ginger, cocos, figs, oranges, lemons, millet, wax, and gold mines. This island is in nine degrees and two-thirds
north latitude, and one hundred and sixty-two longitude from the line of demarcation: it is twenty-five leagues distant
from the other island where we found the two fountains of fresh water. This island is named Mazzava.

Main Issue: The questions about where the first mass happened in the Philippines came from the dichotomy of
understanding of “Mazaua” based on the accounts of Pigafetta. This led to the Limasawa and Masao, Butuan
debate.
1. MASAO, BUTUAN – The claim is based on a tradition that was highly observed from the 17th
to19th century. Historians claim that there has been no mention of the Limasawa Island in the primary
sources of this dispute history. Masaua according to them is now Masao.
2. LIMASAWA ISLAND – The accounts of Pigafetta, jointly read with Francisco Albo’s diary (in a form
of a log book), showed that Magellan’s expedition did not reach Mindanao when they landed in
Homonhon. Instead, they have settled in an island in a latitude similar to the position of Limasawa
today, south of Leyte. In addition, the disputed location in Masao is near a river, but in there has
been no mention of such.