Site of First Mass: Limasawa or Butuan

This debate really got me interested because all I know since I was in elementary
that it really happened in Limasawa as what written in books but I do not know that
there is also a different place in which it became controversy because of certain things
or evidences that confused many people to fully distinguish where it the first mass really
happened in the Philippines. According to the debate that was being presented, the site
of first mass is being debated to where it really occurred based on the historical
backgrounds. There are different instances in which the two places which are Limasawa
and Butuan faces the conflict of deciding where the first mass really happened in the
Philippines. The debate talks about the site of first mass in the Philippines wherein the
Limasawa side and Butuan side gave their gathered information and evidences to prove
their claims.
In the Limasawa side, I noticed that the presentation of their side was being proven
by trusted sources or primary sources who are the witnesses of the said event. This
side really gave the best evidences they can offer to support their claims which also
matches the investigation that was being carried out. The eyewitness account of
Antonio Pigafetta was the most reliable and strongest evidence that can be provided to
support that the site of first mass was being held in Limasawa as Pigafetta’s reports
about Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition matches its description. Also, the translation of
Pigafetta’s reports under Robertson highly claimed that Limasawa is really the site of
the first mass.
However, due to the different translations and interpretations of Pigafetta’s
documents and understanding about the island named Mazaua, there were claims
emerged that the site of the first mass was held in Butuan and not in Limasawa. Based
on research, they believed that it happened in Butuan because of the island named
Mazaua which is not located according to them at Leyte but in Butuan. They refused to
accept the translation of Robertson because they believe that the translation is based
on garbled or unclear Italian text of the Ambrosiana Codex which later on, they conclude
that was heavily edited and full of inaccuracies.
In conclusion, the Limasawa side was the one which is being favored since they
presented strong evidence that surely support their claim which is also being proven by
the related investigation about this. Mazaua is an island which is being stated at
Pigafetta’s reports was being matched in Limasawa with the help of the description
provided by Pigafetta. According to Robertson translation, the Mazaua’s present name
now is Limasawa and not Butuan. Also, it stated that the location of Limasawa matches
the measurement of distances between Homonhon and Limasawa between Limasawa
and Cebu, as computed by the pro-Limasawa group to the delineations made by
Pigafetta of the distances between Homonhon and Mazaua and between Mazaua and
Cebu. Therefore, Limasawa is the really place wherin the first mass was being held.