University of Southeastern Philippines

Obrero, Davao City

A WRITTEN REPORT ON CASE STUDY 1: WHERE DID THE FIRST CATHOLIC

MASS TAKE PLACE IN THE PHILIPPINES?

Readings in Philippine History

BSEd – ENGLISH II

Presented to Professor Joerick Paderogao

Aseoche, Leigh Dalion, Zechariah Ramirez, Juconz

Bañaga, Samantha Gutierrez, Dominic Rodemio, Cyrah

Cañezal, Earl Paras, Marbie Torentera, Rachelle

Torres, Cindy

October 2019
Readings in the Philippine History BSEd English 2

Case Study 1: Where Did the First Catholic Mass Take Place in the Philippines?

Francisco Albo is a Greek sailor in the 16th century. In some sources Francisco was

named Alvo or Alvaro. He was part of the Magellan-Elcano expedition, at first being the pilot of

one of the ships of Magellan, the Trinidad and ending the trip as the pilot of Victoria along with

17 other men who have survived and returned to Spain after circumnavigated the world. He

wrote the course describing the route they took during their expedition in the first

circumnavigation of the earth.

In Albo’s log book, he was very specific on the latitude and the directions of their route.

This is due to the fact that he was both a sailor and navigator that his written records were the

exact or nearly accurate coordinates of each and every location or islands they have anchored

during their said expedition. On the 16th day of March, Magellan and the Europeans travelled

from Landrones or Marianas islands to go to the Philippines.

Along their journey, they travelled southwest going to a small island called Mazava or

Limasawa island where the first mass was conducted by Pedro de Valderrama on March 15,

1521. The mass was well conducted near the shore of Limasawa.

Antonio Pigafetta is a famous Italian seafarer and geographer from Vicenza born in

1490, he is also known by the name of Antonio Lombardo or Francisco Antonio Pigafetta. He

was from the wealthy family of Vicenza who studied navigation among other things. He worked

on board the galleys of the Knights of Rhodes, and accompanied the papal nuncio, Monsignor

Chieregati, to Spain. Pigafetta then later joined the Portuguese captain, Ferdinand Magellan,

together with Juan Sebastián Elcano and the Spanish crew, on their escapade to the Maluku
Islands. Pigafetta was also tasked to document the voyage which intended to expand the Spanish

empire.

In the battle of Mactan, Philippines, Magellan was unfortunately killed and Pigafetta was

injured. Nevertheless, he recovered from his wounds and was one of the 18 original crew of

Magellan who returned to Spain on board another vessel, the Victoria.

Pigafetta’s last years of life, he traveled from France to go back home to Italy by land in

1523. There, he wrote the relation that trip which was the first around the world with a title of

Relazioni in lathe to the primo viaggio di circumnavigazione. Notizia del Mondo Nuovo with

figure you dei paesi scoperti, which was published posthumously, in 1536.

Francisco Albo’s Log: A summary

 On the 16th of March 1521 as they sailed in a westerly course from Ladrones.

 They went to Suluan and there they anchored. This island was at 9 and two-thirds degrees

North Latitude.

 They sail westward to an uninhabited island of “Gada” where they took in a supply of

food and water.

 From the island of “Gada” they sailed westwards towards a large island of Seilani that

was inhabited.

 They sailed southwards from Seilani and turn southwest to a small island called

“Mazava”. Which is also 9 and two thirds degrees North.

 The people were very good and the Spaniards planted a cross upon a mountain-top and

from there, they were shown three islands to the west and southwest.
  From Mazava they sailed northwards again towards Seilani. They ascended up to 10

degrees of latitude where they saw three small islands.

 From Seilani they sailed westwards some ten leagues, and there they saw three islets,

where they dropped anchor for the night. In the morning they sailed southwest some 12

leagues, down to latitude of 10 and one-third degree. Then they entered the channel

between two islands, one of which was called “Matan” and other “Subu”.

 They sailed down that channel and then turned westward and anchored at the town of

Subu and made a peace-pact with the local king.

 The town of Subu was on an east-west direction with the islands of Suluan and Mazava

but there were so many shallows that the boats could not go westward directly thus took a

round-about way to get back to Zuluan after the battle in Mactan.

Pigafetta’s Testimony on the Route of Magellan’s Expedition

 Saturday, March 16, 1521 they sailed to “Zamal” but didn’t land on the island which was

some 300 leagues westward of Ladrones Islands.

 March 17, 1521 the next day they landed in another island that was uninhabited and was

to the right of Zamal and this island was Humunu or Homonhon which is located at 10

degrees North latitude.

 On the same day he named the entire archipelago the “Islands of Saint Lazarus”.

 March 18, they met with nine men and exchanged gifts.

 March 22, natives came back with the food supplies Magellan asked for.

 They stayed for 8 days and left Homonhon on March 25 then arrived at Mazaua on

March 28.

 They stayed in Mazaua for 7 days.

  On April 4, they left Mazaua and travelled to Zubu. They passed five islands which are

Ceylon, Bohol, Canighan, Baybay and Gatighan, from there they passed again 3 islands

of Camotes Islands (Poro, Pasihan and Ponson).

 From there, they continued to Zubu.

 It took three days for them to arrive in Zubu on April 7, 1521.

Pigafetta and Seven Days in Mazaua

 Thursday, March 28, Magellan and his troops anchored near an island with natives. It

was Holy Thursday.

 Friday, March 29, Magellan sent a slave interpreter to request a supply from the native

king for his expedition. It was Holy Friday. They had a feast with the native king and ate

meat.

 Saturday, March 30, Pigafetta and his companion took leave of their hosts and returned to

the ships.

 Sunday, March 31, Magellan sent the priest ashore with some men to prepare for the

mass. Later in the morning he landed with fifty men and mass was celebrated. After

which a cross was venerated.

 Sunday, March 31, at the highest hill, Magellan asked the two kings which ports he

should go in order to obtain more abundant supplies of food. They replied that there were

three ports to choose from: Ceylon, Zubu and Calagan. Magellan chose Zubu and was

asked to send his men to help with the harvest.

  Monday, April 1 Magellan sent men ashore to help with the harvest but no work was

done because the two kings were sleeping off their drinking about the night before.

 Tuesday and Wednesday April 2&3, Work on the harvest during the ‘next to days.

 Thursday April 4, they left Mazaua bound for Cebu.

Table 1. The comparison of the three primary sources.

Albo’s Account Pigafetta’s Pigafetta’s Account II

Account I

Coordinates Albo provides very clear Provides little This account makes no

coordinates due to him being account of mention of directions,

the pilot. There are exact directions and nautical distances and

degrees and directions in terms nautical distances coordinates since the

of latitude. There were also and coordinates. His events listed in this

clear statements of nautical knowledge on this account was when

distances travelled. Though is owed to his Magellan’s ship anchored

unsaid, this information is extensive gathering ashore Mazaua.

owed to the presence of of nautical data

astrolabes, quadrants and which allowed him

compasses during the 1500’s to narrate some

and their origins in Europe and coordinates,

Asia. directions and

distances as he
 himself was an

explorer.

Dates and There was only one mention of His account has The entries listed were by

Time a date which was March 16, very detailed dates and no other

1521. No other date was mentioning of dates, dateless entry was listed

mentioned. One instance of times and in between the dates.

time was mentioned. Number occasions. His There was general

of days were vague and too entries are labeled mention of times when

general. per date and general events happened.

mention of times of

the day were used

(morning, midday,

afternoon, etc.)

Events The events mentioned focused His descriptions of His events in this account

almost entirely on arrivals and events are vividly focuses on their week-

departures from certain detailed to provide long stay at Mazaua

locations. Only one different historians and although he describes

event was mentioned which cartographers of his Mazaua as “an island”.

was the planting of the cross. time with adequate These events were almost

No Mass was mentioned. data and surgically narrated with

information. very vivid and explicit

Though very direct, detail.

he captures the most

 important events.

These events

focused from their

arrival at Samar

(Zamal) to their

arrival at Cebu

(Zubu)

Names of There were mentions of names He has complete The names of locations

Locations of places. Most of which are names of certain are mostly modernized

Europeanized in spelling. locations with the and Europeanized.

least

Europeanization of

these names.

Description Very little mention was made His account There was very little

of about how these places really provides substantial description of the

Locations looked like. Albo focused descriptions of these locations since this

more on mentioning that places. He focuses account focused more on

specific places had gold. He more on the events of their week-

focused also on the geographical long stay at Mazaua.

shallowness of the waters features and

surrounding certain islands resources available.

explaining the route they took.

People He only describes what the He describes the The account has very
 natives did and only did so behavior and complete details about

once. narrates the actions the important people

of the natives well. present in the events. It

makes mention of how

these people acted and

what they specifically did

that was substantive to

the narration of events.

Clarity of Does good to make mention of Logical, organized, The clarity was truly

Narration how the voyage went in substantive, vivid, excellent due to the

general but too vague due to detailed at some vividness and

the lack of specific events, points. detailedness of the

people, dates, and events. The logical

descriptions. arrangement of ideas was

carefully observed.
Conclusion

The accounts of Magellan's Voyage does really depend on who is making it. Francisco

Albo's account was short, brief, and focused much on coordinates, nautical distances and

directions as he was the pilot and his extensive knowledge on navigation provided him with

much i formation to put in his accounts. Being the pilot, he wasn't allowed to leave the ship to

avoid any untoward incidents that may befall him, explaining why he wasn't able to write down

much events. Furthermore, his view of what was happening was limited to the deck of the ship.

On the other hand, Antonio Pigafetta's account was very detailed in terms of events, people,

locations and dates due to him being and explorer and being linguistically competent. His

extensive details and vivid language allow us to better picture the voyage. These details are owed

to the fact that he was Magellan's scribe and accompanied him whenever they went ashore.

As to whether Limasawa or Butuan was the site of the First Mass, history has judged

based on our research that Limasawa or Mazaua was the site and not Butuan. Furthermore, both

the accounts of Albo and Pigafetta make only little mention of Butuan. Though the book

interprets a place called Suluan to be Butuan, our research shows that Suluan is an ISLAND

while Butuan is not. In addition, Suluan is located to the east of Limasawa as mentioned also in

the book and thus cannot be Butuan as what some people claim it to be since Butuan is SOUTH

of Limasawa.

Therefore, the claim that Butuan is the site of the First Mass is void ab initio due to the

following:

-Incoherence of claim to historical accounts

-Extensive lack of evidence and historical accounts

-Geographical discrepancies

Finally, as it has always been and has always been taught to us. Limasawa is indeed the

site of the First Mass.

References:

About Antonio Pigafetta. (2019, March 22). Retrieved from

https://philippinediaryproject.com/about-the-philippine-diary-project/about-the-

diaries/about-antonio-pigafetta/?fbclid=IwAR3bGVUheFNdCT8VKO4Hk6FREw--

qDxLbFO2_Co4A9tfIncQd6ykSZMVAmA.

Alporha, V. C. and Candelaria, J.L.P. (2018) Readings in Philippine History. Sampaloc, Manila:

Rex Book Store.

Extracts fromA Derrotero, or Log-Book. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.rockvillepress.com/TIERRA/TEXTS/ALBO.HTM.

Pornillosa, C. (2018, September 18). Albo's Log. Retrieved from

https://www.scribd.com/document/388837919/Albo-s-Log.

TheBiography.us. (n.d.). Biography of Antonio Pigafetta (ca. 1490-ca. 1534). Retrieved from

https://thebiography.us/en/pigafetta-antonio.