First Mass in

the Philippines
 Butuan or Limasawa? The Site of the
First Mass in the Philippines
 The first Catholic mass
was held on Ester
Sunday, the 31st of
March 1521 according
to Pigafetta
 Rajah of Mazaua and
Rajah of Butuan
 After the mass, the
party went up to a
little hill and planted a
wooden cross on its
summit.
 Butuan or Limasawa? The Site of the
First Mass in the Philippines

• The controversy is the identity of the place.

• Pigafetta calls is “Mazaua”
• One school of thought points to the little island of
south of Leyte which is Limasawa
• And other school claim and point to the beach of
Masao, at the mouth of Agusan River in northern
Mindanao which is no the city of Butuan.
 Butuan or Limasawa? The Site of the
First Mass in the Philippines
The Butuan Tradition
• People of Butuan claim that the first was held in their place
because by tradition, a monument to commemorate the site
of the first mass was established in 1872
• The monument was a brick pillar which was a marble slab
that contained an inscription:
To the Immortal Magellan: the People of Butuan with their
Parish Priest and the Spaniards resident therein, to
commemorate his arrival and the celebration of the First
Mass on this Site on the 8th of April 1521.
• Under District Governor Jose Ma. Carvallo
• Date of the first mass
Butuan or Limasawa? The Site of the First
Mass in the Philippines
• Both accounts picture Magellan visiting both
Butuan and Limasawa.
• It can be noted that in Colins’ account, Magellan
first went to Butuan then to Limasawa then Cebu.
• In Combes on the other hand, mentions that
Magellan went first to Liamasawa, then Butuan and
returns to Limasawa then to Cebu.
 Butuan or Limasawa? The Site of the
First Mass in the Philippines

18TH Century
• Fray Juan de la Concepcion, Magellan landed in the island
of Limasawa in Leyte and rested there. Upon hearing of River
of Butuan to the natives whose datu was more powerful, he
decided to went there. The datu send a boat with his men to
know what kind of ship or men, and Magellan replied that
what they sought is peace and free trade; that they desired
to buy food supplies at fair price. Negotiations went well.
• It was Easter Sunday, Magellan ordered his men to construct
their shelter and disembark to hear Mass.
• This was considered as the first Mass and then ordered his
men to set up a large cross on a hill.
 Butuan or Limasawa? The Site of the
First Mass in the Philippines
Fr. Colin, S.J.
• Narration was accurate up to
the landing in Homonhon
(Humunu, Pigafetta)
• He abruptly brings Magellan to
Butuan without explaining how
he got there.
• Then to Limasawa which is
accurate and detailed this time.
• He represents the first mass, as
well as the solemn planting of
the cross and the formal taking
of possession of the Islands in
the name of the Crown of
Castile.
Fr. Francisco Combes, S.J.
• Magellan landed at
Butuan and there planted
the cross in a solemn
ceremony.
• He did not mention the
first mass.
• Pigafetta’s account that
occurred on the same
day as the first mass
which is the planting of
the cross.
• Formal claiming of the
Archipelago.
 Butuan or Limasawa? The Site of the
First Mass in the Philippines

19th Century
• Joaquin Martinez de Zuñiga, the first mass
occurred in Butuan.
• Englishman historian- John Formean
• As late as 1920’s, textbook in the Philippine
History in use at Ateneo de Manila also accepted
the Butuan Traiditon.
Butuan or Limasawa? The Site of the First
Mass in the Philippines
How then did the shift of opinion--- from Butuan to
Limasawa?
• Defenders of Butuan tradition blamed two
Americans, Emma Blair and James Alexander
Robertson because of their 55-volume collection of
document of the Philippine islands.
• Father Pablo Pastells, Spanish Jesuit scholar.
• Missionary in Mindanao and after he left the
Philippines he went to back to Spain.
• Rediscovery and more attentive study of two
primary resources namely: Pigafetta’s account and
Albo’s log.
 Butuan or Limasawa? The Site of the
First Mass in the Philippines

• Among notable Filipino scholars of the early 20 th century

who also rejected the Butuan tradition and in favor of
Limasawa were:
1. Trinidad Pardo de Tavera
2. Jayme de Veyra
The Evidence for Limasawa

1. Evidence of Albo’s Log-book

2. The evidence of Pigafetta
a) Pigafetta’s testimony regarding the route
b) The evidence of Pigafetta’s map
c) The two native kings
d) The seven days at “Mazaua”
e) An argument from ommission
3. Summary of the Evidence of Pigafetta and Albo
4. Confirmatory evidence from Legazpi expedition
The Evidence for Limasawa
Evidence of Albo’s Log-book
• Francisco Albo is Magellan’s pilot in the
flagship “Trinidad”
• He was one of the eighteen survivors who
returned to Spain on the ship “Victoria” with
Sebastian Elcano after having circumnavigated
the world.
• Diary merely a log-book
• He does not mention the first mass but only
the planting of the cross upon the mountain-
top.
 The Evidence for Limasawa

The Evidence from Pigafetta

• Chronicler of Magellan
• Eyewitness of the principal events
which he describes including the first
mass
• His account coincides with Albo’s log.
 Why then the Butuan Tradition?
• First, it must be remembered that the tradition is
based on secondhand information. One author
making a mistake could easily start a traition that
could last three centuries.
• Second,Magellan and his men got to know the rajah
of Butuan at Masaua. According to Pigafetta, it is
only a visit. Misunderstood on the part of historians.
• Third, Magellan’s expedition after Magellan’s death
visited several places in Mindanao including Butuan.
After forty years with Legazpi’s expition who also
visited Butuan, people from the district would
remember them as the same concluding that the
first Spaniards came here.
The Evidence for Limasawa

Confirmatory evidence from Legazpi

expedition
– The presence of two native kings or rajahs at Mazaua
during Magellan visit.
– One was the king of Mazaua who later guided Magellan
in his expedition in Cebu.
– The other was a relative (one of his brothers,
Pigaffeta) namely the king of Butuan.