CHAPTER 7

FIRST MASS
THE
SITE
IN THE
PHILIPPINES
The First Voyage Around
The World
by Antonio Pigafetta
Antonio Pigafetta - A 16th century Italian navigator and
historian. Known by the name of Antonio Lambardo or
Francisco Antonio Pigafetta. Served as an assistant to
Ferdinand Magellan.
A short background on how Magellan’s fleet reach the
shores of where the true First Mass Site in the Philippines
was held.
- March 06, 1521. 3 small islands were discovered. Later
called Ladrone Island or Island of Thieves.
- Magellan sent off 40
armed men ashore
- A hundered small
boats followd
Magellan’s course.
- Palm Trees. Main
source of needs. From
food to daily
necessities and
transportation.
- Fishing. Typical past
time of men and
women in this island
- March 16, 1521. After
crossing the Pacific Ocean, a
name coined by Magellan for
its tranquil waters, the
expedition team sighted the
highest peak on Samar Island
which was called “Zamal” at
that time.
- March 17, 1521. The next
day, the captain-general
wished to land another
unhabited island.
-March 18, 1521. A boat
came towards
Magellan’s crew. 9
Zuluam men.
 Cocho - A
fruit produced
Cochi - A by a Palm tree
kind of fruit which is as
that a Palm large as a head
Tree bears.

Palm Tree - A tree from which a liquor comes

out in drops down the tree, like whitemust,
which is sweet, but with somewhat of bitter.
- Zuluan Island. Island
where the native
Filipinos/Zuluam men
came from.
- Magellan had some
shots fired with his
artillery.
- Humunu Island. The
Watering Place of Good
Signs and where first
sign of Gold is seen
- Archipelago of St.
Lazarus. As seen by
Antonio and the rest,
they named this many
circumjacent islands
“The Archipelago of
St. Lazarus” because
they stayed there and
feast on the day of St.
Lazarus.
- March 22, 1521.
The native
Filipinos came
back as promised.
- Schione. The lord of these
people was old, and had his
face painted, and had gold
rings suspended to his ears,
which they name Schione.
- Caphre. A kind of people who
wear holes so large that they
can pass their arms through
them
- March 25, 1951. The
Monday of Passion
Week. Day of
departure from
Humunu Island.
Course taken is
between west and
southwest and passed
amidst four small
islands namely
Cenalo, Huinanghar,
Ibusson and Abarien.
- March 28, 1951.
Stayed at an island and
saw a small boat
which is called a
Boloto.
- Traprobana. A slave of
the captain’s who was
from Sumatra.

Enrique of Malacca
accompanied Magellan back
to Europe and onwards on
Magellan's search for a
westward passage to the
East Indies, and he served as
an interpreter for the
Spaniards. American
historian Laurence Bergreen
cites Magellan's claim to the
Spanish court that his slave
Enrique was a native of the
Spice Islands.
- Ballanghai. A
long boat.
- Largest man in the
boat sitting under an
awning of mats.
- Good Friday. The
Captain sent a message
to the King through the
interpreter which is the
Trapobrana.

- Cassi Cassi. A
brotherhood, peace
ceremony.
-Magellan gave
several gifts and
entertained the
King.
- Antonio and one
of Magellan’s men
came with the King
ashore.
- Cane Mat. Banig
- Animé. Use for
candles or torches
the gum of this tree
wrapped up in leaves
of palms or fig trees.
- The King’s
Brother. Also a King
but to another
island. Most
handsome native
Filipino that
Antonio met. His
island is rich in
gold.
- Storax. Storax is an
oily resin (balsam)
obtained
from the tree trunks
of Liquidambar
orientalis or
Liquidambar
styraciflua. It is used
as medicine.
- Benzoin. The sap
(gum resin) that
comes from cuts in
the trunk of trees that
belong to the Styrax
family.

Benzoin is used on
the skin for ulcers,
bed sores (pressure
ulcers), cracked skin,
and many other
conditions
- Raia Calambu. Painted
King and ruler of Calagan
and Zuluan.
- Raia Siani. Painted
King and ruler of
Calaghan and Butuan.
- March 31, 1952. Sunday and Feast of Easter. The first ever Christan Mass
held in the Philippines.
- Aba. Name of the God
the native Filipinos adore
or praise.