SITE OF THE FIRST

MASS
Answer:
First Mass or Mass
OBJECTIVES
■ What are the Controversies of the First Mass in the
Philippines
■ What are the Evidences in the Controversies
■ Who were the people involved in the first mass
MOTIVATION

One of the most sincere forms of respect is

actually listening to what another has to say

-Bryant H. McGill
■ The first mass in the Philippines was held on
MARCH 31, 1521 by Spanish explorer Ferdinand
Magellan and his crew.

■ In 1998 the National Historical Institute officially

settled the controversy over the recorded first mass in
the Philippines.
First Mass
Father Pedro de Valderram
■ He is an Andalucian preist:
Franciscan Missionary
 Antonio Pigafetta
■ Antonio Lombordo or Francisco
Antonio Pigafetta
■ An Italian scholar and explorer
■ Born in 1419 and Died in 1534
■ Belong to a rich family in the city of
Vicenza in Northern Italy
Francisco Albo
■ Was Greek sailor of 16th century
■ He was part of the Magellan's – Elcan
expedition, ending the trip as pilot of
the Victoria
■ Francis Albo was the captain of the
Magellan’s ship “Trinidad” and also
one of the 18 survivors of Victoria
Ship
CONTROVERSIES
BETWEEN LIMASAWA AND
MASAO/BUTUAN
■ LIMASAWA

On June 19,1960, the Philippines congress enacted a bill [R.A

No. 2733] declaring Limasawan as the place where Magellan
celebrated the first recorded mass in the Philippines on Easter
Sunday March 31, 1521

In 1996 the first ever Christian Mass in the Philippines was

celebrated in the island of Limasawa, South of Leyte.
■ Francisco Albo log-book one of the pilot in tha voyage of
Magellan who included in 18 survivors, writes on his book
that they erected across on a mountain that overlook the island
■ Jaime de Verya stated that the first mass was in Limasawa
not in Butuan
■ Father Bernard studied all the Pigafetta’s maps, which place
in Mazau off the southern tip of the larger island of Leyte
The evidence for Limasawa
1l The 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 omission
3. Summary of the evidence of Albo and Pigafetta.
4. Confirmatory evidence from the Legazpi expedition.
MASAO/BUTUAN
■ In 1872 a monument to commemorate the site of the first mass
in the Philippines was erected in Butuan
■ The people in Butuan ask the Philippine Historical
Committee to rehabilitate the monument or place a marker on
the site
■ According to Gregorio Zaide a Filipino Historian he location
of the first mass is in Butuan based on Pigafetta’s account
The evidence for Masao/Butuan
1. The name of the place
2. the route from Homonhon
3. the latitude position
4. The geographical features
a) the bonfire
b) the balanghai
c) house
d) abundance of gold
e) a developed settlement
■ Therefore the First Catholic Mass in the Philippines was held
on March 31, 1521, Easter Sunday. In the shire of Mazaua in
Pigafetta’s journal.

■ People believe is the town specifically in the shore of

Limasawa in Southern Leyte. It is popularly known as the
birthplace of the Church in the Philippines.
THE END OF THE DISCUSSION