Site of The First Mass

Site of the first mass
Site of the first mass
Masao (Butuan)
Or
Limasawa (southern Leyte)
2
According to Pigafetta
✣ The site of the first mass was on the island of “Mazaua”
✣ Easter Sunday, 31st of march 1521
✣ Two native chieftains were in attendance: Rajah of Mazua
and Rajah of Butuan
✣ After the mass, a wooden cross was painted on the hill
upon its summit
3
4
MASAO
The Butuan tradition
✣ Butuan claim rests upon a tradition that was almost

unanimous and unbroken for three centuries, namely the
17th 18th and the 19th century.
✣ The date given in the First Mass was April 8, 1521
✣ A monument was erected in 1872 as to strengthen the
tradition.
5
MASAO
“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, erected in 1872, under the district
Governor Jose Ma. Carvallo”
6
17th Century
 Father Francisco Colin S.J (Labor evangelica)

“On Easter Day, in the territory of Butuan, the first Mass
ever offered in these parts was celebrated and cross
planted”.
 Father Francisco Com bes S.J (Historia de Mindanao y
Jolo)
“Magellan landed at Butuan and there planted the Cross
in a solemn ceremony”.
 Comparison of both accounts (Colin and Combes)
7
18th Century
 One passage in Colin which seems to have

been misunderstood, and misled some later
writers.
 Fray Juan dela Concepcion, one of the major

historians who made the error related to Colin.
8
19th Century
 Fray Joaquin Martinez de Zuniga (Historia de

Filipinas)
 The Butuan tradition was taken for granted

since misstatement in the passages are
numerous if compared to the account of
Pigafetta.
9
Shift of opinion from masao to limasawa
 Emma Blair and James Alexander Robertson
 Father Pablo Pastells S.J

-The rediscovery of Pigafetta’s account and
Albo’s log book are the reasons of the shift of
opinion.
Hello!
✣ Trinidad Pardo de Tavera and Jayme de
Veyra
10
Limasawa Evidences
The evidence of Albo’s

Log-book
11
Limasawa Evidences
1. The evidence of Pigafetta
• Pigafetta’s testimony regarding the

route;
• The evidence of Pigafetta’s map;
• The two native king;
• TAn argument from omission
• he seven days at ‘Mazaua”;
12
Limasawa Evidences
Ferdinand Magellan
anchored off the eastern
shore of a small island called
Mazaua. There they stayed a
weel, during which on Easter
Sunday the celebrated Mass
and planted the cross on the
summit of the highest hill.
13
Limasawa Evidences
 The island of Mazaua lies at a latitude of nine and two-thirds

degrees North.
 It is located on the south of Layte, and its latitude correspond to the

position and latitude of the island of limasawa, whose southern top
lies at 9 degrees and 54 minutes North.
 From the island of mazaua, the expedition sailed
northwestward through the canigao channel between
Bohol and Layte, then northwards parallel to the
eastem coast of this island, then they sailed westward
to the camotes Group and from there southwestward
to Cebu.
 No point in the itinerary did the expedition of

Magellan go to Butuan, The survivors of the
Expedition did go to Mindanao later, But after
Magellan’s death.
15
Pilots of the Legazpi Expedition understood that Mazaua was an island
near layte and panaon; Butuan was on the island of Mindanao. The two
were different places and in no wise identical
16
 The most complete and reliable account of the Megellan
expedition into Philippine shores in 1521 is that of Antonio
Pigaffeta which is deemed as the only credible primary source
of reports on the celebration of the first Christian Mass on
Philippine soil.
 James Rebertson’s English translation of the original Italian

manuscript of Pigaffeta’s account is most reliable for being
“faithful” to the original test as duly certified by the university of
the Philippines Department of European Language.
 Pigaffeta’s Mazaua the site of the first Christian Mass held on

Pjilippine soil, is an island lying off the southwestern tip of
layte.
17
THANK YOU
18

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Site of the first mass

Site of the first mass

✣ Butuan claim rests upon a tradition that was almost

“To the Immortal Magellan: the People of Butuan

 Father Francisco Colin S.J (Labor evangelica)

 One passage in Colin which seems to have

 Fray Juan dela Concepcion, one of the major

 Fray Joaquin Martinez de Zuniga (Historia de

 The Butuan tradition was taken for granted

 Emma Blair and James Alexander Robertson

 Father Pablo Pastells S.J

The evidence of Albo’s

1. The evidence of Pigafetta

• Pigafetta’s testimony regarding the

 The island of Mazaua lies at a latitude of nine and two-thirds

 It is located on the south of Layte, and its latitude correspond to the

 No point in the itinerary did the expedition of

 James Rebertson’s English translation of the original Italian

 Pigaffeta’s Mazaua the site of the first Christian Mass held on

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