The first catholic mass happened on march 31 1521 that is why this coming 1521 the

roman catholic church will celebrate its 500 years here in the Philippines now it was
officiated of the first mass was presided by father Pedro Valderama of course a friar
who was together with Magellan during their navigation. There are actually two sources
that would serve as evidences as t where, when and how did this catholic mass
transpired in the Philippines so the first account was coming from Francisco Albo and
he was a pilot in one of Magellan's ship and that was the Trinidad and Francisco was
one also of these survivors was one of the 18 survivors who accompanied Sebastian
Del Cano in going back to Spain. And of course the second account was coming from
Antonio Pigaffeta was an Italian nobleman a cartographer and geographer who was
sent particularly by the King of Spain together with Magellan to document their voyage
to the Eastern islands. The account of Francisco it was found in one of the citations of
Miguel in his book Butuan or Limasawa the site of the first mass in the Philippines a re-
examination of the evidence. According to Francisco on March 16, 1521 as they sailed
in the Westerly course from Ladrones or Marianas Island they saw land towards the
northwest but owing to many shallow places they did not approach it they found later
that its name was Yunagan they went instead that same day Southwards to another
small island named Sulwan and this was Butuan and there they anchored there they
saw some canoes but this fled at the spaniards approach this island was at nine and
two-thirds degree north latitude departing from those two islands they sailed westward
to an uninhabited island of Gada where they took in a supply of wood and water. The
sea around the island was free from shallows Albo does not give the latitude of this
island but Pigafetta's testimony this seems to be the Acquada or the Homonhon at 10
degrees North latitude. From that island they sailed westwards towards a large island
named Seilani that was Leyte that was inhabited and was known to have gold Seilani or
Cylon was the Island of Leyte. Sailing southwards along the coast of that large island of
Leyte they turn southwest to a small island called Mazava that island is also at a latitude
of 9 and two thirds degrees north. The people of that island of Limasawa were very
good there the Spaniards planted a cross upon a mountain top. And from there they
were shown three islands to the west and southwest where they were told there was
much gold they showed us how the gold was gathered which came in small pieces like
peas and lentils. From Mazava they sailed northwards against towards Seilani. Albo did
not mention about the first mass he mentioned about the planting of the cross on the top
of the hill. He did not also mentioned Limasawa he neither mentioned about Masao in
Butuan. However based on the analysis of the latitude and the location of the
description Albo’s account would fit to the location of the Limasawa Island and that was
the southern tip of leyte. So that's why Albo's account would actually tell us that it was
there in limasawa the southern tip of Leyte. On Pigaffeta’s side according to him
Saturday March 16, 1521 Magellan's expedition cited a highland named Zamal or
Samar which was summed 300 leagues westward of La drones or Marianas islands on
Sunday March 17 the following day after sighting Zamal/ Samar island they landed on
another island which was uninhabited and which lay to the right of the above mentioned
island of Zamal/ Samar to the right here would mean under starboard going south or
southwest there they set up two tents for the sick members of the crew and had a so
killed for them the name of this island was Homonhon this island was located at 10
degrees 8:24 north latitude. On that same day Magellan named the entire archipelago
the "Islands of Saint Lazarus" the reason behind that because it was Sunday in the
lenten season when the gospel assigned for the Mass and the liturgical office was the
eleventh chapter of the Saint john, which tells of the raising of Lazarus from dead. On
Monday March 18 In the afternoon of their second day on that island they saw a boat
coming towards them with 9 men in it. An exchange of gifts was effected. There were
two springs of water in that island from Homonhon also they saw there's some
indications that there was gold in these islands consequently Magellan renamed the
island and called it the Watering Place of Good Omen. On friday march 22 at noon the
natives returned. This time they went they were in two boats and they brought food
supplies. Magellan’s expedition stayed eight days at the Homonhon from Sunday on
March 17 to the Monday of the following week on March 25. Filipinos the natives
welcomed the Europeans they were offered with food and other supplies and among
Europeans about the presence of gold in the Philippine islands. The Europians said the
watering place of good signs of golds. On march 25th Monday in the afternoon
magellan and his men left the island of Homonhon and they sailed towards west
southwest that was between the four islands named Celano. Now the ceylon is slated
now they sell towards the southern tip of or the west southwest of leyte they left
homonhon sailing westwardstowards leyte then followed the Leyte coast southward
passing between the island of Hibuson on their portside and hinuangan Bay on their
starboard and then continue southward. On march 28 that was thursday they reached in
this island of course and this was 25 lakes from the aguadaand this is called the
masawa island and they remain seven days in this Masawa island. After staying for
seven days in Masawa island they left Masawa and they were guided by the King of
Mazawa so they went to Cebu it was late in cebu that Magellan was killed. Now it must
be noted that pigafetta's account gave more details on the seven day activity in the
Mazawa island Pigafetta mentions about how did it happen how the first match
happened when did it happen where did it happen so basically they stayed in masawa
island during the holy week. On March 31 1521 13:27 it was the easter sunday and this
is a 13:31 huge celebration 13:34 this was the time that jesus christ rose 13:36 from the
dead so this event was recorded in history as 1the first Christian ritual that happened in
the Philippine islands this was the first Catholic mass that happened in the eastern
islands and we have to know that this is momentous Catholics this signifies the birth of
Christianity in the Philippines. this signifies the birth of Catholic in our country according
to Pigafetta Sunday March 31 early in the morning of Sunday the last of march and
easter day Magellan sent the priest ashore with some men to prepare for the mass later
in the morning Magellan landed with some 50 men and the mass was celebrated after
which a cross was venerated Magellan and the Spaniards returned to the ship for the
noonday meal but in the afternoon they returned ashore to plant the cross on the
summit of the highest hill in attendance both at the mass and the planting of the cross
were the king of Mazawa and the King of Butuan. According to a Jesuit Priest, Miguel
Bernard in his work Butuan or Limasawa He lays down the argument that in Pigafetta's
account a crucial aspect of butuan was not mentioned 16 that is the river butuan is a
reverent settlement situated in the on the Agusan river the beach of Masao is in the
delta of that said river it is a curious omission 1in the account of the river which makes
16:35 part 16:36 of a distinct characteristics of Butuan geography that seemed to be
important to be missed it must also be pointed out that later on after Magellan's death
the survivors of his expedition went to Mindanao and seemingly they went to butuan
and in fact it was the king of utuan who gave them supplies who gave them food so that
they can survive in their navigation in going back to Spain. Now in this instance
Pigafetta mentioned about the tip of the river this is in Butuan it is important to notice
also now it happened already after the first mass and it happened already after the
battle of Mactan. The first catholic mass happened in Masao island somewhere in
Butuan. Henceforth, Philippine History has been justly rewritten; the facts and
evidences derived from Pigafetta’s and Albo’s manuscripts are obvious indeed that the
First Mass never happened in Butuan. Despite this is the reality, still Butuan must hold a
proper place in history, as it shares to the rest of Mindanao the heritage being the early
cradle of Christianity in the south in the twilight years of the 16th century.