INTRODUCTION

On March 31, 1521, the Philippines held its

first documented Catholic Mass, called Easter Sunday
Mass. This holy mass, celebrated by Magellan’s order,
marked the beginning of Roman Catholicism in the
Philippines. It was officiated by a priest ordered by
Magellan, his name was Father Pedro de Valderrama
on the shore of Mazaua in Pigafetta's Journal, which
people believe is the town of Limasawa in Southern
Leyte.

However, a dispute over the location of the

First Easter Sunday Mass in the Philippines began in
the late 1800s and early 1900s, some groups proposed
that the First Easter Sunday Mass was conducted in
Butuan.
Other sources claim that the first mass occurred in a different possible
location.
As a result, the National Historical Institute (NHI) has investigated the
controversy alongside panels with differing claims about the location
of the first Easter Sunday mass, whether it is in Limasawa or Butuan.
 Evidence for Limasawa
1. The Logbook of Francisco Albo
2. The Pigafetta Evidence
a. Testimony of Pigafetta
b. Pigafetta's map showing where they stayed in Mazaua
c. The two native Kings
d. "Mazaua" for seven days
e. An argument based on omission.
3. Summary of Albo and Pigafetta's evidence
4. Confirmation from the Legazpi expedition
1. THE LOGBOOK OF
FRANCISCO ALBO

- Francisco Albo is the pilot of Magellan's

flagship, the "Trinidad."
- One of the 18 survivors who returned to
the ship "Victoria" with Sebastian Elcano.
- He kept a journal of the events that
occurred as their group traveled around
the Philippines.
▪ On March 16, 1521, they sailed westward from Ladrones, saw land to the northwest, but did
not approach due to too many shallow spots. They later discovered that its name was
Yunagan.
▪ Instead, they went south on the same day to another small island called Suluan, where they
anchored. They saw some canoes there, but they fled when the Spaniard approached. This
island was located at 9 degrees and two-thirds north latitude.
▪ They sailed westward from those two islands to the uninhabited island of "Gada," where
they took in a supply of wood and water. The sea around that island was free of shallows.
(Albo does not specify the latitude of this island, but based on Pigafetta's testimony, it
appears to be the "Acquada" or Homonhon, which is located at 10 degrees North latitude.)
▪ They sailed west from that island towards a large island called Seilani, which was inhabited
and known to have gold. (Seilani - or, as Pigafetta calls it, "Ceylon" - was the island of Leyte.
See below, on Pigafetta's map.)
▪ Sailing south along the coast of Seilani, they turned southwest to a small island called
"Mazava," which is also at a latitude of 9 and two-thirds degrees North.
▪ The people on the island of Mazava were wonderful. The Spaniards planted a cross on a
mountain-top and were shown three islands to the west and southwest, where they were
told there was a lot of gold. "They showed us how the gold, which came in small pieces like
peas and lentils, was gathered”.
▪ They sailed northwards again from Mazava, this time towards Seilani. They followed the
coast of Seilani in a northwestern direction, ascending to 10 degrees latitude and seeing
three small islands.
▪ They sailed westward for ten leagues until they came to three islets, where they
anchored for the night. In the morning, they sailed southwest for 12 leagues, down to a
latitude of 10 and one-third degree. They entered a channel between two islands, one
called "Matan" and the other "Subu.“
▪ They sailed down that channel, then turned west and anchored at Subu's town (la villa),
where they stayed for several days, obtained provisions, and signed treaties with the
local king.
▪ The town of Subu was located east-west of the islands of Suluan and Mazava. However,
there were so many shallows between Mazava and Subu that the boats couldn't go
westward directly and had to go (as they did) in a roundabout way.

This must be noted that the location of Mazava in Albo's account corresponds to
the location of Limasawa, which is located at the southern tip of Leyte, 9 degrees 54'N.
However, he did not mention the first mass, but only the planting of the cross on a
mountain-top from which three islands to the west and southwest could be seen, which
also fits the southern end of Limasawa.
2. THE PIGAFETTA
EVIDENCE

Antonio Pigafetta was a famous Italian

traveler who studied navigation. A member of
Magellan's expedition and eyewitness to the
events, especially the first mass. He was one
of 18 survivors out of 240 who returned to
Spain in 1522.
Similarly to Francisco Albo, he kept a
journal of events as their group traveled
around the Philippines. The only difference is
that Pigafetta's account is more detailed and
supported by evidence, including the date and
location of the event.
a. Testimony of Pigafetta on the route of Magellan’s
expedition

▪ Saturday, March 16, 1521 – Magellan’s expedition sighted "Zamal," a "high land" approximately
300 leagues west of Ladrones (now Marianas) Island.
▪ Sunday, March 17 – landed on "another uninhabited island." They set up two tents for the crew's
sick members and had a sow slaughtered for them. The island's name was "Humunu"
(Homonhon). The locations are 10 degrees North Latitude.
▪ Sunday, March 17 – Magellan named the entire archipelago the “Islands of Saint Lazarus,” It
was Sunday in the Lenten season when the Gospel assigned for the Mass and the Liturgical
Office was the eleventh chapter of St. John. which tells of the raising of Lazarus from the dead.
▪ Monday, March 18 – In the afternoon, they noticed a boat approaching them, which contained
nine men. A gift exchange was carried out. Magellan requested food supplies, and the men left,
promising to return in "four days" with rice and other supplies.
▪ On the island of Homonhon, there were two springs of water. They discovered some hints that
these islands were rich in gold. As a result, Magellan renamed the island the "Watering Place of
Good Omen" (Acquada la di bouni segnialli).
▪ Friday, March 22 – The natives returned at noon, in two boats, with food supplies.
▪ Magellan's expedition stayed at Homonhon for eight days, beginning on Sunday. March 17 to
the following week's Monday, March 25.
▪ Monday, March 25 – The expedition weighed anchor and left the island of Homonhon in the
afternoon. In ecclesiastical calendar, this day was the feast-day of the Incarnation. Also called
the feast of the Annunciation and therefore “Our Lady’s Day.” An accident happened to
Pigafetta: He fell into the water but was rescued. He attributed his narrow escape from the
death as grace obtained through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary on her feast-day.
▪ The expedition's route after leaving Homonhon was "toward the west southwest, between
four Islands (Cenalo, Hiunanghan, Ibusson, and Albarien." "Cenalo" is an Italian manuscript
misspelling for what Pigafetta in his map calls "Ceilon" and Albo calls "Seilani" (island of
Leyte). Pigafetta mistook "hiunanghan" (a misspelling of Hinunangan) for a separate island,
but it is actually on the mainland of Leyte. Hibuson (Pigafetta's Ibusson) is an island located
east of the southern tip of Leyte.They left Homonhon, sailing westward towards Leyte, then
southward, passing between the island of Hibuson on their port side and Hiunangan Bay on
their southboard, continuing southward, then turning westward to "Mazaua.“
▪ Thursday, March 28 – In the morning of Holy Thursday, March 28, they anchored off an Island
where the previous night they had seen a light or a bonfire. That island "lies in a latitude of
nine and two-thirds degrees north of the Arctic Pole and a longitude of one hundred and
sixty-two degrees south of the demarcation line." It is twenty-five leagues from Acquada and
is known as “Mazaua”.
▪ They stayed on Mazaua Island for days.
▪ Thursday, April 4 – they left Mazaua , bound for Cebu. Guided by the king of Mazaua who
sailed there in his own boat. They traveled through five islands (Ceylon, Bohol, Canighan,
Baibai, and Gatigan).
▪ They sailed westward from Gatigan to the three islands of the Camotes Group (Poro, Pasihan,
and Ponson), where the Spanish ships stopped to allow the king of Mazaua to catch up with
them. The Spanish ships were much faster than the native balanghai, which piqued the king of
Mazaua's interest.
▪ They sailed south from the Camotes Islands towards "Zubu.“
▪ Sunday, April 7 – at noon they entered the harbor of “Zubu” (Cebu). It had taken them three
days to travel from Mazaua to the Camotes Islands and then south to Cebu.
b. Pigafetta’s map showing where they stayed in Mazaua.
c. The Two Native Kings

The presence of two native kings confirmed evidence at Mazaua during Magellan's
visit. The first was Mazaua's king, and the second was Butuan's king or Rajah.
d. Pigafetta's account of his seven days in Mazaua.

▪ Thursday, March 28 – In the morning they anchored near an Island where they had seen a
light the night before a small boat (boloto) came with eight natives, to whom Magellan
threw some trinkets as presents. The natives paddled away, but two hours later two larger
boats (balanghai) arrived, one of which housed the native king under a mat awning. Some
of the natives went up the Spanish ship at Magellan's invitation, but the native king
remained seated in his boat. In the afternoon, the Spanish ships weighed anchor and drew
closer to shore, anchoring near the native king's village on Holy Thursday.
▪ Friday, March 29 – Magellan sent his slave interpreter ashore in a small boat to ask the
king if he could provide the expedition with food supplies and to assure the king that they
had come as friends, not enemies. In response, the king himself arrived in a boat with six
or eight men, climbed Magellan's ship, and the two men embraced. Another gift exchange
took place. The native king and his companions returned ashore, bringing two members
of Magellan's expedition as overnight guests. Pigafetta was one of the two.
▪ Saturday, March 30 – Pigafetta and his companion had spent the evening before feasting
and drinking with the native king and his son. Pigafetta lamented the fact that, despite the
fact that it was Good Friday, they had to eat meat. At Saturday, Pigafetta and his
companion took leave of their hosts and returned to the ships.
▪ Sunday, March 31 – "Early in the morning, the last of March and Easter day," Magellan
ordered the priest and some men ashore to prepare for the Mass. Later that morning,
Magellan arrived with fifty men, and Mass was celebrated, followed by the veneration of a
cross. Magellan and the Spaniards returned to the ship for lunch, but in the afternoon they
went ashore to plant the cross on the highest hill. The kings of Mazaua and Butuan were
present at both the mass and the cross-planting.
▪ Sunday, March 31 – On that same afternoon, while on the highest hill, Magellan asked the
two kings which ports he should go to in order to obtain more abundant supplies of food
than were available on that Island. They replied that there were three ports to choose from:
Ceylon, Calagan and Zubu. Zubu was port with the most trade. Magellan said that he
wished to go to Zubu and leave the next morning. He asked for someone to guide him there.
The kings responded that the pilots were available "at any time."
▪ Monday, April 1 – Magellan sent men ashore to assist with the harvest, but no work was
done that day because the two kings were sleeping off the night before.
▪ Tuesday, April 2 and Wednesday, April 3 – harvesting work during the "next to days“.
▪ Thursday , April 4 – They leave the Mazaua, bound for Cebu.
e. An argument based on omission.

Confirmatory evidence from the Legazpi expedition: The 1971 expedition of naval
historian Samuel Eliot Morison and Colombian historian Mauricio Obregon, as well as the
accounts of Spanish naval engineer IgnacioFernandez Vial and merchant marine captain
Jose Luis Ugarte, retraced the Magellan-Elcano voyage and concluded that Limasawa was
the site of the country's first Catholic mass, according to the NHCP's study.
Evidence for 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. Abundance of gold
1. The name of the place.

Antonio Pigafetta's testimony is regarded as one of the primary sources.

Although he referred to the location as "Mazaua" in his accounts, some
historians believe it is the "Masao" in Butuan. In addition, Limasawa cannot be
the exact location of the first mass because it has four syllables and begins with
a different letter.
2. The Route from Homonhon.

According to the Pigafetta's accounts, the expedition traveled 20 to 25

leagues west southwest from Homonhon, their first landing point, to the site
of the first mass. If they had been on Limasawa Island, the distance is only
about 14.6 leagues, or one-half that length. Furthermore, Limasawa is
separated from Homonhon by the tip of Southern Leyte.
3. The latitude position.

According to Francisco Albo and Antonio Pigafetta's accounts, you

can find the location at 90 North latitude, and others at 9 2/3°. The latitude
position eliminates Limasawa, because it is closer by 10°, and strengthens
the claim of Masao, Butuan, because it is exactly at 9 °.
4. The Geographical Features

a. The Bonfire

The explorers were drawn to the light present the night before they
arrived at the shore. Now, "Masao" in Butuanon means "bright," which
could refer to the local tradition of cooking rice flakes over open fires to
celebrate a harvest. Limasawa, on the other hand, has no rice fields.
b. The Balanghai

It was mentioned on the Pigafetta's account that they stayed in the first
kingdom. The King arrived at their ship in a "Balanghai," and Pigafetta and
his companion attended a party in a "Balanghai" with a local King.
Today, in Butuan City, you can visit the Balangay Site Museum, also
known as the "Balanghai Shrine Museum."
c. Abundance of gold

According to Pigafetta's testimony on Magellan's route, they

discovered some hints that the islands were rich in gold, prompting
Magellan to rename the island the "Watering Place of Good Omen.“.
While in Albo's logbook, golds were shown to them.
Butuan is said to have gold, whereas Limasawa is said to have
none.
Despite the fact that the evidence presented by using primary sources:
Albo's and Pigafetta's accounts. Limasawa was able to retain its status as
the site of the First Easter Sunday Mass in 1521.
3. Summary of Albo and Pigafetta's evidence

▪ Through the south island of Samar, Magellan’s expedition has entered the Philippines and
stayed for a week at Homohonhon. They sailed westward towards Leyte and rounded the
southern tip of Panaon Island where they anchored off the eastern shore of Mazaua Island.
Upon a week of staying, during which on Easter Sunday, they celebrated a mass and planted
a cross on highest hill’s summit.
▪ The described position of Mazaua Island and its latitude of nine and two-thirds degrees North
clearly correspond to the position and latitude of south of Leyte.
▪ Clearly from Mazaua, Magellan’s expedition sailed northwestwards through the Canigao
Channel, then norther wards parallel to this latter island, then sailed westward to Camotes
Group and southwestwards to Cebu.
▪ In that itinerary, at no point did the Magellan expedition go to Butuan or any on the
Mindanao Cost. It was said that only after Magellan’s death did the survivors of the
expedition did go to Mindanao.
4. Confirmatory evidence from the Legazpi expedition.

There is confirmatory evidence from the documents of the Legazpi expedition,

which sailed into Philippine water in 1565, forty-four years after Magellan. Legazpi
and his pilots were anxious to visit was precisely Mazaua, and they inquired about
"Mazaua" from Camotuan and his companions, natives of the village of Canadian at
Southeastern end of the island of Leyte. Guided by these natives, the Legazpi ships
rounded the island of "Panae" (Panaon), which was separated from Leyte by a narrow
strait, and anchored off "Mazaua". But they found the inhabitants to be hostile,
apparently as a result of Portuguese depredation are that had occurred in the four-
decade interval between the Legazpi and the Magellan expeditions. From Mazaua they
went to Camiguing which was visible from Mazaua and from there thy intended to go
to Butuan on the island of Vindanao but were driven instead by contrary winds to
Bohol. The point seems clear that as pilots of the Legazpi expedition understood it,
Mazaua was an island near Leyte and Panaon, Butuan was on the island of Mindanao.
The two were entirely different places and in no wise identical.
 MEMBERS:

Andongan, Cristina Arwen T.

Casim, Karen Alonica C.
Fidel, Diana Rose V.
Lopez, Emmanuel John C.
Martinez, Emmanuel
Mingo, Ed Judah E.
Pilande, Erwin I.