Butuan or Limasawa?
The Site of the First Mass in the
Philippines: A Reexamination of the
Evidence
Miguel A. Bernad, S.J.
By the end of this topic, students must be able to:
1. Identify key points, claims, and evidence
presented;
2. Analyze how secondary sources contribute to the
understanding of the issue and how they may be used
to form arguments.
The intention of the first mass in the
Philippines was to establish the Catholic faith
and convert the indigenous population to
Christianity. The significance of the first mass
was both spiritual and political. It marked the
beginning of Spanish colonization and the
spread of Catholicism in the Philippines.
THE BUTUAN TRADITIONS
A monument was erected in 1872 now
at Magallanes municipality to
strengthen the claim:
“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.
THE BUTUAN TRADITIONS
BALANGHAI OR BANGKA
17th CENTURY
First, Fr. Francisco Colin S.J.
Labor Evangelica in Madrid (1663)
Fr. Pablo Pastells S.J.
240 years later in Madrid,1903
The important thing in Colin’s account: he
represents the First Mass, as well as the
planting of the cross which took place at
Butuan on Easter Sunday of 1521.
17th CENTURY
Fr. Francisco Combes S.J.
Historia de Mindanao y Jolo printed in 1667
Wenceslao Retana
assisted by Fr. Pastells 230 years later
Main point: Magellan landed in Mactan,
planted the cross but no mention of the First
Mass
17th CENTURY
• Both pictured Magellan having visited Butuan
1. and Limasawa.
• Both agree that Magellan’s expedition was
2. assisted by Limasawa chieftain in travel to Cebu
• Both agree they arrived in Cebu on 7th April
3. 1521
17th CENTURY
Meanwhile, Giovanni Francesco Gemelli Careri,
influenced by Colin, had made visit to Phil. and published
Giro del Mundo (A Voyage Around The World, 1698)
• He confused two distinct events: the first Mass in
Butuan, the other the baptism of rajah of Cebu
• Confused the dates: First Mass in “WhitSunday” and
baptism in Cebu took place two weeks later.
18th CENTURY
Colin’s passage describing Mindanao was misunderstood and misled
later writers
Example: Fr. Juan de la Concepcion
One, he thinks that “Las Velas” and Marianas Islands and
Archipelago of San Lazaro were all one and the same thing
Two, he misconstrued Magellan’s route, depicting him as
sighting southeastern tip of Mindanao, sailing northwards
along Pacific coast, entered Siargao Strait to Limasawa
“which is at the entrance of that strait”
19th CENTURY
Fray Joaquin Martinez de Zuniga (1760-1818)
Historia de las Islas Filipinas
Wenceslao Retana
published a two-volume edition in 1893
“On Easter Sunday of the year 1521 Magellan was in Butuan. He ordered the
sacrifice of the Mass to be celebrated ashore, and he planted a cross on a hillock
near the beach.”
19th CENTURY
By the 19th century, the Butuan
tradition was taken for granted.
For example, Fray Valentin, a
Dominican friar, who said an
incredible notion in his publication
that Magellan had sailed from
“Limasagua” (sic) to Cebu by coasting
between Samar and Leyte
The Shift in Opinion
• Fr. Pablo Pastells S.J
Took part in exploring Agusan River to its sources in 1884
Shift was due to rediscovery of two primary sources: Pigafetta’s an
Albo’s log. Pastell’s had restudied both Pigafetta and Albo whe
preparing his edition of Colin’s Labor Evangelica
• James Robertson translated Italian text of Pigafetta in Cleveland
(1906)
• Pardo de Tavera and Jayme de Veyra among 20th scholars who
accepted Limasawa tradition
The Evidence for Limasawa
[Link] evidence of Albo’s Log-Book
[Link] evidence of Pigafetta
[Link]’s testimony regarding the route
[Link] evidence of Pigafetta’s map
[Link] two native kings
[Link] seven days at “Mazaua”
[Link] argument from omission
3. Confirmatory evidence from Legazpi expedition
Albo’s Log-Book
Francisco Albo was a pilot of “Trinidad”
He began keeping his own diary- merely only a logbook on
the voyage out while they were sailing southward.
The islands he calls Gada seems to be the Acquada of
Pigafetta, namely Homonhon where they took in supplies
of water and wood.
From Gada, they sailed to a large island Seilani (Leyte).
Albo’s Log-Book
Sailing southwards they turned southwest to an
island “Mazava” at a latitude of 9 and 2/3 degree
North.
Mention only planting of the cross at mountain-top
where could be seen 3 islands to the west or the
southwest.
Pigafetta’s Memoir
Most complete account is eyewitness
Antonio Pigafetta’s First Voyage Around
the World.
• They sailed South bound passing the Leyte
coast and reach Mazaua on march 28. 1521.
25 leagues (138.9 km) form Acquada
(homonhon island)”, remained 7 days.
Pigafetta’s Memoir
Most complete account is eyewitness Antonio Pigafetta’s First
Voyage Around the World.
• There were two springs in the island, also indications of gold presence.
Consequently, Magellan renamed it “Watering Place of Good Omen
(Acquada la di bouni segnialli)
• They sailed South bound passing the Leyte coast, 25 leagues form
Acquada and is called Mazaua”, remained 7 days.
• Route taken after Homonhon was “ towards the west southwest, between
four islands: Cenalo, Hiunanghan, Ibusson, Albarien. Very probably
“Cenalo” is misspelling in Italian manuscript what Pigafetta calls “Ceilon”
and Albo calls Seilani.
Pigafetta’s Map
Mazaua is a small
island off the southwestern
tip of Ceilon and is to the
east of Bohol. It lies near
the passage between Bohol
and western coast of Ceilon
TWO KINGS
There is confirmatory evidence in the presence of two native
“kings” or rajahs at Mazaua during Magellan’s visit.
The “king” of Mazaua who guided Magellan expedition to Cebu
The other was a relative (“one of his brothers” as Pigafetta says)
the king or rajah of Butuan (“the finest looking man” Pigafetta
had seen in th ose parts), he was a visitor to Mazaua, his territory
was Butuan
“That island of his was called Butuan and Calagan. When those
kings wished to see one another, they both went to hunt in that
island where we were”
Seven Days at Mazaua
In that island of Mazaua – both Albo and Pigafetta said at 9 2/3
North latitude – the Magellan expedition stayed a week (“We
remained there seven days a week”)
From March 28-April 4, 1521
Sunday 31 March – early in the morning of Sunday, the last of
March and Easter day” Magellan sent the priest ashore with some
men to prepare for Mass.
Thursday 4 April – they leave Mazaua, bound for Cebu.
“We remained there seven days” says Pigafetta.
LEGAZPI EXPEDITION
Legazpi and his pilots inquired about “Mazaua”,
accompanied by natives of the village of
Cabalian at the southeastern end of the island of
Leyte
They went to Camiguing (was “visible” from
Mazaua), from there intended to go to Butuan on
the island of “Vindanao” but were brought to
Bohol instead by contrary winds
The Mazaua was an Island near Leyte and
Panaon. Limasawa is so near, Butuan was on the
island Mindanao
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