Site of the First Catholic

LESSON 1
Mass in the Philippines

Learning outcomes:
At the end of this module, the students are able to:
1. Discuss the controversy about the first catholic mass in the Philippines.
2. Identify the different accounts about the controversy.

Introduction

To put into use what so far has been learned about the historian’s work as
well as the historical inquiry, this module deals with the analyses of Philippine
history’s four historiographical issues. 

The two vital concepts: interpretation and multi-perspectivity shall be defined

prior to the historical analysis of the issues in the history of the Philippines.
Being able to interpret historical events using primary sources, to recognize
the multiplicity of interpretation, and to demonstrate the ability to argue for or against
a particular issue using primary sources are therefore expected of you, history
students.

One Minute Paper

Direction: Write a short statement about the topic. Write your answer on yhe
space provided.

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 Analysis

Guide Questions:

1. What can you infer about the issues past?

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2. How it affects the historical events?
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Abstraction

Controversy 1: Site of the First Mass in the Philippines

For three centuries, Butuan was believed to be the site of the First Mass in the
Philippines as evidenced by the 1872 monument near Agusan River which
commemorates the expedition’s arrival and celebration of the first Mass on April 8,
1521. Such a claim is based on a rudimentary reading of this event’s primary
sources.

However, towards the end of the 19 th century and the beginning of

20th century, mounting scholarship from more nuanced readings [by Filipino and
Spanish scholars] of the existing evidences revealed findings that disproved this
accepted interpretation.
Investigations on the identification of the Site of the First Mass in the
Philippines is carried out by referring to only two primary sources. One is the record
kept by Francisco Albo, navigator of one of Magellan’s ships, Trinidad and one of the
18 survivors that returned from the world circumnavigation aboard Victoria. The
other, which is a more complete primary source is Antonio Pigafetta’s First Voyage
Around the World. Like Albo, Pigafetta was part of Magellan’s expedition thus an
eyewitness to the events documented in the account specifically, the site of the first
Mass.

Albo’s Log
 1. While sailing westward from Ladrones [now the Marianas Islands] on the
16th of March 1521, land towards the northwest was spotted; however, due to
shallow areas, the fleet did not approach the island which was later found out
to be Yunagan.
2. Sailing southwards that same day brought the fleet to a small island
called Suluan where Magellan and his men anchored and where they saw
canoes that sped away at their approach.
3. The fleet then sailed westward to Gada, an uninhabited island where the
Spaniards collected wood and water. The sea around this island, according to
Albo was free from shallows. [Although this particular log does not include the
island’s latitude, in Pigafetta’s account, the island appears to
be Aquada or Homonhon.]
4. Departing that island, the fleet sailed westwards towards Seilani, a huge,
inhabited island known to have gold. [Pigafetta calls this island Ceylon – an
island in Leyte.]
5. Sailing southwards along the Seilani’s coast, the fleet turned southwest
to Mazaua, a small island where the natives were good and where the
Spaniards erected a cross upon its mountaintop. There, they were shown
three islands to the west and southwest and told about the abundance of gold.
The Spaniards were shown how gold, which came in pieces the size of peas
and lentils, was gathered.
6. From Mazaua, the fleet sailed northwards back to Seilani following its coast
in a northwesterly course ascending to up to 10 degrees latitude where they
spotted the three islands shown to them beforehand.
7. Sailing some ten leagues westwards, the fleet spotted three islets where
anchors were dropped for the night and in the morning, the fleet sailed some
twelve leagues southwest down to a latitude where the fleet entered a
channel between two islands, Matan and Subu.
8. Sailing down the channel, the fleet turned westward and anchored at the town
of Subu where the Spaniards stayed for many days, obtained provisions, and
entered into a peace-pact with the local king.
9. Subu was on the east-west direction of Suluan and Mazaua. Shallows
between Mazaua and Subu forced the Spaniards to take the longer, alternate
route.
 “Diario o’ derotero del viage de Magallanes desde el cabo se S. Agustin en el Brazil hasta el regreso a Espana
de la nao Victoria, escrito por Frandsco Albo,” Document no. xxii in Collecion de viages y descubrimientos que hicieron por

los Espanoles desde fines del siglo XV,Ed. Martin Fernandez de Navarette (reprinted Buenos Aires 1945, 5 Vols.) IV, 191-

225. As cited in Miguel A. Bernad “Butuan or Limasawa? The Site of the First Mass in the Philippines: A Re-examination of

Evidence” 1981, Kinaadman: A Journal of Southern Philippines, Vol. III, 1-35.

In Albo’s account, Mazaua’s location fits that of Limazawa at the southern tip
of Leyte. Additionally, although Albo mentioned the cross being erected upon a
mountaintop where the three islands to the west and southwest which is an account
consistent with the southern end of Limasawa, the first Mass was not brought up. 
Pigafetta’s Account on the Route of Magellan’s Expedition
1. Saturday, 16 March 1521 – Some 300 leagues westward of Ladrones
[Marianas Islands], Magellan’s fleet spotted a highland called Zamal.
2. Sunday, March 17 – After spotting Zamal, the fleet landed on an uninhabited
island called Humunu [Homonhon] which lay to the right of Zamal. Here, the
Spaniards set up two tents for the sick crew members and slain a sow for
them.
3. That same day, Magellan christened the whole archipelago the Island of
Saint Lazarus owing to the Gospel for that Lenten season Sunday Mass
which was the 11th chapter of St. John which tells of Lazarus being raised
from the dead.
4. Monday, March 18 – In the afternoon of the Spaniards’ second day in
Homonhon, they spotted an approaching boat of 9 men. This later brought
about an exchange of gifts and a request from Magellan for food supplies.
The men swore to bring rice and other provisions in four days.
5. Homonhon had two springs of water and the Spaniards also noticed some
indications of gold in the island; hence, Magellan renamed Homonhon,
the Watering Place of Good Omen.
6. Friday, March 22 – The natives, this time in two boats laden with food
supplies, returned by noon.
7. Magellan and his men stayed for eight days in Homonhon that is from March
17 to March 25.
8. Monday, March 25 – The fleet weighed anchor to leave Homonhon when
Pigafetta went overboard but rescued. He ascribed his escape from death as
grace through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary as in the
ecclesiastical calendar, March 25 was the feast of the Annunciation, thus “Our
Lady’s Day.”
9. In the direction of west, southwest between the islands of Cenalo,
Hiunanghan, Ibusson, and Albarien was the route taken by Magellan’s fleet
after departing Homonhon. Most likely, Cenalo is an orthographical error in
the document for what Pigafetta, in his map, calls Ceilon and Albo calls
Seilani both referring to the island of Leyte. Hiunanghan which is a misspelling
of Hinunangan and which is on the mainland of Leyte [i.e. Ceylon] seemed to
Pigafetta a separate island. Hibuson which is to Pigafetta, Ibusson, is an
island east of the southern tip of Leyte. Along these lines, it was easy to
decipher what Pigafetta meant by sailing in a west, southwest direction past
the prior mentioned islands: that they left Homonhon navigating westward
towards Leyte, following its coast southward, sailing between Hibuson on their
portside and on their starboard, Hinunangan Bay. The fleet continued to sail
southward subsequently turning westward to Mazaua.
10. Thursday, March 28 – The fleet anchored in Mazaua where the Spaniards
spotted either a light or a bonfire the previous night – it was in the morning of
Holy Thursday. Pigafetta ensured the inclusion in his record of the island’s
latitude and longitude and its being 25 leagues from Aquada or Homonhon.
 That same day, a small boat with eight natives aboard approached the
Spanish fleet and obtained trinkets tossed by Magellan as presents. The
natives rowed away but two balanghai turned up two hours later with the
native king seated in one of them under a canopy of mats. Some of the
natives went aboard one of the ships at Magellan’s invitation though the
native king remained seated in his boat. Gifts were exchanged then the
Spanish fleet weighed anchor and went closer to shore and moored near the
native king’s village in the afternoon of that day.
11. Friday , March 29 – Intending to ask the native king for the expedition’s food
supplies and to inform him that they had come as friends, Magellan sent his
slave interpreter ashore. As a response, the king himself accompanied by six
or eight of his men came in a boat and this time climbed aboard Magellan’s
ship. The two embraced and exchanged more gifts. Returning ashore, the
native king and his men brought with them two members of the expedition as
guests for the night – Pigafetta was one of these two.
12. Saturday, March 30 – Pigafetta and his companion returned to their ship after
spending the previous night dining with the native king and his son. He,
however, regretted having eaten some meat as it was Good Friday.
13. Sunday, March 31 – Early Easter Sunday, Magellan sent the priest and some
of his men ashore to prepare for the Mass which was celebrated later in the
morning with Magellan, fifty of his men, the king of Mazaua and the king
of Butuan. Magellan and his men returned to their ships for lunch and went
back ashore in the afternoon to have the venerated cross erected at the
summit of the Mazaua’s highest hill. Both native kings were also in
attendance. While on the summit, Magellan asked the native kings for a port
to acquire more food supplies. He was told that there were three ports to
choose from: Ceylon, Zubu, and Calagan. Of these three, according to the
kings, Zubu’s port had the riches trading going on so Magellan informed the
kings that he wished to sail there the following morning and requested for a
guide. Although the native kings assured him that guides will be available any
time, the king of Mazaua offered to escort the expedition himself after
bringing his harvest in with the help of some of Magellan’s men that he
requested.
14. Monday, April 1- Despite having sent some of his men ashore to help,
Magellan was informed that no harvest was carried out as the native kings
were sleeping off their drinking stint the night before.
15. Tuesday, April 2 and Wednesday, April 3 – Helped the natives with their
harvest.
16. Magellan and his men stayed in Mazaua for seven days.
17. Thursday, April 4 – Escorted by the king of Mazaua who sailed in his own
boat, the Spanish fleet departed the island sailing towards Subu past the
islands of Ceylon, Bohol, Canighan, Baibai, and Gatighan.
18. Upon reaching Gatighan, the fleet sailed westward towards the three island
of Camotes: Poro, Pasihan, and Ponson where the Spaniards waited for the
 king of Mazaua on board his native balanghai that was much inferior to the
Spanish fleet in speed.
19. The Spanish fleet escorted by the king of Mazaua aboard
his balanghai sailed southwards towards Subu from the Camotes Islands.
20. Suunday, April 7 – It had taken the Spanish fleet three days to navigate
from Mazaua to Camotes Islands and ultimately to Subu entering its harbor
at midday.

 Emma Blair and James Alexander Robertson, The Philippine Islands, Vols 33

and 34, as cited in Miguel A. Bernad, “Butuan or Limasawa? The Site of the
First Mass in the Philippines: A Re-examination of Evidence” 1981,
Kinaadman: A Journal of Southern Philippines, Vol. III, 1-35.

Both Albo and Pigafetta’s accounts corroborate each other. Pigafetta,

however, afforded historians a more detailed record of the Spanish fleet’s weeklong
sojourn in Mazaua.

With the information afforded by these primary sources, the Jesuit priest,
Miguel A. Bernad argued that Pigafetta’s account does not mention Butuan’s distinct
geographic and crucial aspect that is its river. Situated on the Agusan River, Butuan
is a riverine settlement; hence the curious omission of the river itself which makes
part of Butuan’s geographic characteristic that seemed too vital for an oversight,
does make a valid contention.

Pigafetta’s account seemed to have documented the survivors sailing towards

Butuan and vividly depicted a trip along a river. It must be underscored, however,
that such account was only penned after Magellan’s death.

Application: Let's apply

Direction: Answer the following questions.

1. What can be learned from the controversy?

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2.
What conclusion can be drawn to end the controversy?
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Reference:

https://lesleykarenpenera.wordpress.com/2020/11/29/module-4-one-past-but-many-
histories-controversies-and-conflicting-views-in-philippine-history/