SITE OF THE FIRST MASS: LIMASAWA OR BUTUAN?

Position Paper

In partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of
Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management

Reading in the Philippine History

Authors
Abarra, Kristine
Anolin, Pia Marie
Batallones, Alexandra Nicole
Briones, Angel Anne
Casabuena, Daniel Joshua
Centeno, Alyssa Sherien
De Chavez, Jennie Rose
Garay, Antonio
Javier, Francine
Mangampo, Nicole
Pamplona, Jamella
Tucay, Emmarjorie

Section
TOU 227

November 2022
 SITE OF THE FIRST MASS: LIMASAWA OR BUTUAN?

The Limasawa versus Butuan. The first mass in this country was held on March 31, 1521,
which is also the date of Easter Sunday. Numerous parties provide their arguments and proof,
which increased the number of people interested in the truth and the amount of confusion already
existing. Experts are aware of how difficult it may be to evaluate a single historical story due to
the fact that it can be accurate or may not be accurate, mainly if there are several different versions
of the story. This is because history or historical facts that have been known for a long time have
been studied extensively. People continue to talk a lot about historical events, and there are a lot
of various stories that can be told about those historical events. Who among us can be relied upon?
The question of where the first mass in Philippine history was held is one of the most contentious
issues in the country's history. Many people maintain that the first mass was celebrated in Butuan,
while others argue that it occurred in Limasawa. Reading it is highly intriguing because there are
many strong arguments put up by proponents of each perspective and compelling supporting data
and evidence. This makes it quite engaging to read. Despite the fact that both pieces of evidence
are reliable and convincing, the very first mass that was ever celebrated in the Philippines took
place in Limasawa, which is located in the southern part of Leyte. This particular truth jumps out,
and their belief is based on it.

There was a considerable debate between those who supported Butuan and those who
supported Limasawa; the discussion started when the two sides argued over where the first mass
took place in the Philippines. The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP)
formed a panel and a team of pro-Butuan and pro-Limasawa researchers to find the answer to
where the first mass occurred here in the Philippines. René Escalante (2020) "The panel
unanimously agreed that the evidence and arguments presented by the pro-Butuan advocates are
not sufficient and convincing enough to warrant the repeal or reversal of the ruling on the case by
the NHI." The researchers looked for international and local evidence, such as documents, artifacts,
and sources, to prove their arguments and claims. Still, the pro-Butuan side presented their
evidence, and the panels found that it lacked evidence because it was not enough to prove that it
happened in Butuan, the first Easter mass in the Philippines. According to the evidence presented
by both the pro-Butuan and pro-Limasawa groups, the panels led by former Supreme Court Justice
Emilio Gancayco in 1995 and the historian Benito Legarda in 2008 concluded that the evidence
held by the Limasawa group was sufficient to prove that the first Easter mass in the Philippines
was in Limasawa.
Limasawa, not Butuan, hosted the country's first church service. It is not only due to a lack
of evidence but also to inconsistency in facts. Consider the inconsistency of Magellan's route, the
date, and the spellings of places and people involved, as presented by the various historians who
support the Butuan tradition. A historian named Father Francisco Colin S.J. claims that Magellan
first arrived in Butuan before moving on to Limasawa and then Cebu. A Jesuit author, Father
Francisco Combes S.J., has another argument. To him, Magellan made two trips to Limasawa. On
April 7, 1521, according to his assertion, Magellan's route was from Limasawa to Butuan, then
back to Limasawa, and finally to Cebu. Giovanni Francesco Gemeili Careri, a Calabrian, made a
further claim that supported the idea that the first mass did not occur in Butuan because of its
incorrect presentation of the date. In place of Easter Sunday, he mentioned Whit Sunday (Bernad,
n.d)
These were just a few inconsistencies in the Butuan tradition's information that rendered it
absurd. History has determined that the Butuan tradition is false due to a lack of supporting
evidence, leading to the development of the better Limasawa tradition. The first mass in the
Philippines was held on Limasawa Island in Visayas on March 31, 1521, despite the Limasawa
tradition originating after Butuan. Additionally, it was confirmed that Magellan planted a cross on
the same spot on the same date while leading his troops (Cebu Living: The good life in the
Beautiful Island, n.d). Unlike other traditions, this one is backed up by several convincing pieces
of evidence, such as entries from Albo's logbook, proof from Pigafetta, and data from Legazpi's
expedition. The first mass's location was not mentioned in Albo's account. The Limasawa region
is best described by Magellan's placement of the cross, which does not apply to Butuan because
there is no island in those directions.
The debate between Limasawa and Butuan is based on evidence, and it is more proof that
the first mass was held in Limasawa. Bernad (n.d) The statements of Colin and combes are
compared. According to Combes, Magellan went twice to Limasawa: the first time to Limasawa,
the second to Butuan, then back to Limasawa again, and the last time to Cebu, but the statement
of Colin, Magellan went to Butuan, and next was limasawa, and the previous was Cebu, Colin and
Combes were to exercise a strong influence over the subsequent writer. But it was proven that
Colin made a mistake in his statement because Magellan did not go to Butuan and Limasawa; he
went straight to Cebu and dealt with Rajah Siagu, the chieftain of Butuan. This is evidence that
the first mass was celebrated in Limasawa.
The first piece of evidence comes from Francisco Albo's logbook. Albo, who served as a
pilot on the Magellan expedition, started keeping a diary of his own. The third piece of evidence
is a summary of the evidence of Albo and Pigafetta; both the ambrosian and the Nancy codices of
Pigafetta's narrative are illustrated with maps. And the last is confirmatory evidence from the
Legazpi expedition. There is confirmatory evidence from the documents of the Legazpi expedition,
which sailed into Philippine waters in 1565, 44 years after Magellan. There are those who have
confirmed the facts, making it official that the first mass was held in Limasawa and giving their
testimony additional weight. On the other hand, the Butuan lacked the proof that the pro-Butuan
had offered.
Efren Danao (n.d) published an article about the National Historical Institute (NHI)
completing a two-year study. It reaffirmed in 1996 the popular belief, powered by Republic Act
2733, that the first holy mass was held on Limasawa Island on March 31, 1521. Despite the NHI’s
pronouncement, the memoirs of Antonio Pigafetta, who chronicled Ferdinand Magellan’s
expedition, remain “the only credible primary source that yields the best evidence of the
celebration of the first Christian Mass on Philippine soil.” The celebration of the first Holy Mass
is generally associated with the introduction of Christianity to Philippine shores. Butuan City and
Limasawa, Southern Leyte, claim to be the sites of this historical religious rite. Rolly Narciso is
one of those working furiously to have Masau in Butuan City recognized as the real location. They
both declared to have traveled west from Homonhon to Leyte before turning southwest to reach
this island. Albo and Piggafetta’s geographic coordinates indicate that the counterpart is the island
of Limasawa in Southern Leyte.
On Easter Sunday, March 31, 1521, Father Pedro de Valderrama officiated at the first
Catholic Mass in the Philippines on the shores of Limasawa, a town islet off the coast of Southern
Leyte. Limasawa is known in the Philippines as the “birthplace of Roman Catholicism.” On March
28, 1521, they saw a bonfire while at sea, which turned out to be Limasawa, where they had
anchored. Proclamation of the national shrine: Republic Act No. 2733, recognized as the
Limasawa Law, was enacted on June 19, 1960, without being signed by the President of the
Philippines.
 The site was designated by legislative fiat in Magallanes, Limasawa Island, and Leyte
Province (“Where the first mass was held in the Philippines is hereby declared a national shrine to
commemorate the birth of Christianity in the Philippines”). Magallanes is located east of
Limasawa. Limasawa, not Butuan, hosted the country's first church service. It is not only due to a
lack of evidence, but also to inconsistency in facts. Consider the inconsistency of Magellan's route,
the date, and the spellings of places and people involved, as presented by the various historians
who support the Butuan tradition.
According to FR. Roy Cimagala, "when he went to Butuan for pastoral service and by
chance ran upon Fr. A diocesan priest named Joesilo Amalla has spent years researching the
location such as the first Masses celebrated in the Philippines. He gave me a 200-page document
of his works to study, shared some pertinent details about his research with me, and shown me
some more of the sources he consulted." He hopes and prays that as a nation disciplined through
Spanish colonists in the fifteenth century, this matter would receive true justice, be ultimately and
definitively resolved, and be left behind in the history books. Even though it may not have been a
significant problem or a league initially, it still deserves to be treated fairly. Strong arguments
support Masawa in Butuan as the location where the first Mass was performed in this nation rather
than Limasawa in Samar-Leyte. The authoritative diarist of Magellan's voyage, Antonio Pigafetta,
Gines de Mafra, a member of Magellan's original group who made it back to Spain as well as
mentioned what he discovered in Masawa, as well as other supplementary firsthand accounts are
all unquestionable anecdotal transactions of something like the citizens of just that era.

There was a debate about whether the first mass happened in Butuan or Limasawa, some
Filipinos, including professionals in education, historian, religious leader, and other fields, have
exchange their suggestion and evidence on the specific place of the first mass on easter sunday in
the Philippines. The limasawa is the place where the first mass happened, and it has two primary
sources. First the logbook of magellan’s ship pilot and the second is pigafetta’s navigation to
support the claim by what happened chronologically. Many Years have passed, and numerous
pieces of evidence have been provided to support the allegation. Numerous specialists and
researchers have examined the event and continued to do so until sufficient, reliable records from
Pigafetta's narrative and the accounts of eyewitnesses establish that the mass occurred in
Limasawa. Between Limasawa, Southern Leyte, and Masao, Butuan City in Mindanao, the
National Historical Institute (NHI) finally put an end to the long-running debate about the location
of the First Mass ever recorded in the Philippines. A ruling was rendered in Limasawa's favor by
the NHI. It is more convincing and has many more reliable sources than the Butuan, with the bits
of evidence in Limasawa. The first mass was celebrated at Limasawa, too, as per Republic Act
2733 and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP).
References:

Gabieta, A. V. (2020). Limasawa, not Butuan, affirmed as site of first Mass in PH.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1325039/limasawa-not-butuan-
affirmed-as-site-of-first-mass-in-ph

Regidor, A. (2021). Limasawa vs. Butuan: the first Easter Mass. https://upd.edu.ph/:
https://upd.edu.ph/limasawa-vs-butuan-the-first-easter-mass/

Flores, G., (2018). (Limasawa or Butuan) HISTORY First Mass.

Laya, J., (2021). Where and when was the First Mass held?
https://mb.com.ph/2021/05/31/where-and-when-was-the-first-mass-held/

Bernard M. (n.d) Butuan or Limasawa: The Site of the First Mass in the Philippines
https://journals.ateneo.edu/ojs/index.php/budhi/article/view/582/579 

Makabenta, Y. (2019). Magellan never went to

Cimagala, R. (2018). Where did the first Mass in the Philippines take place?
https://www.panaynews.net/where-did-the-first-mass-in-the-philippines-take-place

Abatayo, R. (2019). Limasawa or Butuan? Debates continue on where first Mass was
held. https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/270037/limasawa-or-butuan-debates-continue-onwhere-
first-mass-was-held#ixzz6ZoENlKCPMakabenta,

Y. (2019). The Manila Times. Magellan Never Went to Butuan.

Cabradilla, J. (2019). First Mass in the Philippines - limasawa: Site of the first mass was it really
limasawa or butuan. https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/adamson-university/readings-in-
philippine-history/first-mass-in-the-philippines/9598018

Regidor, A. (2021). Limasawa vs. Butuan: The first easter mass. https://upd.edu.ph/limasawa-vs-
butuan-the-first-easter-mass/