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It is the World’s biggest religion with about 2.1 billion followers

worldwide.

YHITRNITACIS
CHRISTIANITY
A religious service of the Roman Catholic Church, which has as its
central act of the performance of the sacrament of the Eucharist.

SMAS
MASS
A 6th class municipality in the province of Southern Leyte

WAALMAIS
LIMASAWA
 An Italian scholar and explorer from the Republic of Venice. He
accompanied Ferdinand Magellan in his fateful circumnavigation of
the world.

NAOINTO TFIPGETAA
ANTONIO PIGAFETTA
A 1st class highly urbanized city and regional center of the Caraga
Region.

NAUBUT
BUTUAN
FIRST MASS
IN THE
PHILIPPINES
Butuan or Limasawa?
 • Searching for
FIRST VOYAGE AROUND THE Spices to West • King (Raia Siagu)
• Ladrones Islands offered a bar of gold
presently known as . and a chest of
WORLD BY MAGELLAN
Marianas Islands ginger. boasted his
• Magellan
• Isle of Zamal, now men in armor
Samar • Introduced to Raia
• March 18, 9 men Kolambu, king of
• Food, drinks and Zuluan and Calagan
(Butuan and
• gifts
Fish, palm wine, figs, • Caragua)
March 31- Easter
two cochos, rice and Sunday- Mass by the
cocos Shore
• Humunu Island • The cross be
(Homonhon) brought with nails
• Watering Place of and crown in place.
Good Signs • First Mass in the
• March 25- they saw Philippines
a balangay full of
people from
Mazzava/Mazaua 8
 Butuan is a city in
the Agusan del Norte in
the Philippines. Located at
the Northeastern part of
Agusan Valley sprawling
across the Agusan River is
Butuan City, known for its
colorful history and
culture.
Evidences for BUTUAN
The name of the place
In all primary sources including the
diary of Antonio Pigafetta, the
chronicler of Magellan's Voyage, the
name of the place was 2-3 syllables
“Mazzaua” or something close to it
which is much closer to Masao in
Butuan.
Monument erected during 1872
In Historia de Mindanao y Jolo written by
Francisco Combes S.J. who worked as a
missionary in the Philippines states that
Magellan went to Butuan because they heard
that the King there was more powerful and
they wanted to meet him. And there, they
planted a cross on a hill in a solemn
ceremony as a sign of future alliance.
Artifacts
According from Butuan City Cultural and Historical
Foundation (BCHC) and Butuan Government, ten
1600-years-old balanghai boats where found in
Masao River in 1976 which believed to have been
used to trade and to transport people for worship
services.
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Laksoy Wine
• Butuan Local Wine made from
the sap of Nipa Palm.
• Magellan’s crew was served with
this wine.
• Antonio Pigafetta noted in his
journal the term “tuba nio nipa”
The Bood Promontory
Abundance of Gold
Eco-Park
• Is the site of commemoration of • Abundance of gold in Masao
the First Mass where Magellan and Butuan.
and his men erected a cross on
March 31, 1521.
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Evidences for LIMASAWA

1. The evidence of Albo’s Log Book 3. Summary of the evidence of Albo and Pigafetta.
2. The evidence of Pigafetta 4. Confirmatory evidence from the Lepazpi expidition.
(a.) Pigafetta’s testimony
regarding the route;
(b.) The two native kings;
(c.) The seven days at Mazaua;
(d.) An argument from omission.

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 Republic Act 7233

An Act to declare the site in Magallanes, Limasawa Island in the

province of Leyte, where the first mass in the Philippines was held as
a National Shrine, to provide for the preservation of historical
monuments and landmarks thereat, and for other purposes.
Evidence from Francisco Albo’s Log Book

Yunagan Gada
Suluan Seilani

Mazava Subu
Matan

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1. The island that Albo calls Gada seems to be the ‘Acquada' of
Pigafetta, namely the island of Homonhon where they took in
supplies of water and wood.

2. The large island of Seilani which they coasted is the island

of Leyte. Coasting southwards along the eastern coast of that
island, then turning southwest they came upon a small island
named, Mazava, which lies at a latitude of 9 and two-thirds
degrees North.

3. It is to be noted that, Albo does not mention the first Mass,

but only the planting of the cross upon a mountain-top from
which could be seen three islands to the west and southwest.
This also fits the southern end of Limasawa.
 The Evidence of Antonio Pigafetta

sighted a Exchange of The group left the island of They left the
"high land" gifts between the Humunu. They sailed "toward Island of
named Spaniards and the west southwest" to the Mazaua, bound
Zamal. the Natives. Island of Mazaua. for Zubu.

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08
March, 1521 September

landed on The Natives They arrived at Mazaua, They entered

uninhabited returned with the latitude of 9 and the harbor of
island of with supplies two-thirds degrees North. Zubu.
Humunu. of food.

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 The Two Native Kings

Rajah Kolambu Rajah

Siagu
Seven Days at Mazaua

was Thursday in Holy Week: Holy Saturday, they Monday, Magellan Thursday, they
i.e. Holy Thursday, they had spent the sent men ashore to leave
anchored, near an island, and previous evening help with the Mazaua,
later on anchored near the feasting and drinking. harvest bound for
native king’s village. Cebu.

28 29 30 31 1 2-3 4

March, 1521 September, 1521

“Next day, Holy Easter Sunday, Tuesday and

Friday”, Magellan sent Magellan sent a priest Wednesday,
his slave interpreter to ashore with some men to work on the
ask the king. prepare for the mass. harvest

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 BALANGHAI

TRINKETS
RIVER DELTA

ISLAND
 AN ARGUMENT FROM OMISSION

The fact that that there is

Butuan is a riverine
no mention of the river is a We must therefore take
settlement. It is situated
significant fact in him literally: Mazaua was
in the Agusan River. The
Pigaffeta’s account of an island surrounded by
beach called Masao is in
their seven-day stay at sea, not a river delta.
the delta of that river.
“Mazaua”.

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Homonhon --> Leyte --> 9 degrees and 54
island of Panaon --> minutes North.
Mazaua

Mazaua to Cebu The survivors went

to Mindanao.

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THE LEGAZPI EXPEDITION

• They sailed in Philippine waters in 1565, 44 years after

Magellan.

• They were anxious to visit Mazaua

• But the inhabitants were hostile

• They went to Camiguing which was visible from Mazaua,

and went to Butuan.

• There he realized that two (Mazaua and Butuan) were

entirely different places and in no wise identical.

• Mazaua was an island near Leyte and Panaon.

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