First Catholic Mass: Butuan or Limasawa?

The First Catholic Mass: Butuan or Limasawa?

• Butuan was initially known as the site of the first Catholic Mass in the Philippines.
• A monument was erected near the Agusan River in 1872 to celebrate Magellan's arrival and the first Catholic Mass on March 31, 1521.

Competing Claims

• Blair and Roberston's "The Philippine Islands" (1903-1909) supports Mazaua as near Leyte and Panaon, while Butuan is in Mindanao.
• Pigafetta stated the first mass occurred at "Mazaua."
• Limasawa is described as the small island south of Leyte.
• The "Butuan tradition" relies on oral accounts, lacking primary documents about Magellan's voyage.

James Alexander Robertson's Translation

• James Alexander Robertson provided an English translation in 1906.
• Historians relied heavily on Robertson's translation.
• The origin of Limasawa's claim comes from this translation.
• Mazaua is identified as Limasawa, an island of approximately ten and one-half square miles.
• Mazaua's identification as Limasawa was, according to some, made "arbitrarily and without explanation."

Celedonio Resurrecion's "Butuan Tradition"

• Celedonio Resurrecion's 1990 work, "The Rules of Evidence to the True Identity of Pigafetta's Mazaua," reflects his findings.
• Resurrecion argued that scholars like Schumacher, Bernad, and Scott were "uncritical historians."
• These historians allegedly discredited the "Butuan historiographic tradition" using Robertson's translation.
• Resurrecion investigated "Where was Mazaua?" using the Rules of Court of the Philippines.

Rules of Court of the Philippines

• Pigafetta wrote of "nouve gradi et duo tersi" or nine degree and two-thirds (Lat. 9 deg 00 min North) toward the Artic.
• The Nancy Manuscript confirms this location as the islet of Butuan.
• Pigafetta's account matches logbook records from pilots Albo and Pancaldo, Moluccas Governor Brito, and the 1945 Philippine Gazetteer, all at 9 deg 00 min North.
• The Humunu-Mazaua distance of 25 leguas is nearly equivalent to the Homonhon-Masao distance of 1 deg 45 min.

Distances and Routes

• The distance from Mazaua to Cebu is twenty leguas, and from Catighan to Cebu it is fifteen leguas.
• Modern vessels follow Magellan's route from Masao Port, Butuan, to Cebu.
• The sailing distances are consistent with Pigafetta's notes for the Masao-Catighan and Catighan-Cebu routes.
• Mazaua borders Chippit, a land belonging to Butuan and Calaghan, according to Pigafetta after Magellan's death.

Indirect Evidence

• The Oral Mazaua (Masao) Tradition states that Magellan visited the Islet of Masao, a delta at the mouth of the Agusan River.
• Gold was abundant in Mazaua and Butuan.
• Volume 33 of Blair and Robertson's map of Mindanao shows Beaniam, Calagan, Butuan, Maguindanao, and Chipp, but not Mazaua.
• Anime and sago palm trees were abundant in both Mazaua and Butuan. Sago Palm is endemic in Mindanao.

The Claim of Limasawa

• Miguel Bernad's 1981 article, "Butuan or Limasawa? The Site of the First Mass in the Philippines: A Reexamination of Evidence," is utilized.

Evidence Supporting Limasawa

• Bernad analyzed Albo's logbook from Magellan's flagship, Trinidad, along with Pigafetta's accounts.
• Albo's expedition sailed south of Samar, anchoring at Homonhon for seven days.
• Mazaua's latitude is nine and two-thirds degrees north, matching Limasawa.
• The expedition did not sail to Butuan or anywhere near the Mindanao coast until after Magellan's death.

The Legazpi Expedition

• The Legazpi Expedition of 1565 serves as "confirmatory evidence."
• They sought directions to Mazaua from natives of Cabalian.
• They anchored off Mazaua but traveled to Camiguing due to hostile natives.
• Mazaua and Camiguing remained visible to one another
• Bernad: Mazaua was an island near Leyte and Panaon. Butuan was on Mindanao, two distinct places.
• Limasawa Island's geographical shape fits Pigafetta's depiction, and Magellan's ships would reach Limasawa sailing west or southwest.

Summary of Albo and Pigafetta's accounts

• Pigafetta made no mention of a river, weakening Butuan’s claim.
• Butuan is a riverine settlement on the Agusan River, while Masao was in the delta of that river.
• The absence of a riverine characteristic makes Butuan's claim difficult to justify.
• After the Battle of Mactan, survivors traveled to Mindanao and Butuan.
• Pigafetta narrated a river trip after Magellan's death.

Verdict: Limasawa

• On August 19, 2020, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines affirmed that Limasawa in Southern Leyte is the site of the first Catholic Mass.
• The "Final Report of the Mojares Panel on the Butuan-Limasawa Controversy on the Location of the 1521 First Easter Sunday Mass in the Philippines," supports this.
• This does not erase Butuan's cultural and historical importance in pre-colonial history.
• Butuan was a flourishing and established kingdom before the first mass occurred.