Case Study 1: Where Did The First Catholic Mass Take Place in The Philippines?

Case Study 1
Where did the First Catholic Mass take

place in the Philippines?
GROUP 1 BSAIS 2B
The first recorded Catholic Mass in the Philippines was
held in Butuan on April 8, 1521.
Two Primary Sources of this Study
Antonio Pigafetta’s Primo viaggo intorno
al mondo (First Voyage Around the World)
Francisco Albo’s Log
Primary Source:
Francisco Albo’s Log
• March 16, 1521 – as they sailed in a westerly course
from Landrones, they saw land towards the northwest;
but they did not approach it. They found later that its
name was Yunagan.
• They went to another small island name Suluan, and
there they anchored. This island was at 9 and two-
thirds degrees North lalitude.
• They sailed to an uninhabited islands of “Gada”
where they took in a supply of food and water. (Albo
does not give the latitude of this island, but from
Pigafetta’s testimony, this seems to be the “Acquada”
or Homonhon, at 10 degrees North latitude.)
• They sailed toward a large island named “Seilani”
thaw was inhabited and was known to have gold.
(Pigafetta: “Ceylon”/Leyte)
• The people of Mazava were very good. There the
Spaniards planted a cross and from there, they were
shown three islands to the west and southwest.
• From Mazava, they sailed northwards again toward
Seilani. They saw three small islands at 10 degrees
latitude.
• They sailed westwards and saw three islets, where
they dropped anchor for the night.
• In the morning, they sailed southwest, down to a
latitude of 10 and one-third degree. They entered a
channel between two islands, one of which was called
“Matan” and the other is “Subu”.
• They sailed down that channel and turned westward
and anchored at the town of Subu where they stayed
for many days and obtained provisions.
• The town of Subu was on an east-west direction with
the islands of Suluan and Mazava.
• • In Albo’s account, the location of Mazava fits the
location of the island of Limasawa, at the southern tip
of Leyte. He did not mention the first mass, only the
planting of the cross..
Primary Source:
Pigafetta’s Testimony on the Route of Magellan’s
Expedition
• March 16, 1521 – Magellan’s expedition sighted a
highland named “Zamal” which was some 300
leagues westward of Ladrones.
• March 17 – after sighting Zamal Island, they landed
on another island which was uninhabited and which
lay to the right of Zamal Island.
• On the same day, Magellan named the entire
archipelago as “Islands of Saint Lazarus”.
• • March 18 – They saw a boat coming towards them
with nine men in it. An exchange of gifts were
effected. Magellan asked for food supplies.
• There were two springs of water on the Island of
Homonhon. They also saw indications that there were
gold in these island. Magellan renamed the island as
the “Watering Place of Good Omen”.
• March 22 – At noon, the natives returned. They were
in two boats, and they brought food supplies.
• Magellan’s expedition stayed eight days at
Homonhon, from March 17 to March 25.
• March 25 – In the afternoon, the expedition weighed
anchor and left the island. On this day, as they were
about to weigh anchor, an accident happened to
Pigafetta: he fell into the water but was rescued.
• They left Homonhon sailing westward towards Leyte,
followed the Leyte coast southward, passing between
the island of Hibuson and Hiunangan Bay and then
continued southward, then turning westward to
Mazaua.
• March 28 – In the morning of Holy Thursday, they
anchored off an island where they saw a light or a
bonfire last night.
• It is twenty-five leagues from the Acquada, and is
called Mazaua. They remained here for seven days.
• April 4 – They left Mazaua, bound for Cebu. They
were guided by King of Mazaua who sailed his own
boat. Their route took them five islands: Ceylon,
Bohol, Canighan, Baibai, and Gatighan.
• At Gatighan, they sailed westward to the three islands
of the Camotes Group: Poro, Pasihan, and Ponson.
From here, they sailed southwards towards “Zubu”.
• • April 7 – At noon, they entered the Harbor of
“Zubu”. It took them three days to negotiate the
journey from Mazaua to the Camotes Islands and then
southwards to Zubu.
Primary Source:
Pigafetta and Seven Days in Mazaua
• March 28 – Morning, they anchored near an island where
they had seen a light the night before. A small boat came
with eight natives. Two hours later, two larger boats
came.
• March 29 – Magellan sent his slave interpreter (Henry)
ashore in a small boat to ask the king if he could provide
the expedition with food supplies, and to say they had
come as friends not enemies.
• March 30 – Pigafetta and his companion has spent the
previous evening feasting and drinking with the native
king and his son.
• March 31 – “Early in the morning of Sunday, the last of
March and Easter Sunday”. Magellan sent the priest
ashore with some men to prepare for the Mass.
• Magellan asked for someone to guide him. The kings
replied that the pilots would be available any time. Later
that evening, the King of Mazaua changed his mind and
said that he himself would guide Magellan to Zubu. He
asked Magellan to send him men to help with the
harvest.
• April 1 – Magellan sent men ashore to help with the
harvest, but no work was done because the two kings
were sleeping off their drinking last night.
• April 2-3 – Work on the harvest happened.
• April 4 – The leave Mazaua, bound for Cebu.

Case Study 1: Where Did The First Catholic Mass Take Place in The Philippines?

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Case Study 1: Where Did The First Catholic Mass Take Place in The Philippines?

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Case Study 1: Where Did The First Catholic Mass Take Place in The Philippines?

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Case Study 1

Where did the First Catholic Mass take

You might also like