BS BIO 1-5

SITE OF 
FIRST MASS
in the Philippines
IT IS OFFICIATED BY FATHER
PEDRO DE VALDERRAMA
THE FIRST CATHOLIC MASS
IN THE PHILIPPINES WAS
HELD ON MARCH 31, 1521
(EASTER SUNDAY)
FATHER PEDRO DE
VALDERRAMA
BACKGROUND:
Father Pedro de Valderrama was
the only priest in Magellan’s
crew, who was given the task
of celebrating the first Holy
Mass on the shores
of Limasawa, an island at the
tip of Southern Leyte.
 LIMASAWA ISLAND IN SOUTHERN LEYTE
Located at the Southern Leyte, a popularly
known as the birthplace of the Church in
the Philippines. Holy First Mass marked
the birth of Roman Catholicism in the
Philippines.
CONTROVERSIES
BETWEEN
LIMASAWA AND
BUTUAN OR
IR
MASAO
 MASAO OR BUTUAN

TIMELINE
 1872
A monument to commemorate the
site of first mass on the
Philippines was erected in
Butuan.

1953
1953
The people in Butuan asked the
Philippine Historical Committee
to rehabilitate the monument or
place a marker on the site.
Zaide identified Masao in Butuan
as the location of the first mass.
 LIMASAWA

BASIS
JAIME DE VEYRA STATED THAT
THE FIRST MASS WAS
CELEBRATED IN LIMAWASA NOT
IN BUTUAN.
HISTORIAN PABLO PASTELLS
STATING BY THE FOOTNOTE TO
FRANCISCO COLIN’S LABOR
EVANGELICA THAT MAGELLAN DID
NOT GO TO BUTUAN BUT FORM
LIMASAWA TO CEBU.
FRANCISCO ALBO
pilot of Magellan’s flagship does
not mention the first mass but he
writes that they erected a cross on
a mountain which overlooked three
islands the west and the southwest.
James Robertson agreed with Pastells in a
footnote that “Mazua” was actually
Limasawa.

in the authentic account of Pigafetta, the

port was not in Butuan but an island named
Mazua ( Masawa)

Father Bernard studied all the Pigafetta’s

maps, which place in Mazau off the
southern tip of the larger island of
Leyte.
EVIDENCES
LIMASAWA
THE EVIDENCE OF ALBO’S LOG-
BOOK

THE EVIDENCE OF PIGAFETTA

SUMMARY OF THE EVIDENCE OF

ALBO AND PIGAFETTA.
CONFIRMATORY EVIDENCE FROM
THE LEGAZPI EXPEDITION.
EVIDENCES
BUTUAN/MASAO
THE NAME OF THE PLACE

THE ROUTE FROM HOMONHON

THE LATITUDE POSITION

THE GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES

BS BIO 1-5

'FIRST MASS' IN
LIMASAWA: FACT OR
OPINION?
 MEMBERS:
GARCIA, KIM ARIELLE M.
FLORES, MILL JEANNE
TAFALLA, ANGELO MAURICE
PANGANIBAN, LYKA
BARRERA, DIANNE JEWEL
TOMBAGA, SHIENNA
BS BIO 1-5

END...