According to Francisco Colins S.J as annotated by Pastells S.J.

as cited by Miguel
Bernad 1891:
At the end of three months and twelve days during which they traversed 4,000 leagues,
having crossed the Equator a second time, they climbed up to 15 degrees North latitude where
they came upon two islands which they named Las Velas [the Sails]. At 12 degrees North they
came upon the Ladrones Islands. A few days later they saw the island of Ibabao [Samar] in this
Archipelago. But the first island they touched at was Humunu, a small uninhabited island near
Guiuan Point .... To that and other islets they gave the name of Buenas Senas [Good Omens) but
to the entire Archipelago they gave the name San Lazaro, being the Saturday of Saint Lazarus'
Sunday in Lent of the year 1521.
On Easter Day, in the territory of Butuan, the first Mass ever offered in these parts was
celebrated and a cross planted. Magellan then took formal possession of the Islands in the name
of the Emperor and of the Crown of Castille.
The man who gave the most signal service to our men was the chiefofDimasaua [sic] ,
relative ofthe chief of Butuan and ofthat of Zebu, whither he led the armada, which entered that
harbor at noon on the 7th of April, the Octave of Easter. 3

*The important thing in Colin’s account as our present is concerned, is the fact that he represents the
first mass, as well as the solemn planting of the cross and the formal taking possession of the Islands in
the name of the Crown of Castile, as having taken place at Butuan on Easter Sunday of 1521. *
According to Francisco Combes S.J as annotated by Pastells S.J. and cited by Miguel
Bernad 1891:
The first time that the royal standards of the Faith were seen to fly in this island
(of Mindanao] was when the Archipelago was first discovered by the Admiral Alonso
(sic] de Magallanes. He followed a new and difficult route [across the Pacific], entering
by the Strait of Siargao, formed by that island and that of Leyte, and landing at the island
of Limasaua which is at the entrance of that Strait. Amazed by the novelty and
strangeness of the [Spanish] nation and the ships, the barbarians of that island welcomed
them and gave them good refreshments.

While at Limasaua, enjoying rest and good treatment, they heard of the River of
Butuan, whose chieftain was more powerful. His reputation attracted our men thither to
see for themselves or be disillusioned, their curiosity sharpened by the fact that the place
was nearby. The barbarian [chief] lived up to our men's expectations, providing them
with the food they needed .... Magellan contented himself with having them do reverence
to the cross which is erected upon a hillock as a sign to future generations of their
alliance .... The solemnity with which the cross was erected and the deep piety shown by
the Spaniards, and by the natives following the example of the Spaniards, engendered
great respect for the cross.

Not finding in Butuan the facilities required by the ships, they returned to Limasaua to seek
further advice in planning their future route. The Prince of Limasaua told them of the three most
powerful nations among the Pintados [Visayans], namely those of Caraga, Samar, and Zebu. The
nearness of Zebu, the facilities of its port, and the more developed social structure (being more
monarchial) aroused everyone's desire to go thither. Thus, guided by the chief of Limasaua,
passing between Bool and Leyte and close to the Camotes Islands, they entered the harbor of
Cebu by the Mandawe entrance on the 7th of April 1521, having departed from Limasaua on the
first day of that month.

*The main point in the account is that Magellan Landed at Butuan and there planted the cross in a
solemn ceremony thus, he didn’t mention anything about the first mass. But rather he mentioned the
other two events that occurred on the same day as the first Mass, namely the planting of the cross and
the formal claiming of the Archipelago on behalf of the Castilian Crown. And according to him, these
events took place at Butuan. *
Comparison between Colin and Combes Account

 It is to be noted that both Colin and Combes picture Magellan as visiting both Butuan and Limasawa.
However, in

 Colin’s Account: Magellan went first to Butuan then to Limasawa.

 Combe’sAccount: Magellan visits Limasawa first from there he went to Butuan, then returns to
Limasawa and last destination is Cebu.

 Both Colin and Combes agree that it was from Limasawa and with the help of Limasawa’s chieftain
that Magellan expedition went to Cebu.

 Both accounts agree that Magellan arrived in Cebu on the 7th of April 1521.
There is a controversy regarding the site of the first mass ever celebrated on Philippine soil.
Pigafetta, the Italian chronicle of the Magellan expedition, tell us that it was held at easter
Sunday, the 31st of march 1521, on an island called “mazaua”. Two native chieftains were in
attendance: the rajah of mazaua and the rajah of Butuan. After the mass, party went up a little
hill and planted wooden cross upon its summit. In this case, the subject of the controversy is
the identity of mazaua. There are two conflicting claims regarding this: one school of thought
points to the small island south of leyte whereas, the other school rejects that claim and points
instead the beach called “masao” at the mouth of the agusan river in northern Mindanao, near
the village (now the city) of butuan. Judging from the facts presented and basing from the
information and evidences which I have researched, I affirm that the first mass in the
Philippines was held in limasawa.
The firstevidence to support my argument in accordance to the accounts of pigafetta and
Francisco albo who are eye-witnesses of the magellan’s voyage both stated that the first mass
in the Philippines took place in the island called mazava in albo’s account and mazaua in
pigafetta’s account. They both asserted that from the island of homonhon they went westward
towards the island of leyte and turned to a southwest direction to reach this island of limasawa
in southern leyte is the counterpart. On the contrary, the statement of father Fernando colins, a
historian, in his work labor evangelica, he asserted that Magellan went to Butuan and there he
celebrated the first mass and erected a cross. And to support this, Antonio pigafetta testified
that he gave a gift of certain things to the queen mother of France-louise of savory and mother
of francis i. gian battista ramusio mentioned that a copy of pigafettas account was given to
louise of savory. Whereas, this manuscripts were translated yto French by Jacques fabre and
imprinted by simon de colins. And also, there was a monument erected during 1872 to
commemorate the first mass in Butuan on April 8, 1521. In my opinion, ramusio’s version of
pigafettas manuscripts are not reliable. The transmissions of text from pigafetta to louise of
savory to simon de colin is without documentary support. Pigafetta himself did not mention
that he gave a copy of his manuscript to louise of savoy but simply a gift of certain thing. And I
would like to point out, based on father colin’s account, Magellan and his men went to cebu on
April 1521. But in the monument inscription, the first mass was held on April, 1521 on Butuan.
It is not possible to go back to Butuan from cebu in just one day on the same day of the mass
wherein, Butuan is 236 kilometers away from cebu and the ships back then were not that fast
enough. On the same day of the mass, a cross was erected on the summit of mountain and
according to francis albo, at the summit of the mountain, you can see three islands from west
and southwest whereas, Butuan can be seen in the north direction. Based on the topographical
details given by albo and pigafetta, it describes the present limasawa.
Secondly, Magellan did not go to Butuan to meet the king there. According to pigafetta and
albo, while in the island of mazaua, they met two chieftains: one is the chieftain of mazaua and
one is the chieftain of Butuan who was said to be visiting the island. This oppose to the book
written historia de Mindanao y jolo written by Francisco combes s.j. who worked as a
missionary in the Philippines. He stated that Magellan went to Butuan because they heard the
king in Butuan is more powerful that they wanted to meet him. It was said that their
expectations were satisfied by the king. As a result, they planted a cross on a hill in a solemn
ceremony as sign of future alliance. In Francisco colin’s work, the first mass occurred the same
day they planted a cross. In this case, I hereby agree to pigafetta’s and albo’s account because
they are the eyewitnesses and considered as first-hand accounts. Pigafettas work is the most
detailed and reliable source of information regarding magellan’s voyage compared to the claims
stated by second hand accounts.
Although the evidences presented came from only two accounts, those evidences are
considered as primary sources. The corroboration of information and statements on those two
were present while the pro-butuan claims are mostly based from second hand accounts. Even
though their claims are supported by other historians, the corroboration of information and
statements are inconsistent. The evidences abovementioned such as evidence from albo’s
logbook and pigafetta’s account: the two native kings: the seven days at mazaua along with
other evidences such as the confirmatory evidence from the legazpi expedition is already
enough for me to affirm that limasawa is the original place where the first mass in the
Philippines was held on.

Note: Primary sources are firsthand accounts of those who witnessed the event or
close to the event as it happened. Whereas, secondary sources were written by non-
witnesses based on the narratives of firsthand accounts or by interviewing
eyewitnesses; contents are verifiable by revisiting the primary sources.
For almost 300 years, Spaniards and Filipinos believed the 1521 Easter Sunday Mass
happened in Butuan—not until scholars had full access to one of the four extant
manuscripts of Pigafetta’s chronicle of the Magellan-Elcano expedition in 1800: the
Italian text archived in the Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan, Italy, which
mentions nothing about Butuan as the site of the 1521 Easter Sunday Mass but
Mazaua. In 1895, the Ambrosiana copy of Pigafetta’s was published in its original
language for the first time. This gave Filipino linguist and philologist Trinidad H.
Pardo de Tavera the opportunity to verify that indeed there was no mention of Butuan
in Pigafetta’s chronicle and since then began recognizing Limasawa as the logical
Mazaua.