Limasawa first mass not a ‘hoax’ – experts

MANILA, June 8, 2014 – Experts from the National Historical Institute (NHI) claim they have settled
the issue over Limasawa being the site of the first mass — something which has not remained
unchallenged.

“The National Historical Institute Board has resolved the controversy over the first mass,” National
Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) chairman Ambeth R. Ocampo on Thursday said,
confirming that the first mass was indeed held in Limasawa, Southern Leyte — contrary to the
assertions of Vicente Calibo De Jesus, president of Tunog at Liwanag sa Teatro Inc.who believes it
was held instead in “Mazaua”.

A panel chaired by Dr. Benito Legardal conducted a public forum at the National Museum, inviting all
interested parties to present their evidence, Ocampo said.

De Jesus, he noted, however, did not attend the forum.

“Since Mr. De Jesus refused to participate in the forum, why does he now contest the outcome?”
Ocampo asked.

In response to De Jesus’ claim that the Limasawa first mass was a “hoax” and the real site of the
first Eucharistic celebration was in “Mazaua”, an island-port believed to be part of Butuan in
Mindanao,

Ocampo said the evidence to support otherwise is all in the panel report and the board resolution.

“Contrary to Mr. De Jesus’ assertions’ the panel report and board resolution are public records,” he
added.

Anyone, according to Ocampo, may request the full documentation of the issues from the NHCP.

De Jesus maintains that the first mass was said on Easter Sunday, March 31 1521 at Mazaua.

Two corroborating accounts by Antonio Pigafetta, a 16th century Italian navigator and historian, and
Antonio de Herrera y Tordesillas, a Spanish chronicler and writer, mentioned this event.

“Masawa”, which means brilliant light and crystal clear, is a word used only by Butuanons and their
sons, Tausogs.

In one of his Facebook posts, De Jesus called on the National Historical Commission of the
Philippines (NHCP) to “stop peddling the Limasawa first mass hoax”, calling the commission a “liar”.

De Jesus is currently collecting signatures for a campaign to “correct the history’ through a petition.
(Oliver Samson)

Limasawa remembers first Mass in Philippines

BONG WENCESLAO March 31, 2016

LIMASAWA, Southern Leyte -- This island town celebrated the 495th First Mass on Thursday with
thousands of pilgrims who flocked to remember how Spaniards introduced Christianity in the
Philippines.

The island town, the smallest in Southern Leyte province, is considered the cradle of Christianity, the
site of the first Mass in the country on March 31, 1521.
In his message, Bishop Precioso Cantillas of the Roman Catholic Church diocese of Maasin echoed
Pope Francis’ teaching on mercy and compassion.

“As we celebrate at the door of the shrine of the First Holy Mass, we open the door of compassion
that whoever will have faith and repent will receive forgiveness,” Cantillas said.

Southern Leyte Governor Roger Mercado said the celebration renews their commitment to continue
the promotion of the island as tourist destination.

“We continue to promote unity for our people and take the challenge to continue the promotion of our
island through Republic Act 7822, declaring Limasawa as a tourist zone,” Mercado said.

The law was signed on November 18, 1994.

The Sto. Niño de Cebu pilgrim image arrived in Magallanes village through a fluvial parade from
Maasin City to Limasawa early Thursday morning, March 31, on board a Philippine Navy ship.

The icon was brought to the village plaza for the Holy Mass. The town’s six villages displayed their
best products to visitors.

The island of Limasawa was the site of the first Mass in the Philippines when Portuguese world
explorer Ferdinand Magellan ended in the beautiful island looking for spices.

On Easter Sunday of March 31, 1521, Magellan ordered the expedition’s chaplain Fray Pedro de
Valderrama to say the mass.

In the afternoon of the same day, Magellan instructed his comrades to plant a large wooden cross
on the top of the hill overlooking the sea.

The original cross has been drawing thousands of tourists and pilgrims every year through a 450
steps trek going to the landmark. (PNA)

Where was the first Mass in the Philippines held?

BY EFREN L. DANAO ON JANUARY 23, 2015

THE visit of Pope Francis will inevitably resurrect a controversial and unresolved issue on the
introduction of Christianity to the Philippines – just where was the first Holy Mass celebrated? On his
arrival, the Pope noted that the Church in the Philippines was preparing to celebrate the fifth
centenary of the “first proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ on these shores.”

The introduction of Christianity on Philippine shores is generally linked to the celebration of the first
Holy Mass, and Butuan City and Limasawa, Southern Leyte, both claim to be the venue of this
historical religious rite. A dear friend, Rolly Narciso, is among those feverishly pushing for the official
recognition of Masau in Butuan City as the true site. It’s hopes that this controversy in the country’s
history will have been resolved by March 31, 2015 when the Philippines celebrates its 500th year of
Christianization.

Actually, the National Historical Institute (NHI) has already reached a conclusion after a two-year
study. In 1996, it reaffirmed the popular belief propelled by Republic Act 2733 that the first Holy
Mass was celebrated in Limasawa Island on March 31, 1521.The NHI cited the memoirs of Antonio
Pigafetta, who chronicled the expedition of Ferdinand Magellan, as “the only credible primary source
that yields the best evidence of the celebration of the first Christian Mass on Philippine soil.” This
issue, however, remains debatable despite the pronouncement from the NHI.

Tomas “Buddy” Gomez 3rd, a one-time press secretary of President Cory, disagreed with the NHI on
naming Limasawa as the true venue and called for the correction of this “long-standing historical
error.” No, he doesn’t contest that Pigafetta had indeed written that a Mass was held in Limasawa on
that Easter Sunday, March 31, 1521,

“There us, however, on inescapable and irrefutable fact: “Pigafetta NEVER said that the Easter
Mass in Limasawa was the ‘first.’ Neither did any of the survivors of Magellan’s expedition,” Buddy
added in a post to his Facebook friends, including this columnist.

He noted that while a Jesuit wrote in 1663 that the first Mass was held in Limasawa, he considered
this as a mere opinion and not a fact. He lamented that subsequent “copycat” historians entrenched
this “historical error.”

“An unrecorded first Mass, of necessity, comes springing out into more credible contention,” Buddy
wrote.

He wondered if a Mass was celebrated on Philippine shores before the 1521 Easter Sunday. He
cited records showing that Magellan stayed in Homonhon (now a part of Samar Island) for eight
days, including March 24 which was Palm Sunday.

“Is Easter Sunday Mass ever celebrated without being preceded by Mass on a Palm Sunday,” he
asked. He then argued that the First Mass could actually have been held not in Limasawa or Masau
but in Homonhon.

He expressed the hope that Pope Francis would return to the Philippines when the country
celebrates its Fifth Centenary of Christianity and that by then “all historical inexactitude” would have
been resolved collectively by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines and the leadership
of Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle.

Cory’s birthday

The relatives and many admirers of the late President Cory Aquino will be commemorating her
birthday tomorrow, January 25. Like many, I grieved on her death in August 2009. Her death was a
tragedy, rendered more sorrowful by the greater tragedy of her only son’s being elected to
Malacañang by sentimental voters. Why couldn’t she have lived longer or until after the 2010
presidential election?

I also grieve on the death of an old friend, former Rep. Mike Romero of Negros Oriental. He always
had a sunny disposition, even when he was on the verge of death and needing a kidney transplant.
He served for three terms in the House (1987 to 1998) and provided invaluable services to his
constituents. I once heard then Sen. Ernesto Maceda proclaim that if he were to choose the five
most outstanding congressmen at that time, Mike Romero would be one of them. I must add though
that the other Negros Oriental congressmen from 1987 to 1998, Gary Teves and Jerry Paras, were
equally outstanding. It’s very rare for a province to have all its representatives perform exceptionally
well.
Mike was in the board of the Philippine National Bank and, after its privatization, in the Development
Bank of the Philippines. We met occasionally in important meetings of the Laban ng Demokratikong
Pilipino, which he refused to abandon even after it had fallen off its lofty political status.

Cavite Mutiny 1872

Meaningful History

Remarkable event during 19th Century in the Philippines: Cavite Mutiny 1872

The Cavite Mutiny of 1872 was an uprising of military personnel of Fort San Felipe, the Spanish
arsenal in Cavite, Philippines on January 20, 1872. Around 200 soldiers and laborers rose up in the
belief that it would elevate to a national uprising. The mutiny was unsuccessful, and government
soldiers executed many of the participants and began to crack down on a burgeoning nationalist
movement. Many scholars believe that the Cavite Mutiny of 1872 was the beginning of Filipino
nationalism that would eventually lead to the Philippine Revolution of 1896. (Wikipedia)

This event has been unforgettable and reflected in the 12 events that changed influenced the
Philippine History in a major way.

This event is meaningful to the following Filipinos – Gomburza [an acronym denoting the surnames
of the priests Mariano Gómez, José Apolonio Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora, three Filipino priests who
were executed on 17 February 1872 at Bagumbayan in Manila, Philippines by Spanish colonial
authorities on charges of subversion arising from the 1872 Cavite mutiny. Their execution left a
profound effect on many Filipinos; José Rizal, the national hero, would dedicate his novel El
filibusterismo to their memory]

Mariano Gómez

José Apolonio Burgos

Jacinto Zamora

Mariano Gomez – born on August 2, 1799 at Santa Cruz Manila by Marina Guard and Francisco
Gomez, he was designated as head priest in Cavite in 1824 and was a member of GOMBURZA
later on. He was executed during the Cavite Mutiny in 1872.

Jose Apolonio Burgos – was a Filipino mestizo secular priest, accused of mutiny by the Spanish
colonial authorities in the Philippines in the 19th century (wiki) he was born on February 9 1837 by
Florencia Garcia and Don Jose Burgos in Vigan Ilocos Sur. He was executed along with Mariano
Gomez and Jacinto Zamora.

Jacinto Zamora – born August 14, 1835 in Manila. He was placed in a mock trial and summarily
executed in Manila along with two other clergymen. He was a Roman Catholic priest. The Gomburza
execution was carried out on February 17, 1872 at Bagumbayan Field in Manila during Cavite
mutiny in the 19th century.
Butuan historians ask CBCP to resolve first mass controversy in city’s favor

By ERWIN MASCARIÑAS - APRIL 4, 2012 7:51 AM

Want create site? With Free visual composer you can do it easy.

BUTUAN CITY (MindaNews/03 April) – Decades after the debate on where the first Catholic mass in the archipelago
took place has remained unresolved, local historians yesterday said they have new data and evidences to prove that
the “honor” belongs to the city.

They said they are hoping that the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) would finally declare that
the first mass was held in Mazaua, a place in Butuan now called Masao, not in Limasawa Island in Leyte as stated in
history books.

Speaking before the mass marking the 491st anniversary of the event on Saturday, March 31, local historian and
president of the Butuan City Heritage Society Greg Hontiveros said they are confident their new data and evidences
can now convince critics and skeptics.

In an interview yesterday, Honteviros said “it took us a long time to finalize our research and gather more evidence.
We felt the confidence, we finally completed the quest in finding the truth about this issue. It was a huge effort, long
process and time that we took to have the position of Butuan.”

He said the CBCP has already requested an inquiry and a resolution to investigate the first mass controversy since
the event is very symbolic and important to the church.

Accounts said that on March 31, 1521, Easter Sunday, Friar Pedro Valderrama celebrated mass together with
Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and his men. With the Spaniards were the ruler of Mazaua Rajah Siaiu and
his brother Rajah Colambu, the ruler of Butuan. Afterwards they planted a cross on the highest hill and stayed in the
area for seven days and helped in the rice harvest for two days together with more than a hundred of the Rajah’s
men.

“When they arrived on Good Friday, they were harvesting rice for two days, that means to say, the place where they
went was the Mazaua, not in Limasawa but somewhere in Mindanao. Because they harvested for two days, what can
you harvest in Limasawa when there was nothing [there]?” said Father Joesilo Amalla, curator of Butuan Diocesan
Liturgical Museum.

“More than a hundred of people helped in the harvest, meaning it was a huge agricultural area. I’ve been to
Limasawa a lot of times. They have said that the rice harvested came from the surrounding island, and they said they
have harvested in the island itself. So their claim is wrong,” Amalla added.

He pointed out that one important evidence is the Yale Codex, which according to Magellan scholars, is more
impressive than the Ambrosiana Codex used in the past to justify both claims.

He said the document is now in the hands of Yale University while the other two French manuscripts are in Paris, in
the French National Library.

The priest said they included the other versions of Antonio Pigafetta, the chronicler of Magellan’s voyage, because
there are subtle indicators that can be used.

Amalla also presented the manuscript for a soon-to-be-published book titled The Anthology of the First Mass
Controversy in the Philippines which he hopes would shed light on the CBCP inquiry.

On March 31, 1998, the National Historical Institute chose to adopt the finding of the Gancayco Panel which
dismissed the Ginés de Mafra account as fake and forthwith unilaterally reverted the discussion to pre-de Mafra
context which was back to whether the site of the first mass was Limasawa, the isle without anchorage, or Butuan,
which is not an isle.

The NHI reaffirmed its previous pronouncements that Limasawa is Magellan’s port. (Erwin Mascarinas/MindaNews)