First Mass in Butuan

First mass

in butuan

start

index

1. Introduction

2. Evidences

3. Historical Account

4. BCHFI

INtroduction

This is to prove that the first Catholic mass in the Philippines held in Butuan City.

SUPPORTING EVIDENCES

First evidence

Fourth evidence

Diary of Antonio Pigafetta and the chronicle of Magellan's voyage.

It was mentioned that the king came to their ship in a balanghai. Butuan is now the site of at least nine excavated balanghay relics. By contrast, Limasawa has no significant archaeological relics or balanghay tradition.

Second evidence

The expedition travelled 20 to 25 leagues from Homonhon, the first landing point.

Fifth evidence

Third evidence

Abundance of gold in Agusan Valley.

The distance to Cebu from Mazaua according to Pigafetta was 35 leagues (140 miles). The distance from Limasawa to Cebu is only 80 miles.

Magellan never landed at Limasawa at all. On June 19, 1960, the Philippine Congress enacted a bill (R.A. number 2733) declaring Limasawa as the place where Magellan celebrated the first mass recorded in the Philippines on Easter Sunday, March 31, 1521. However, President Carlos P. Garcia did not sign the law because he was not sure that the 'Mazaua' in Pigafetta Codex is really Limasawa. It was the American historian Emma Helen Blair and John Alexander Robertson who claimed in 1909 that the island of Mazaua is the present island of Limasawa without giving any explanation for the identification.

The event that marked the birth of Christianity in the Philippines 485 years ago is still under dispute, with this city renewing its claim that the historic first Mass celebrated by Spanish colonizers was held in Butuan and not in Limasawa, Leyte. Local executives and Church officials, as well as historians here, said they have new scientific evidence to substantiate the re-filing of a petition before the National Historical Institute (NHI) asserting that Butuan City — particularly Mazzaua Island, now Barangay Pinamangculan — was the official site of the first Mass on Easter Sunday in 1521.

butuan city cultural and historical foundation inc. contested the declaration in early 1980s to '90s

June 19, 1960 - RA. No. 2733 "declaration of Magallanes, Limasawa as the National Shrine of First mass ever held in the Country.

The Philippine Government has endorsed the Balanghai Shrine to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

Father Joesilo Amalia - trustee of the Butuan cultural and Historical foundation Inc. and curator of the Butuan Diocese museum.

A Catholic priest in the Butuan Diocese of Butuan is the author of the recently published history book, An Island They Called Mazaua. Trustee of the Butuan cultural and historical foundation Inc. and curator of the Butuan Diocese museum.

Father Joesilo Amalla

An Island They Called Mazaua, The Truth About the Site of the First Holy Mass in the Philippines, by Fr. Joesilo C. Amalla.

An Island They Called Mazaua

butuan city cultural and historical foundation inc. contested the declaration in early 1980s to '90s

19th century historians: Fray Joaquin Martinez de Zuniga John Foreman Wenceslao Retana

Historian Gregorio Zaide, who originally supported the Limasawa claim, also claimed that "it is high time for Contemporary historians and the Philippine Government to correct their mistake and accept that the first Christian mass was celebrated in Masao, Butuan, Agusan del Norte and not in Limasawa, leyte, on Easter Sunday, March 31, 1521.

According to BCHFI, it has gathered 28 new pieces of scientific evidence and comparisons between the two islands — Mazzaua and Limasawa — to substantiate Butuan’s claim, including the recovery of 10 Balahanghai boats which were accidentally dug up near Masao River in 1976.

The Philippine government has endorsed the Balanghai Shrine to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a "World Historical and Cultural Heritage Site" because of its contribution to ancient culture and history. According to Amalla, once UNESCO recognizes the Balanghai Shrine, it will put Butuan City on the world map as a "historical and cultural heritage site."

butuan city cultural and historical foundation inc. contested the declaration in early 1980s to '90s

GinÉs de mafra historical accounts

Ginés de Mafra (1493-1546) was a Portuguese or Spanish explorer who sailed to the Philippines in the 16th century. De Mafra was a member of the expeditions of Fernão de Magalhães of 1519-1521 and Roy Lopez de Villalobos of 1542-1545.

Independent scholar Vicente C. de Jesus said that these historians do not consider the eyewitness account of Ginés de Mafra, one of the voyagers, which bolsters the Butuan claim. He would also claim that some parts of the Ambrosiana Codex, on which the Limasawa claim was founded, was largely mistranslated.

GINÉS DE MAFRA

Laurence Bergreen gave due recognition of de Mafra's document in Bergreen's 2003 work titled Over the Edge of the World, Magellan's Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe. It is this document that makes his information an incomparably important geographical testimony that unlocks the mystery of the island of Mazaua.

geographical mysteries

He also stated, they anchored west of the isle: "Esta isla tiene un puerto bueno a la parte del poniente della, y es poblada." (This island called Mazaua has a good harbor on its western side, and is inhabited"). Mazaua is officially, by Philippine law, declared as the island of Limasawa, an isle without anchorage, and the port is located east of the island.

The shape of the isle is almost circular, 3-4 leagues translate to an area of from 2,214 up to 3,930 hectares. In contrast, Limasawa is only 698 hectares.

De Mafra's most clarifying testimony is that Mazaua was 15 leagues, roughly 45 nautical miles (83 km), below Butuan in 1521 which in Pigafetta's map, and text is a larger geographical conception than the present-day map.

-Armed with theinsight from De Mafra's information, a team of archaeologists led by a geomorphologist went to work to validate the theory Mazaua is in 9″N.

The geo-political entities composed of Pinamanculan and Bancasi inside Butuan in northern Mindanao was in fact an island.

From that point on the archaeologists went to work to find artifacts that would identify the isle as the port of Magellan.

Masao, Butuan Coordinate

From that point on the archaeologists went to work to find artifacts that would identify the isle as the port of Magellan.

Masao Port Map Butuan Satellite Mapplacemark category: harbour geographical location: Agusan Del Norte, Region 10, Philippines, Asia geographical coordinates: 90 39' North, 125 30 13° East, 8.9910 N. 125.4946 E Limasawa Island, Southern Leyte Geographical coordinate: 9.9303 N, 125.0746 E

-Age of contact ceramics-metal bracelets

Disarticulated human bones have been found that show the isle was inhabited before the Spanish arrival

-Corroded iron-A brass pestle have been dug up that however have yet to be dated

Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (cbcp)

1. Historians stated that they have new evidences that the first mass belongs to Butuan City.
2. The mass was ended in Mazaua, a place in Butuan now called Masao.
3. Butuan City Heritage Society President Greg Hontiveros said that they are confident in their new data and evidence that the mass was held in their city.
4. It pointed out that one important evidence is the Yale Codex which according to Magellan's scholar is more impressive than the Ambrosiana Codex.

butuan historians asked cbcp to resolve first mass controversy in city's favor

Two primary sources:1. Log kept by Francisco Albo 2. Account f Antonio Pigafetta "Primo Viaggo Intorno al Mondo" ("First Voyage Around The World") - In Albo's account, he didn't mention the first mass. Pigafetta, on the other hand, mentions that the first mass was held in Mazaua on Easter Sunday, March 31, 1521. - Pigafetta is also seen as a credible source because his work instantly became a classic, that the prominent in the west used his book as a reference in their interpretation of the world. - The chronicle of Pigafetta was one of the most cited documents by historians who wished to study pre-colonial Philippines.

the first mass in the philippines was held in butuan, not in limasawa

Group members

Sherwin Antonio l. balles

Ma michaella bentillo

Mary joy barosa

zharea altar cacayan

thankyou!