Case Study 1: Where did the first Catholic Mass take place ing the Philippines
Summary
TLDRThis presentation discusses the location of the first Catholic mass in the Philippines, traditionally believed to have taken place in Butuan for centuries. However, more recent scholarship has re-examined primary sources such as Francisco Albo's log and Antonio Pigafetta's accounts. The presenters delve into the details of these historical texts, analyzing routes, locations, and key events from Magellan’s expedition in 1521. Through historiographical analysis, they explore conflicting interpretations, highlighting the complexity of identifying the exact site of the first mass. The report concludes by discussing the broader context of European exploration during that period.
Takeaways
- 📍 The case study focuses on the first Catholic mass in the Philippines, traditionally believed to have taken place in Limasawa.
- ⛪ For three centuries, Limasawa has been regarded as the site of the first mass, commemorated by a monument near the Ozamis River.
- 📝 Two primary sources are referenced to determine the site of the first mass: Francisco Albo’s log and Antonio Pigafetta’s account.
- 🌍 Albo’s log does not explicitly mention the first mass but discusses the planting of a cross on a mountaintop in Limasawa.
- 📜 Pigafetta's account is more detailed, documenting the route of Magellan’s expedition and the events surrounding the first mass.
- 🗺 The expedition passed through several islands, including Zamal and Humon, before reaching Limasawa, where the first mass was held.
- ✝️ On March 31, 1521, Easter Sunday, the first Catholic mass was celebrated on the island of Limasawa by Magellan’s crew.
- 🔍 Historians have re-examined evidence, challenging earlier interpretations of the exact location of the first mass.
- ⛵ Magellan’s expedition faced challenges as they navigated the islands of the Philippines, interacting with local leaders and establishing treaties.
- 📚 The report provides a historiographical approach, analyzing both historical events and how they are interpreted by scholars.
Q & A
Where was the first Catholic mass in the Philippines believed to have taken place for centuries?
-For three centuries, it was believed that the first Catholic mass in the Philippines took place in Butuan, with a monument erected in 1872 near the Agusan River to commemorate the event.
What was the shift in historical interpretation about the location of the first mass in the Philippines?
-Toward the end of the 19th century and the start of the 20th century, a more nuanced reading of historical evidence emerged, challenging the earlier belief that Butuan was the location of the first mass. Scholars began to consider other interpretations, including the possibility of Limasawa Island being the actual site.
What are the two primary sources historians rely on to identify the site of the first Catholic mass in the Philippines?
-Historians primarily rely on the logs kept by Francisco Albo and the more complete account by Antonio Pigafetta to identify the site of the first mass.
What important geographical detail did Francisco Albo's log mention that contributes to the debate about the location of the first mass?
-Francisco Albo's log mentions the planting of a cross on a mountaintop from which three islands could be seen to the west and southwest, which aligns with the southern end of Limasawa Island. However, he does not mention the mass itself.
How does Antonio Pigafetta’s account contribute to understanding the location of the first mass?
-Antonio Pigafetta's account provides a detailed description of Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition, including references to the island of Mazava (now often identified as Limasawa), where the first mass was celebrated on Easter Sunday, March 31, 1521.
What did Pigafetta record about the events of March 31, 1521?
-Pigafetta recorded that on March 31, 1521, Easter Sunday, a Catholic mass was celebrated on the island of Mazava, with the local king and other chiefs in attendance. Later that day, a cross was planted on the highest hill of the island.
Why did Ferdinand Magellan name the archipelago 'St. Lazarus Islands'?
-Magellan named the archipelago 'St. Lazarus Islands' because the day they sighted the islands was a Sunday during Lent, when the Gospel reading focused on the raising of Lazarus from the dead.
What was the significance of the exchange of gifts between Magellan and the local king?
-The exchange of gifts between Magellan and the local king symbolized the establishment of friendly relations, which allowed Magellan’s crew to secure food supplies and continue their journey peacefully.
What happened to Magellan's expedition after the celebration of the first mass in the Philippines?
-After the mass on Mazava, Magellan's expedition continued to explore other islands, eventually arriving in Cebu, where they entered into a peace pact with the local king. Magellan was later killed in the Battle of Mactan.
What was Spain's primary motivation during the Age of Exploration, and how did this lead to Magellan's expedition to the Philippines?
-Spain’s primary motivation during the Age of Exploration was to find alternative sea routes to Asia to access the lucrative spice trade. This led to Magellan’s expedition, which eventually reached the Philippines and claimed the islands for Spain.
Outlines
📜 The Historical Debate on the First Catholic Mass in the Philippines
This paragraph introduces the topic of the case study, which examines the site of the first Catholic mass in the Philippines. It outlines the long-held belief that Limasawa Island was the location of the first mass, culminating in a monument in 1872. However, more nuanced scholarship in the late 19th and early 20th centuries challenged this, citing primary sources such as Francisco Albo’s log and Antonio Pigafetta’s account. These sources have been reexamined to question the traditional interpretation.
⛪ Discrepancies in Historical Accounts of the First Mass
The second paragraph discusses the details from Francisco Albo’s log, describing the expedition's journey near various islands, including Mazaua (Limasawa) and Cebu. Although Albo does not mention the mass, he notes the planting of a cross on a mountaintop. His descriptions of latitude and geography align with the location of Limasawa, but there is still ambiguity about whether it was the site of the first mass.
🛶 Pigafetta's Account and the Island of Mazaua
This paragraph delves into Antonio Pigafetta’s account, detailing Magellan’s expedition and its stop at various islands, including Mazaua. It narrates the exchange of gifts with local natives, Pigafetta’s interactions with the local king, and the expedition’s movements. Pigafetta’s description of Mazaua aligns with modern Limasawa, though it leaves room for debate about its identification.
🏝️ The Expedition's Journey to Cebu and the First Mass
The fourth paragraph recounts the journey to Cebu, describing how the Spanish expedition interacted with the local rulers, culminating in the celebrated first mass. The mass was held on March 31, 1521, in the presence of local chiefs, followed by the planting of a cross on a hilltop. This marked a significant event in the history of Christianity in the Philippines.
🚢 Exploration and Harvest: Post-Mass Events
This paragraph details the events after the first mass, including the expedition's ongoing exploration and interactions with local rulers. Magellan asked the local king for help with harvesting, which took place over several days in early April. The expedition continued its journey through various islands, engaging in further exchanges with local leaders.
⚔️ The Age of Exploration and Magellan's Legacy
The final paragraph provides historical context for the Age of Exploration, describing how European rulers sought new trade routes to Asia. It also touches on Magellan’s significance in this period and his eventual death. The survivors of his expedition continued to explore the Philippines, marking the beginning of Spanish colonization. The paragraph concludes with the reporters signing off.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡First Catholic Mass
💡Historiography
💡Francisco Albo
💡Antonio Pigafetta
💡Limasawa Island
💡Butuan
💡Magellan Expedition
💡Cross Planting
💡Easter Sunday 1521
💡Historiographical Re-examination
Highlights
The report addresses the long-standing belief that Limasawa was the site of the first Catholic Mass in the Philippines, held in 1521.
A historiographical analysis is conducted using primary sources like Francisco Albo's log and Antonio Pigafetta’s testimonies to challenge traditional narratives.
Albo’s log, which is often overlooked, contains valuable geographic descriptions but does not mention the first Mass, only the planting of a cross on a mountaintop.
The report emphasizes the significance of cross-referencing primary sources to challenge historical claims about the location of the first Mass.
The historical debate is framed as a part of larger 19th- and 20th-century efforts by Spanish and Filipino scholars to reconsider the evidence.
Pigafetta’s account provides a detailed description of Magellan’s expedition, including references to specific islands and navigational routes.
The discovery of islands such as Zamal and Humonon (Homonhon) during the expedition is highlighted, underscoring the importance of geographic knowledge.
The symbolic significance of renaming islands, such as Magellan naming the archipelago St. Lazarus after landing, is discussed.
Pigafetta's detailed accounts of the interactions between Magellan’s crew and the native rulers of islands like Mazava and Subu are presented.
The planting of a cross, although a significant act, is interpreted differently in various sources, leading to different conclusions about the site of the first Mass.
The report emphasizes the importance of historical context and interpretation when analyzing events from the Age of Exploration.
Magellan’s expedition is contextualized within the broader European efforts of exploration and colonization, particularly Spain’s competition to access the spice trade.
The report touches on the logistical and technological differences between European ships and native vessels, impacting the navigation routes taken.
The narrative ends by noting that after Magellan’s death, the survivors of the expedition continued their journey, further exploring the Philippines and beyond.
The re-examination of evidence from primary sources challenges the long-accepted narrative, contributing to ongoing scholarly debates about the location of the first Catholic Mass in the Philippines.
Transcripts
good day everyone today we are going to
discuss the case study number one where
did the first Catholic mass take place
in the
Philippines wherein we are going to
discuss and use it as a
historiographical exercise and the
utilization of events and interpretation
in Reading historical exercises my name
is J keso from Bachelor of Science in
Social Work 1B with my partner Miss City
shiny kindo let's dig deeper into this
case did you know that bhan has been
long been believed as the site of the
first mass yes this has been the case
for three centuries culminating in the
erection of the monument in 1872 near
ausen river which commemorates the
Expedition arrival and the celebration
of the mass on April
1521 but this is just based on rather an
elementary Reading of the primary
sources of the
event toward the end of the 19th century
and the start of the 20th century
together with the increasing um
scholarship on the history of the
Philippines a more Nuance reading of the
available evidence was made which
brought to light more considerations um
in going against more accepted
interpretation of the first mass in the
Philippines made both by um Spanish and
Filipino Scholars it must be noted that
there are only two primary sources that
historians refer to in identifying the
site of the first mask one is the log
kept by Francisco albo and the other and
more complete was the account by Antonio
petta now let us dig deeper into one of
the primary source alos log Diario o de
Torero Del viage de Magan elaba C
Austine N L Brazil hasta El regresso a
ESP Deo Victoria ESO po Franco alvo
document number 22 in collection
theage 15 edited by Martin Fran
Fernandez davar which was printed on
buenos Iris
1945 and have five
volumes
for
191 to 225 Pages as cited in Miguel a
Bernard ban or liasa the site of the
first mass in the Philippines a re
examination evid of evidence 1981 Kina
adman a journal of the Southern
Philippines volume number three pages 1
1
to35 so 16th of March in
1521 naling lad in a Westerly course and
then they saw this land NASA
Northwest
shallow
later y
nagan so in that same day since
land
an southwards to another small island
which is
called Anor and
thenard is located at 9 and 23° north
latitude
so Island St
West to
inhabit which is
called
wateri is shallow
soal
maneuver ship Nila and in this part
Hindi binigay ni Alo latitude Island
per in
pet this seems to be the island aquada
or humon at 10° north latitude from that
uninhabited Island which
is
aquad
sa westwards toward a large island which
is the name Sani that was in inhabited
or Sani Kasi tinatawag ni Peta na SA
on or the island of Le and Island Isam
gold let
say the people of that island of maawa
were very good um there the Spaniards
planted a cross upon a mountain top and
from there um they were shown three
islands to the west and southwest where
they were told there was much gold um
they showed us how the gold was gathered
which came in small pieces like peas and
lentils from mazava they sailed
northwards again towards Sani they
followed the coast of Sani in a
northwesterly direction ascending up to
10° of latitude where they saw three
small Islands from there um they sailed
westwards um some 10 leagues um and
there they saw three eyelets and where
they drop anchor for the night and in
the morning um they sailed Southwest
some 12 leagues down to a Latitude um of
10 and
13° there they entered a channel between
two islands and one which one of which
was called Matan and the other was
called subu or
subu they sailed down the channel and
then turned Westward and anchored at the
town called La Villa of subu where they
stayed many days and obtained um
provisions and entered into a peace pack
with the local King so the town of subu
was on the east west Direction with the
islands of suluan and mazava but between
mazava and subu um there were uh so many
shallows that the boats could um not go
Westward directly but has to go as they
did um in a roundabout way it must be
noted that in albo's account um the
location of mazava feeds the location of
the island of Li masawa at the southern
tip of leate also albow does not mention
the first mass but only the planting of
the Cross upon a Mountaintop um from
which could be seen three islands to the
west and um Southwest which also fits
the southern end of
limasawa um now let us move on to
another primary source um the pig fetus
testimon on the route of melan's
expedition so the source is from um Emma
Blair and James Alexander Robertson the
Philippines Islands volume 33 and 34 as
cited in Miguel a Bernard bhan or liawa
the site of the first mass in the
Philippines a reexamination of evidence
1981 kadman a journal of Southern
Philippines volume 3 Pages 1 to35
um on March 16 1521 which has happened
to be um on Saturday melan's Expedition
cited a Highland named zamal which was
some 300 leagues Westward of lones which
was now called um Mariana's Island so on
the following day um Sunday March 177
after citing um zamal Island they landed
on another Island which was uninhabited
um means unoccupied by people and which
lay to the right of the above mentioned
island of zamal um which um to the right
here would mean on their starboard going
south or um Southwest so yeah there they
set up two tents for um the seik members
of the crew and had a so killed for them
um the name of this island is um
honon this island was located at 10°
north
latitude on that same day um Sunday
March 177 U mellan named the entire
archipelago um the island of St Lazarus
um um the reason that it was Sunday in
the Lenton season when the gospel
assigned for the mass and the lurgical
office um was the 11th chapter of St
John which tells of the raising of
Lazarus from the dead so the following
day um Monday March 18th in the
afternoon of their second day on that
island um they saw a boat coming towards
them with um nine men in it so there the
exchange of gifts um affected um melan
asked uh for food supplies and then the
men went away um promising to bring uh
that supplies that melan has um asked
for um they
um promised to bring rice and other
supplies in Just 4 days so there were
two Springs of water on that island of
honon also they saw there there's some
indication that there was gold in this
island so consequently mellan renamed
the island and called it The Watering
Place of good omen or aquada liboni
senali so on Friday March 22 4 days
exactly um as those natives promised to
bring Foods back to um melan as an
exchange of what um melan gave them um
at the noon the natives returned and
this time they were in two boats um and
they bought the Food Supplies that um
melan wants to exchange for so that was
what that was what melan asked for so
and in exactly 4 days the n I gave it to
melan as an exchange so melan's
Expedition stayed 8 Days s honon simul
Sunday March 17 H Monday the following
week which is March
25th so Monday March 25
afternoon Expedition we anchored and
left and during that day is EES S eesan
calendar is the Feast of Incarnation
also called The Feast of the
Annunciation or
therefore our ladies
day unfortunate accident
wherein Peta water and rescue and
based he really attributed his escape
from the grace and intercession of Mama
Mary the route taken by by the
Expedition
after was toward the west southwest
between the four Islands namely senolo
Calo Hong Haan ibon and albarin very
probably is a misspelling in the Italian
manuscript for what Pat feta says in his
map or calls it salon and k alba Naman
he calls it Sani namely
refer is the island of l h is a
misspelling of
Hong seem to Peta to be a separate
Island separate Island Yun actually NASA
Mainland n or
salon on the other hand y hion or kapeta
ibon is an island on the east of the
latest Southern tiip
thus it is easy to see what pigafetta
meant by selling uh saying that toward
the west southwest past those islands so
they left the hon sailing westwards ulit
papuntang
late and then followed latest
Coastline Coastline Southward passing
between the islands of hibon on the port
side and Hong Haan Bay on the starboard
and then
continue
Southward then mag turn Nam to
mazava Thursday in March 28th it was the
Holy Thursday n anchor Sila in the
island which is lice in the latitude of
9 and 2/3 towards the Arctic pole and in
a longitude of 162° from the line of den
denar so it was 25 Le leagues from the
aquada and is
called mazava
so oray mazava for seven
days as was saying remain s seven days
Mas iseland and then Thursday April
4
Mawa bound
foru and gin King Of masava Who is
sailing on his own boat
and S
rout five Islands which is the
salon Bol kigan byby and
Ganan Westward to the three islands of
the kotes
group CES group Nam poro pasan and poson
here the spal ship allowed to stop the
king of masava to catch up with them cuz
since
Spanish ships is much more faster
because of the um
engines and the mechanicism
um of the
boat of course our native balanghai or
native
votes and then from CES
Islands southwards to subu subu so
Sunday April 7 tangali things Harbor NAU
and it actually take them 3 days to
negotiate to the journey of mazava
northwards to the Cotes Islands then sou
uh southwards to
seu so let us now proceed to the primary
source of pigafetta and seven days in
maawa so Source um Emma Blair and James
Alexander Robertson the Philippines
Islands volume 33 and 34 as cited in
Miguel a Bernard bhan or imasawa the
site of the first mass in the
Philippines uh re examination of
evidence
1981 uh Kina adman uh a journal of
Southern Philippines volume 3 Pages 1
to35 on March 28th which was um on
Thursday um um in the morning um the Mel
Expedition um Ang Concor near an island
where they had seen a light then at
night um before a small boat um or boto
came with eight natives to whom melan
threw some trinkets as a present so the
narratives paddled away um but 2 hours
later two larger boats or balanghai came
um so in one of which the native king um
sat under an owning of mats um at
melan's invitation some of the Native um
some of the natives went up uh the
Spanish
ship then um but the native King
remained seated in uh his boat also as
an exchange of gifts was affected as I
said earlier
um in the afternoon that day the Spanish
ships weighed anchor and came closer to
shore um anchoring near the native Kings
Village so that this Thursday March 28th
was Thursday in Holy Week basically um
Holy
Thursday so um the day after that uh
Friday March 29 which considered as um
Holy Friday so melan sent his um slave
interpreter a Shore in a small boat to
ask the king um if he could provide the
Expedition with Food Supplies um and to
say that they had come as friends um not
as enemies so in reply the king um
himself came in a boat of six or eight
men um and this time went um went up
mellan sheeps and the two men embraced
um so another exchanges of gifts so was
made so the act the native uh King and
his companions returned asure so being
with them to members of melan's um
Expedition as guest for the night so one
of the uh two was one of the two was um
pigafetta um so on the following day
March 30 happened to be on Saturday
pigafetta and His companion had spent
the previous evening uh feasting and
drinking with the native king and the
King's son so as I said Kina um uh
before going back the king bring uh two
of the melan's um Expedition as a guest
for the feasting night so one of that as
I said was as I me as I mentioned was
piga feta
so so the next day after that March 31
Sunday early um or early in the morning
of Sunday uh the last of March and
Easter day uh melan sent the priest
assure with some men to prepare for the
mass so later in the morning Mela landed
with some 50 men and mass was celebrated
so after which uh cross was venerated
melan and the Spaniards returned to the
sheep for the Noonday meal but in the
afternoon they returned ashore to plant
the cross um on the summit of the
highest hill um in attendance both at
the mass and at the planting of the
cross were the king of maua and the king
of
buhuan Sunday March
3
[Applause]
Hill three ports
which
is Salon SAU
andag kalagan
and wish to go to subu and depart sh in
the uh in the following
morning uh he asked someone to tether
him which ISU and KS is like anytime
available
later March
31 of
mael first he needs to of
course Harvest
and ask Nam K melan to send him men to
help in
[Applause]
Harvest which is the Monday April
1
Harvest hover April 1 then Tuesday April
2 and Wednesday April
3
Harvest so for 2 days Harvest Thursday
April
4 maava bound
foru so the Age of Exploration ano ba
talaga the Age of Exploration is y
period of a competition among European
rulers to conquer and colonize the lands
outside their domains so initially goal
tal is to find alternative routes by sea
to get to Asia Asia is the main source
of spices and other Commodities and
if existing routes time is by land if
you travel by land it's much costly so a
SE route to Asia meant that the
Europeans could access the spice trade
directly greatly reducing cause Forest
Traders uh so Spain's major foray into
the exploration was through Christopher
Columbus H he's famous right we have
heard about him who proposed to sail
westward to find the shortcut for
Asia if you have been paying attention
to what we have been discussing since
the early
uh we have discuss it's
always word West Ward so it's because of
the proposal of christop Christopher
Columbus and he was see Christopher
Columbus he was able to reach the
Americas that is what he is known for
ifam and then
America is cut off from the Known
World moving on Spain colonized the
parts of North America Mexico South
America in the 16th century they were
also able to reach the Philippines and
claim it for the Spanish
Crown later on any
other European rules rulers would
compete with the activity of the
exploration and
conquering of
lands it must be also pointed out that
uh later on uh after the melan's death
or or after he died uh the surv
survivors of his Expeditions uh went to
Mindanao and seemingly went to buhuan so
um in this in instance pigafetta uh
vividly describes a trip in a river but
uh take note that this uh account
happened uh after the death of melan so
um that's all for our report um I hope
you uh listened well today and learned
uh something from our report so once
again I am CT shiny k kindo um from BS
Social Work 1B um reporting with uh my
partner Miss Jana altea K Deo
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