500 years since first Mass in the Philippines

The Church marks the 500th anniversary of the first Mass in the Philippines, as Catholics gear up for a year-long jubilee of celebrations under the theme “Gifted to Give”.

Mar 31, 2021

Mass was celebrated Wednesday at the site of the first Mass on Philippine soil


By Devin Watkins
On Easter Sunday in 1521, Father Pedro de Valderrama celebrated the first Catholic Mass in what is now the Philippines, specifically on the island of Limasawa in Southern Leyte.

The date was 31 March, and the Spanish priest was part of an expedition to the so-called “East Indies” led by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan.

Fr. Valderrama set up an improvised altar, and officiated at the Mass which was attended by his shipmates and a host of local tribal leaders and inhabitants. On that same Easter Sunday afternoon, Magellan ordered his men to plant a large wooden cross on the top of the hill overlooking the sea.

A few days later, the Magellan expedition moved on to the island of Cebu. On 14 April 1521, Fr. Valderrama baptized the local tribal leader and around 800 Visayan natives to form the first Catholic community.

Jubilee celebrations
These events marked the birth of Christianity in the Philippines. Now, 500 years later, the Catholic Church is celebrating this milestone with a year-long jubilee.

The 5th centenary celebrations officially kick off on Easter Sunday, 4 April.

Pilgrims who visit one of 500 “Jubilee churches” anytime until 22 April 2022 will have the opportunity to receive a plenary indulgence.––Vatican News

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