In 1521, Magellan and his men traveled from Homonhon Island to Limasawa at the southern tip of Leyte, where they stayed for a few days. On March 31, 1521, Easter Sunday, Magellan and his men waded ashore to join the Holy Mass celebrated by Fr. Pedro de Valderrama. The sacrament was attended by both the Spaniards and the natives.

While the celebration of the first mass was a landmark event in our history, the lasting conversion of locals to Christianity only began 44 years later when Legazpi reached the Philippines with Augustinian missionaries. The other religious orders followed suit in the succeeding years.

Information and photos credit to Ayala Museum