Limasawa, Southern Leyte's 495th First Mass anniversary shuns politics

LIMASAWA, Southern Leyte, March 30 (PNA) -– There will be no political campaigning during the 495th anniversary of the First Mass in the Philippines in this town on Thursday, the local chief executive here assured.

Mayor Melchor Petracorta said they did not invite any national official to grace the celebration to shun political talks this campaign period.

More than 5,000 pilgrims from different parts of Leyte and Southern Leyte provinces will join the First Mass anniversary in Magallanes, a coastal village where historic and religious landmarks were built. 

“In fact, we postponed the kick-off campaign of our town candidates since we want to preserve the essence of historic and religious event,” Petracorta said.

No single town candidate has posted their campaign materials in the town’s six villages.

The mayor, whose nine-year term will expire on June 30, 2016, is endorsing his brother, Nilo to replace him. The official is a member of the ruling Liberal Party (LP). His opponent is former town councilor Grace Joy Esclamado. 

Southern Leyte Governor Roger Mercado and his brother, lone district Rep. Damian Mercado will address the crowd, but they agreed not to woo voters. The Mercado siblings, both LP members, will swap their posts in the May 9, 2016 polls.

Among the activities in line with the anniversary are Holy Mass, fluvial procession, sail-boat race, Sinugdan Festival, mass blessing of patrol boats from the Bureau of Fishery and Aquatic Resources, exhibits, cultural presentations, 

The Sto. Nino de Cebu pilgrim image that arrived in the Diocese of Maasin last Monday will be joined by parishioners in the foot procession from the Our Lady of Assumption Cathedral to the port of Maasin which is about a kilometer distance.

From Maasin, there will be a fluvial parade up to Magallanes village in Limasawa where the icon will be brought to the plaza for the Holy Mass.

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.

The event was seen to be the start of Christianity in the Philippines.

Limasawa Island is situated at the southern tip of the Southern Leyte province. It is bounded on the north by Padre Burgos town, on the east by Panaon Island, on the south by Camiguin Island (Mindanao Sea), and on the west by Bohol province. (PNA)
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