Did you know that you can find tons of exciting and interesting places here in Southern Leyte? If you haven’t visited yet the province then I think, it’s now time to visit and explore one of the best places in the Philippines where you can only find here in Southern Leyte.
You can visit our Historical Sites and Landmarks, Old Catholic churches, and Museums. You can even attend Southern Leyte’s popular Catholic Festivals and take some Eco-Adventure.
Historical Sites and Landmarks
- Provincial Capitol Building / Sunken Garden and Mini Forest (Southern Leyte Provincial Capitol, Asuncion, Maasin City
- First Mass Shrine (Magallanes, Limasawa Island)
- First Cross (Magallanes, Limasawa Island)
- Shrine of the Holy Eucharist (Magallanes, Limasawa Island)
- Our Lady of the Asuumption Shrine (Jalleca Hills, Mantahan, Maasin City)
- Saint Francis Xavier Pilgrimage Site (Hanginan, Maasin City)
- Monte Cueva (Rizal Maasin City)
- Libagon Municipal Hall (Libagon)
Old Catholic Churches
- Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral (Maasin City)
- Santo Niño Parish Church (Malitbog)
- San Juan Church (San Juan)
Museums
- Abiera Museum of Arts (Tunga-tunga, Maasin City)
- Ruperto K. Kangleon Memorabillia Center (Saint Joseph College Campus, Maasin City)
Popular Catholic Festivals
- Sinugdan Festival (Limasawa Island)
- Pagkamugna Festival (Maasin City)
- Pabulhon Festival (Maasin City)
- Karomata Festival (Beunavista, Pintuyan)
- Tangka-tangka Festival (Tangkaan, Padre Burgos)
- Manha-on Festival (Macrohon)
Eco-Adventure Places
- Cambaro Caves (Cambaro, Macrohon)
- Uwan-uwanan Gorge (Kawayan, Libagon)
- Lake Danao (San Juan/Anahawan)
- Bosong-bosong Valley Spring (Mapgap, Tomas Oppus)
- Cagnituan Cave and Falls (Cagnituan, Maasin City)
- Twin Islands (San Pedro and San Pablo, Hinunangan)
- Sogod Bay – A Dive Paradise
- Napantao Fish Sanctuary (San Francisco)
- Tabugon Fish Sanctuary (Liloan)
- Son-ok Fish Sanctuary (Pintuyan)
- June’s Wreck (Malitbog)
Great info!
Limasawa, site of first mass?
The so-called “first mass” was held at an island named “Mazaua” (Italian/French spelling for a vernacular word “masawa” which is Butuanon for brilliant light). Five eyewitnesses wrote on the Mazaua incident, Antonio Pigafetta, Gines de Mafra (who revisted the island in 1543), Francisco Albo, The Genoese Pilot, and Martin de Ayamonte. The accounts of Pigafetta, Albo, and the Genoese Pilot are in Stanley’s book. De Mafra’s is at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:First_mass_in_the_Philippines#The_account_of_Gin.C3.A9s_de_Mafra. Ayamonte’s is at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mart%C3%ADn_de_Ayamonte.
The “Limasaua” story was written by Fr. Francisco Combes, S.J., only in 1667, almost one and a half century after the Mazaua incident. Combes had not read Pigafetta, Albo, The Genoese Pilot, Gines de Mafra, and Ayamonte.
You can read the original Spanish text of this 3-paragraph story by Fr. Francisco Combes, S.J., at http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=philamer;cc=philamer;q1=Limasaua;rgn=full%20text;idno=ahz9273.0001.001;didno=ahz9273.0001.001;view=image;seq=134. The English translation of the 3 paragraphs by Fr. Miguel A. Bernad, S.J., may be read at http://books.google.com/books?id=NbG7kHtBma8C&pg=PA1&dq=First+mass+in+Limasawa&ei=6w27SZi7IoLKlQS8neDVAg#PPA4,M1.
After reading Bernad’s translation, let me ask you the following:
1. Is there any reference to an Easter mass or whatever mass in the Limasaua story?
2. Is Limasaua the island where Magellan and his fleet anchored from March 28 to April 4, 1521?
If you want to know the factual story of the first mass, please go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_mass_in_the_Philippines.
VICENTE CALIBO DE JESUS
ginesdemafra@gmail.com
I’ve been a resident of southern leyte now for about nine years and its a well kept secret for some reason…after spending 30n years starring about 60 films in Los Angeles…I named my resort after a fil Arnold Schwarzenegger and I made called the Running Man..,,I’m interested in letting the world know how wonderful a place Southen Leyte is…let me know what I can do…please email my wife… Tess Sinahon …lamakcircle2007@yahoo.com
I was so touched by your interest to let the world know that southern leyte is indeed a beautiful place, sir. I am from libagon, so. leyte but i am now working in Davao City…I really miss my birthplace and i am so glad a fellow leytena has found a person like you who truly appreciates the beauty of our province..long live sir..and may you will continue to let the world know that Southern Leyte is a sanctuary of nice people, and abundant gifts of the Lord’s creation..