Limasawa: Historical, Enchanting

By Merilyn Pepito-Talagon

Since I was a child, I always dreamt of setting my foot in Limasawa Island  which history books tell us to be the site of the first mass in the Philippines.

So when my hubby and I found the time, we took a fast craft from Cebu City to Maasin City in Leyte where we rode a jeepney for the town of Padre Burgos, the gateway to Limasawa.  

The waters between Padre Burgos and Limasawa are unpredictable.  As we left port, the motorized outrigger boat we rented glided on the calm, glinting sea.  As we approached the island the waters suddenly turned rough.  But our apprehension was appeased by nature's  amazing beauty as we approached the island.

Limasawa Island is not only a pride in Philippine history. It is a small paradise of amazing rock formations, of craggy cliffs above blue sea waters, and long powdery white beaches.

A  view of Limasawa Island from the sea (above); tableau of the first mass (below).

Below: Day break in Limasawa