First MassJune 23, 1519 (disputed — no confirmed Mass)
| Location | Corpus Christi Bay (approximate) |
|---|---|
| State/Territory | Texas |
| County | Nueces County |
| Modern Diocese | Diocese of Corpus Christi |
| Historical Diocese | Unorganized |
| Date | June 23, 1519 (disputed — no confirmed Mass) * |
| Priest | Not recorded / unconfirmed |
| Rite | Roman (Latin) Rite |
| Expedition | Alonso Álvarez de Pineda's Gulf Coast mapping expedition |
| Confidence | disputed |
Documentation
Notes
Popular local tradition holds that Pineda's expedition celebrated the first Mass in Texas on the Feast of Corpus Christi in 1519, and that this is the origin of the city's name. No primary source found confirms an actual Mass was said — only that Pineda entered the bay on that feast day. Included as a well-known claim, flagged as unconfirmed pending better documentation.
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