Gibalon Shrine as well as its vicinity is a historic location with religious significance and was widely believed as the site of the first Christian Mass held in the Island of Luzon in 1569 by Augustinian Priest Pray Alonzo Jiminez who, together with the Spanish Captain Luiz Enriquez de Guzman were sent to explore, pacify and evangelize Southern Luzon.

The holding of the first mass in Ibalon (Gibalon) in 1569, is evidenced by the records of the San Agustin Museum in Cebu and Manila which stated that he (Fray Jimenez) went to Ibalon in the Province of Camarines (the name of the Bicol Region at that time) where he resided for sometime, baptized a lot of indios and principals and built a small chapel. The said records were written in Spanish, a portion of which reads as follows: “xxx aqui paso a Ibalon, de la provincial de Camarines, donde residio algun tiempo, bautiza a muchos indios y principales, levanto una pequeña Iglesias xxx”.