`Simbang Gabi,’ a Beautiful Filipino Christmas Tradition

By: Veronica Leighton

 

Filipinos celebrate a lot of festivals the whole year round…you name it, they have it, from Tuguegarao to the remotest areas in Mindanao for varied reasons for the festivities. Funny, the only festival I knew when I left the Philippines was the Ati-Atihan and, of course, all kinds of fiesta celebrations held in big cities and smallest barrios in honor of our parish churches’ saints.. But Christmas is the biggest festival that the Filipinos enjoy and look forward to, not only for reasons of merriment but for the religious aspect that goes with Christmas, for it is honoring and celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Parols (lanterns), lights, religious scenes of Belen (Christ’s nativity scene in a manger) and carols always come with the Filipino Christmas celebration. Not counting the fact that Christmas favorite delicacies of bibingka, suman, halaya, puto bungbong, etc., abound in many stalls around the church areas. Amazingly, the Filipinos who left the mother country, brought the Simbang Gabi religious tradition with them, whether they reside in Europe, Americas, Africa or Asia, maybe even in Timbuktu. What is Smbang Gabi? When you look at the meaning of the word in Wikipedia, it means a series of nine (9) dawn masses, the mass starts as early as 4:00 a.m. It begins on December 16 and ends on the midnight of the 24th of December, which is the midnight mass. This tradition was introduced by the Spanish friars to allow the farmers to hear mass before going to the fields early in the morning. Simbang Gabi is also known by its popular Spanish name as the Misa de Gallo, or “mass of the rooster.” The Roman Catholic churches across the nation start to open their doors shortly before the break of dawn to welcome the faithfuls to the Simbang Gabi mass. Truthfully, the “unholy hour” to go to mass at 4:00 A.M., is not being observed here in Chicago. due to reasons of weather, safety and lifestyle, and work schedules, and rules of the church itself, I guess. I don’t know about the other places, although I can say that many churches under the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago and Archdiocesan suburbs are filled with Filipino faithfuls who attend the 6 or 7 o’clock novena masses in the evening for nine consecutive days. This is always followed by a reception or fellowship at the church cafeteria or reception halls. Please see the Simbang Gabi schedule on page 22 of this issue. But, let me tell you that I was so shocked to hear from Attorney Manny Aguja that their parish church will be holding a 5:00 A.M. Simbang Gabi mass this year for the observance of this Christmas tradition. Whew! That’s something new to me, but just the thought of braving the cold early morning air of Chicago to go to church at 5 o’clock gives me cold and numbing feet, and the desire to cozy up in bed longer. Here’s good news to the Simbang Gabi faithfuls of Chicago…Newlyinstalled Archbishop Blasé J. Cupich will be celebrating a Simbang Gabi mass on the ninth day of the novena on Dec. 23 at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church at 4600 North Troy St. in Chicago, Illinois starting at 6:30 p.m. Cupich, bishop of Spokane, Washington, took over last Nov. 18 from the ailing Francis Cardinal George, to head the 2.2-million faithful in Chicago land, the third largest concentration of Catholics in the United States

Successful businessman Joe Flores who just turned 70, was feted to a luncheon reception by his wife Cindy and friends at the Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace last November 16.

PDOT Chicago Regional Director, Vernie Morales, joined good friends Cindy & Joe Flores during the luncheon celebration. The three outstanding personalities are former awardees of the Chicago Filipino Asian American Hall of Fame, Joe Flores in Business, Cindy Flores, Woman of the Year 2012 and Vernie Morales, Woman of the Year

 

Photo shows Vernie & Bob Morales with the VT/CPRTV staff, from left: Elsie Sy-Niebar, Ma. Girlie Pascual, Veronica, Vernie and her husband Bob, after a media conference held at E&O Restaurant.