Filipinos celebrate the longest Christmas in the world. By late September, it is not unusual in the Philippines to hear the familiar strains of Christmas carols being played in the airwaves and piped-in music at department stores. Holiday decor like the parol (Christmas lantern) start to appear, and the anticipation for the coming celebration of the Lord's birthday on the 25th of December slowly begins to build up in both the young and old alike. And yet, for the Filipino the holiday season does not end on this date. The Christmas spirit continues thru New Year and until the first Sunday of January, when the observance of the feast of the Three Kings finally signals the end of the Christmas season.
An indispensable part of this tradition is the 9-day novena of early morning Masses (usually at 4:00 a.m.) known as Simbang Gabi (literally translated in English to "Night Masses"). Sometimes it is referred to as Misa de Aguinaldo (Gift Mass), while others prefer Misa de Gallo (Mass of the Early-Morning Rooster)—although this term is applied by most to the Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, which is the culmination of the novena that began on December 16. After the Midnight Mass, Filipino families gather for a sumptuous feast followed by exchange of gifts and celebration until the crack of dawn to welcome Christmas day.
Simbang Gabi traces its roots in Mexico when, in 1587, the Pope granted the petition of Fray Diego de Soria, prior of the convent of San Agustin Acolman, to hold Christmas mass outdoors because the Church could not accommodate the huge number of people attending the evening mass.
During the old times, the pre-dawn mass is announced by the ringing of the church bells. In some rural areas, an hour before the start of Simbang Gabi, a brass band plays Christmas music all over the town. It is also believed that parish priests would go far knocking on doors to wake and gather the faithful to attend the misa de gallo. Farmers as well as fishermen wake up early to hear the Gospel before going to their work and ask for the grace of good harvest.
This novena of masses was introduced in the 17th century by the Spanish conquistadores. It was held before dawn so that farmers and fisherman would be able to participate in them before the usual early start of their labor for the day. In fact, the flickering candles in the star-shaped parols or Christmas lanterns that adorned the humble houses gave light to the early-morning churchgoers on their way to Simbang Gabi.
Then and Now
The changing of times does not break the preservation of celebrating Simbang Gabi although it is celebrated in new ways. Still, the tradition of Simbang Gabi continues. Part of it are the colorful lights and lanterns that fill every streets. Beautiful parols are hung in every window. Songs of the season are played everywhere to warm the hearts. Families, friends and even individuals find its way going to the nearest church to attend the nine-day novena. Shortly after the Misa de Gallo, families gather in their homes to celebrate Noche Buena and feasted on various delicacies like queso de bola, bibingka, puto bungbong, or a drink of salabat or hot chocolate.
Simbang Gabi is celebrated as a Stational Liturgy, moving from church to church within every Archdiocese in America. It is a testament to the cultural diversity of each Archdiocese and the Filipino-American community who warmly welcome people from all parts of the archdiocese and the world.
The masses are in English and Tagalog, celebrated by the parish clergy. Some prayers and carols are in Filipino. But no matter the language you use when you pray and sing with us, you will realize how truly universal indeed the Christmas spirit is.
In the Philippines, it is the same gospel (the Annunciation) and readings for all the 9 days. But there is always traditional hot food and drinks after every Mass. In some churches, the panuluyan is reenacted showing the effort of Joseph and Mary to find a suitable birthplace.
Significance
Simbang Gabi has become one of the most popular traditions in the country. But it is not just a tradition that is celebrated because we need to do so. It is a significant moment not only because it strengthens relationships among family members but also because it is the time where our faith is intensified. This is the time where we mostly feel the presence of the Lord because it is the spiritual preparation for Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ. It does not matter if one has the stamina to complete the novena or not, what really matters is what is inside the heart. The blessing does not depend on the number of mass attended, but what is important is the disposition of the person who receives the Lord’s blessing.
Liturgy and Popular Religiosity
By Noemi M. Castillo
One of the traditional values that has remained strong and integral in Filipino life – whether it be rural or urban, whether it be in the Philippines or here in the United States - is the love for celebrations. We celebrate every significant milestone in our life – birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, promotions, burials, and so on. We celebrate important liturgical seasons like Christmas and lent. Our traditional celebration of advent, however, differs from the western advent celebration symbolized by the advent wreath. Our advent celebration is Simbang Gabi; it is more festive than the lighting of the advent candles and more community oriented.
Simbang Gabi is one of the legacies of faith that the Spanish missionaries had given to us. They used an evangelization approach using church bells to remind them of their faith life which, during the Spanish times, included praying the Angelus at 6:00 p.m., family rosary at night, blessing the children with the sign of the cross, and many others. It was experiential in that it involved the church, family, and community, and was integral in the lives of the natives. Simbang Gabi, for example, was introduced to teach the people the meaning of Christmas and how to prepare as a people waiting for the coming for the Messiah. At the same time, it was also used to catechize the people on the meaning of the Mass. Simbang Gabi, from the onset, was a catechizing and evangelizing moment, when rich and poor, men and women, children and elderly, came together as a community waiting for the coming of the Lord and rejoicing in the promise of the Messiah.
At the time of the coming of the missionaries to the newly discovered string of islands on the Pacific Ocean, the heads of household were either farmers or fishermen. Missionaries celebrated the Masses before dawn in order for the farmers and fishermen to be with their families in church before they go to their farms or to their fishing boats after the break of dawn. That was the context of their time.
In rural areas, church bells would ring loudly as early as 4:00 a.m., or even earlier, to call everyone to church for the celebration. To add to the festive atmosphere, bands would sometimes march on the main road to lead people to church. Because the Masses were held when cocks began to crow, they were called Misa de Gallo. For a people who love festivities, Misa de Gallo soon became a favorite tradition and celebrated in practically all parishes in the Philippines. Because food played and continues to play an integral role in every celebration, native delicacies were served outside the church and added to the festive mood as churchgoers lingered on in church courtyards to share puto bungbong, bibingka, puto, cuchinta, and salabat with relatives and friends.
As generations passed, and especially during the period of the Spanish American War at the turn of the 19th century when church leadership in the Philippines was in a vacuum, Simbang Gabi continued to be celebrated but without the accompanying catechesis. It soon became a cultural tradition during Christmas season where social festivities and “salu-salo” gained more prominence. The religious meaning got relegated to the background as people went to church not so much to prepare themselves spiritually for the coming of Christ, but to meet families and friends, boy friends and girl friends and socialize after Mass. This was how Simbang Gabi became a form of popular religiosity.
Prior to Vatican II, the official church looked at popular religiosity with some kind of skepticism because the negative aspects were emphasized more than the positive elements. But since Vatican II called for liturgical renewal, popular religiosity could no longer be ignored nor treated with disrespect or indifference because of its richness and because in itself popular religiosity represents a people’s relationship with God. But, as Vatican II stated, these pious exercises have to be evangelized so that they become mature and authentic expressions of faith, so that they can be purified and directed towards liturgy.
This renewal touched on Misa de Gallo and brought back to the people’s consciousness the original meaning of the celebration, and examined it in the context of modern times and needs of modern society. As a result, some churches in metropolitan areas began to celebrate the Masses in the evening, to allow more people to participate in the novena. Thus, Misa de Gallo became more popularly known as Simbang Gabi. Today, whether the novena of advent Masses is celebrated traditionally at dawn or in the early evening, it is still called Simbang Gabi.
Maligayang Pasko At Manigong Bagong Taon!
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to All!
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to All!
Source: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Anchorage, Alaska
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