- Dec 15, 2007 7:54am
 SIMBANG GABI or MISA DE GALLO,
"midnight mass" or "mass of the rooster"
comes from the Catholic custom
of gathering for celebration of the
Eucharist in the pre-dawn hours of each of the nine days before
Christmas.
STARTING after midnight tonight (15 December), church bells will be ringing very early in the morning until
Christmas Day. Today marks the beginning of the Christmas novena, or Simbang Gabi, in Tagalog.
For Filipino Catholics the nine-day celebration before Christmas is a tradition with deep roots
in the country's religious culture. Literally, simbang gabi means ``night worship.'' The name
comes from the Catholic custom of gathering for the celebration of the Eucharist in the pre-dawn
hours on each of the nine days before Christmas. Hence, this celebration is also known by its
popular Spanish name as the misa de gallo, or ``mass of the rooster.'' Catholic churches throughout the country
will be ringing their bells around 3:00 or 3:30 in the morning long before the roosters crow.
The origins of this Filipino custom are obscure. Perhaps the tradition came from Mexico, like many Catholic
practices and devotions found in the Philippines. One old Spanish name for this pre-Christmas series of daily
masses is Misa de Aguinaldo. The phrase offers some insight into the meaning of simbang gabi. In Spanish
aguinaldo means a gift. So Misa de Aguinaldo suggests a gift for the Child Jesus. Whatever its title, this pre-Christmas
observance is surely a sacrifice of love for it requires dedication and discipline to get out of bed so early while
yet fulfilling all one's daily duties.
Over the generations, local Filipino faith communities have creatively adapted simbang gabi. While only candles and
lanterns are used in rural areas, as in centuries past, most churches today have electric lights, lanterns, and sound
systems in keeping with the economic means of the congregation. So amplifiers now blare the Christmas music and the
readings from the World of God and the Eucharistic prayers. Over adaptations are deeper. For example,
many urban parishes now celebrate simbang gabi around 8 or 9 in the evening, not just in the morning, in order to
accommodate the needs of people on a great variety of work schedules. The custom is also kept among Filipinos living
elsewhere in the world. No matter how or when this celebration takes place, the annual simbang gabi provides a strong
indication of the depth of Catholicism in the hearts of Filipinos.
For those not taking in this celebration, simbang gabi may appear to be too much noise too early in the morning. But
a modicum of reflection easily allows everyone to gain insight into the deeper meaning of this celebration. Simbang
gabi expresses the faith of Filipinos who hold the same core belief as all Christians, namely, that God is present
in human history, even in the simple joys and anxieties of life's humblest activities. Filipino Catholics who
sincerely live their belief in the incarnation merit the respect and admiration of the whole nation.
So, let the bells of the Misa de Gallo break the pre-dawn silence of the whole land. The bells offer a message of hope
in God and of hope for peace on earth.
PUTO bumbong and bibingka
are two native holiday treats
that are bound to the
pre-drawn Misa de
Aguinaldo, which starts December
16 and is held everyday for
nine days until Christmas
Day.
In the city, even well-dressed matrons buy them dripping with melted butter and sprinkled
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