The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) urged Filipinos to attend the nine-day ‘Simbang Gabi,’ eucharistic celebrations traditionally held either early in the morning or the evening, which will begin on Monday, December 16, to officially welcome the Christmas season.
“‘Simbang Gabi’ is a typical Filipino way of preparing for the great feast of Christmas… For Filipino Catholics, (it) is above all an expression of their filial devotion to Mary, the Mother of God,” Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, pro-prefect of Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization said in a circular released to the clergy of the Manila Archdiocese.
“We wish to encourage the practice of Simbang Gabi, whether at dawn or in the evening, because it is a great source of spiritual nourishment to our faithful,” Tagle added.
The Christmas tradition traces its origin from the tradition brought by the Spanish evangelizers to the country. It is also referred to as ‘Misa de Aguinaldo,’ not to be confused with ‘Misa de Gallo,’ which is held on Christmas Eve, according to Catholic scholars.
The early hour of the celebration serves as a “gift” of the faithful to God as they prepare to receive Christ in their lives.
“Throughout the centuries, Simbang Gabi or Misa de Aguinaldo has been preserved, enriched, and sustained by our people in spite of pastoral and liturgical challenges it underwent,” Tagle said.
“Today, everywhere in the Philippines, Simbang Gabi is celebrated with great solemnity, with the singing of the ‘Gloria,’ in white vestments, and with Christmas carols and festive ornamentations, in contrast with the sober character of the Advent season,” he added.
