This is Tetuan Parish, the nearest church from our house, but this photo was taken during the fiesta in our village. (Will be uploading what it looks like in Christmas soon!)
Only nine days before Christmas morning, Filipinos get up earlier to complete one of the long-standing traditions of the season, the Simbang Gabi. Beginning on December 16 and ending on December 24 with the Misa de Gallo, the Simbang Gabi or translated in Evening Mass is attended at 4 or 5 in the morning. The Simbang Gabi is a devotion to the Blessed Mother. In some churches on Christmas Eve, the panuluyan is re-enacted showing Mary and Joseph looking for a birthplace for the child Jesus.
The panulayan is a re-enactment of Christmas Eve, when Joseph and Mary were searching for a place for the night.
According to age-old beliefs, if a person has an important wish he wants to be granted, he has to complete the nine mornings of Simbang Gabi. Many stories can be heard regarding the personal wishes and fulfilments of those who have attended and completed the nine mornings.
The Simbang Gabi was adapted from Mexico and other Spanish colonies. It was first held in the evening, and the clergy noticed that most of the churchgoers no longer have energy from attending to the fields all day, the archipelago being an agricultural country by region, have decided to move the masses during early morning just before sunrise to make it more convenient. Filipinos normally begin their work early in the morning to beat the harsh temperatures of the weather.
The Simbang Gabi is a tradition which strengthens the bonds between family members, where prayers and Christmas wishes are prayed over during observation of the mass. After the mass has been offered, a common sight is the vendors selling native delicacies to bring home and enjoy such as the putong bumbong, suman and puto to be savoured with hot chocolate. And each morning, as Christmas Day gets closer, so does the ties between family and friends become.
Yummy Puto Bumbong (photo from dubaichronicles.com)
This is hot chocolate, Pinoy Style
Simbang Gabi is not only practiced year after year to continue tradition. It is observed as a Catholic community to intensify our faith through spiritual preparation of Christmas. Its significance is whether or not the novena is completed, but the personal disposition in order to receive the Lord’s blessings.
No comments:
Post a Comment