Simbang gabi, a century-old tradition that is still very much part of Pinoy Christmas

Pinoy Christmas will not be complete without observing the novena at dawn popularly known as simbang gabi. Held at 4 o’clock in the morning and kicks off every 16th of December, simbang gabi is a novena held during Christmas season and being followed by Catholics in the hope of receiving special blessing from God. Filipino Catholics believe that by completing the novena, God will grant their wish.

Simbang Gabi culminates in the Misa de Gallo or Rooster’s Mass held on Christmas Eve. Why rooster? It is believed that the rooster was among the first to witness Christ’s birth, hence the name.

Simbang Gabi scenes

Churchgoers clad in maong and wool jackets. Lolos and lolas trying to focus (and not sleep) during the priest’s homily. Bright church patio or altar.

These are the common sight of simbang gabi in the Philippines with the backdrop of shadows of teen couples lurking in the church corner or garden.

And who will miss the queue of tinderos and tinderas in front of the church during this season? They offer churchgoers a variety of local snacks, drinks and dishes from:

1. bibingka (flour and egg cakes cooked on top and under) to
2. puto bumbong (a purple colored rice pastry, seasoned with grated-coconut and brown sugar) to
3. kutsinta to
4. higute (how natives of Morong, Rizal, Philippines call porridge) to
5. hot chocolate

Did you know?

That simbang gabi started in the Spanish colonial era when Filipino farmers and parishioners would hear early dawn masses before toiling the land. But Wikipedia noted, “The Simbang Gabi timing originated not just out of devotion, but also due to practicality (sic).”

The Spanish friars (frailes y cura parrocos) wanted the majority of Filipinos, who were mostly farmers, to hear the novena during Christmas season and since Filipino farmers then worked early in the day, the Spanish friars compromised and held the mass at dawn. As the farmers did not have much to offer, offerings then were sacks of rice, fruits, vegetables and fresh eggs, which the friars shared to parishioners and thus became the tradition of breakfasts after simbang gabi.

Up to today, most Filipinos believe that completing the novena of simbang gabi will make one’s wish come true. So be it a boyfriend, a baby or money, let’s be part of simbang gabi, wherever we may be.

Simbang gabi in Singapore

Please click here to view the schedule of Simbang Gabi in Singapore.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misa_de_Gallo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simbang_Gabi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_in_the_Philippines

Still proud to be Pinoy despite major-major blunders

Note: This article was written at the height of the issue of Manila hostage crisis but was left out in the inner recesses of the writer’s laptop. Apologies for the late posting. But regardless of the publishing date, the stand still remains: I am proud to be Pinoy.

Thanks to late Captain Roland Mendoza and Venus Raj. The Philippines is in the world map again – albeit in a bad light.

Since the dreadful August 23 hostage-taking of several Hong Kong tourists by disgruntled ex-police captain Mendoza, the Philippines is reduced to:

1. being unsafe and can be forgotten in the holiday lists of non-Filipinos;
2. not to mention the sheer madness of the incident.

Its post-mortem: the incompetence of the Philippine police; the flawed justice system for allegedly not hearing Mendoza’s case properly; the free hand of the media on the hostage-taking coverage, which to some experts, jeopardized the police operation; the lack of control of President Noynoy’s government in the hostage crisis and the lame answer of Miss Universe fourth runner up Venus Raj in the Las Vegas pageant all seem to support these assumptions though.

But, are we? Hearing the “s” reference is unsettling. The Philippines being unsafe is a fact with unquelled rebellions of red and Muslim fundamentalists; end of discussion. But the Filipinos’ sensibilities being questioned is something that cause rage in me. Mendoza was at fault; Raj was lame. But the Philippines has a lot of reasons and people to celebrate with the likes of CNN Hero of the Year Efren Penaflorida, International Designer Monique Lhuillier, The Incredibles Animator Virginia Cruz-Santos, Hot Shot Lawyer Kiwi Camara and 2004 Best Public Speaker Winner in London Patricia Evangelista.

Sure I am on a defensive stance. But this is my way of looking at the brighter side, my way of standing firmer on my ground as a Pinoy overseas worker. I have no choice but to accept the gaffes of Mendoza and Raj, which were unfortunately covered by the global media; but taking these isolated cases as a general view on the capabilities and sensibilities of the Filipino people is equally ridiculous and falls short of the thought process.

Update: As of posting date, the Philippines had filed administrative charges to government and police officers held accountable for the hostage crisis and released the second report of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee, which was received by the Hong Kong government with disappointment. See more reports here.