Many believe attending nine-day Simbang Gabi Masses before Christmas can help fulfill any wish
Catholic devotees attend a dawn Mass at the Church of the Holy Sacrifice in Quezon City of Manila in 2019. (Photo supplied)
In the nine days leading to Christmas, Cristine Pascual goes to bed early as she needs to rise at around 2:30 am instead of 6:00 am like the rest of the year.
Pascual, 42, a Catholic mother of three children aged 14, 13, and 9, finishes her household chores quickly and rushes to the St. James the Great Church in Cavite in the southern part of the Philippine capital Manila.
She joins hundreds of Catholics for a traditional pre-dawn Novena Mass, known as Simbang Gabi, that begins at 4:00 am and lasts for more than an hour.
“I’ve been doing this for the past five years. I always make a wish after I complete all the Masses,” Pascual, a teacher in a public school, told UCA News.
"Simbang Gabi nourishes my spiritual life"
Sometimes, her husband also joins her.
After the Mass, she returns home and cooks breakfast for the family. Once they finish breakfast, she prepares them for school.
“Two are taking online classes, one is doing face-to-face. It’s difficult but Simbang Gabi nourishes my spiritual life,” she said.
Pascual says God has fulfilled all her wishes in the past years.
“God fulfills my wishes, in one way or another. I attribute this to my devotion to God by attending Simbang Gabi Masses,” she added.
Millions of Filipino Catholics like her have begun flocking to churches to attend the Simbang Gabi, a nine-day series of Masses starting on Dec. 16.
Simbang Gabi marks the early celebration of Christmas in the Philippines. However, this custom is not completely of native origin. It is believed to have been introduced by Spanish Catholic missionaries centuries ago. Now, it is celebrated by Filipinos both at home and abroad.
Filipino Cardinal Antonio Tagle, Prefect of the Congregation of the Evangelization of Peoples, presided over the Simbang Gabi at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, together with the Filipino community in the eternal city.
In 2019, Pope Francis presided over Simbang Gabi at St. Peter’s Basilica.
Simbang Gabi literally means “evening or night Mass.”
In the Philippines, it traces to Missa Aurea introduced by the Spanish missionaries to allow Filipino farmers to attend Mass. It is because farmers go to the fields to work in the morning and return by midday to avoid the scorching heat.
"Some also believe Simbang Gabi helps wash away their sins"
The Mass is known as Missa de Gallo or “Mass of the rooster” because roosters crow to announce the dawning of the day.
Before the Catholics start attending Simbang Gabi Mass, churches are decorated with lights and balloons, but without a Child Jesus and nativity scene.
Filipino Catholics have other motivations behind the observance of the Simbang Gabi.
Legend has it that anyone who completes nine Masses and makes a wish on the final day will have their prayer answered. Some also believe Simbang Gabi helps wash away their sins and is the best spiritual preparation for Christmas.
However, a majority attend Mass because of their joyous anticipation of the coming of Christ.
Father Joem Afable, a priest from the Sorsogon diocese, says that Filipinos love the joy of waiting for the coming of the Messiah.
“Christmas is the happiest season because we are waiting for the birth of Christ. It’s like in a family, if a baby is to be born, everyone is excited. Everyone feels happy so we anticipate the child’s birthday,” he told UCA News.
This anticipation is manifested by decorating malls and houses with Christmas lights and playing Christmas songs as early as October when the world’s longest Christmas season begins in the Philippines.
"Attending Simbang Gabi is like journeying with Mary"
But not all Filipinos flocking to Simbang Gabi seek spiritual nourishment.
For some, going to church is a way to socialize and be with friends.
No matter whether Catholics like Pascual seek spiritual solace or others consider Simbang Gabi as a socializing occasion, Church leaders like Cardinal Tagle insist the faithful stick to the essence of Christmas — Jesus Christ, and not on material things.
“This Christmas, is Jesus the one others long for? It doesn’t seem that way. It seems they’re just longing for bonuses [and the things they’ll buy]. For them, if there’s a bonus, it’s Christmas, even if there’s no Jesus,” Cardinal Tagle said in his homily in 2021.
He was referring to Christmas and end-of-year pay bonuses that most employers in the Philippines give to their employees.
Tagle also explained that attending Simbang Gabi is like journeying with Mary, as the baby grew in her womb, so is our faith, and should grow until the birth of Christ.
“Through the nine Simbang Gabi Masses, it’s like we’re accompanying Mary for 9 months — one day for every month that Mary bore Jesus. And as we accompany her, we learn from Mary how to bear Jesus in our lives,” Cardinal Tagle added.
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