In the Philippines and in Filipino communities around the world, the final days of Advent are marked by a novena of early morning Masses. These nine days are called Simbang Gabi (pronounced Sim-BAHNG Gah-BEE), meaning in Tagalog, “night Masses.” In 2019, for the first time in Church history, Pope Francis celebrated this Filipino novena in the Vatican.
Traditionally, church bells start ringing as early as 3 A.M. to call the faithful to prayer, sometimes accompanied by bands playing Christmas music. In older days, it is said that priests would also go knocking on doors to invite parishioners to Mass.
Adapted from the Missa de Gallo—in Spanish, “Mass of the Rooster”—the Mass is held two hours before sunrise, allowing farmers and fishermen to attend before starting their workdays. In the 16th century, Pope Sixtus V blessed the practice, giving permission for Mass to be held before dawn from December 16 to December 24 in the Philippines. To guide the faithful through the darkness, traditional paper lanterns in the shape of the Star of David (called parols) are lit and hung in homes or in the front of the Church.
The Catholic Church has long prayed novenas, nine-day periods of public or private prayer, as a way of interceding earnestly with God for specific intentions. This particular novena coincides with the “O Antiphons” tradition, in which antiphons are recited in the nine days before Christmas. During this time, the Gospel readings also give accounts of Christ’s birth and the events surrounding it.
Simbang Gabi devotees believe that attending this novena of Masses has the same weight as a panata, or vow of allegiance made in the hope that one’s prayer will be answered.
“I believe that God answers prayers when we make sacrifices for them,” says Fr. Carl Arcosa, a Filipino pastor at St. Michael’s Parish in Livermore, California. “The novena is a habit formation to hold on to an intention that is so important. It could be for physical healing or [a] personal request or general intention for the entire family.”
The faithful who choose to pull themselves out of bed before the crack of dawn to participate in Simbang Gabi are greeted by an especially joyful celebration of the Mass, often followed by a festive gathering and shared meal. Families or street vendors cook traditional Filipino specialties to be shared, including puto, pancit, babingka, suman sa pasko, and pandesal. For many, it is a tradition that brings back memories of time with family.
Fr. Arcosa recalls his first memories of Simbang Gabi at five or six years old in the Philippines.
“I remembered there were many people in the Church,” he reminisced. “After Mass, my mother would buy for us rice cakes and hot ginger tea. Then, we go back to bed around 6 A.M.”
When asked to compare the celebration of Simbang Gabi in the Philippines and in the U.S., Fr. Arcosa noted that, “Philippine Simbang Gabi is very festive because of an indult or Vatican permission to sing the ‘Gloria,’ sing Christmas hymns during Mass, and wear white vestments.” He also noted, “U.S. Simbang Gabi has full breakfast and it is always like a fiesta.”
The shared meal reflects the tremendous importance of family, celebrated particularly at Christmas; Fr. Arcosa says that Simbang Gabi “is 9 days of praying, together with family, which Christmas highlights and emphasizes.”
This year, for the first time in the history of the Catholic Church, the Pope celebrated Simbang Gabi at the Vatican.
In his homily, Pope Francis said, “Through this celebration we want to prepare ourselves for Christmas according to the spirit of the Word of God that we have listened to, remaining constant until the Lord’s definitive coming.”
In a unique way, the centuries-old tradition captures the joyful anticipation that Catholics everywhere are called to cultivate in the season of Advent.
Featured image courtesy of Ervin Malicdem via Wiki
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