Gising na, Simbang Gabi na!

Photo by Jyruz Hilbero

Every year during the Advent Season, Filipino communities all over the world celebrate a unique novena mass that is embedded in Filipino culture. These novena masses are called Simbang Gabi. 

Daily at dawn, around 4:30 in the morning, Catholic Churches welcome parishioners to participate in the nine-day masses in anticipation of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Simbang Gabi starts every 16th of December and culminates with the mass held every 24th of December.

Photo from The Nativity of the Lord Parish

This classic Christmas tradition can be traced back to the Spanish era in the Philippines. Along with the crowing of the roosters, churches would ring their bells to wake the people and invite them to mass. Spanish priests would hold masses at dawn before the Filipino farmers would start their day of work in the fields. 

As we moved forward in time, different features of Simbang Gabi were cemented into this tradition. These features of Simbang Gabi make sure that the spirit of Christmas continues to radiate in the community and families of everyone. Simbang Gabi allows us to experience and commemorate the first Christmas together with the carpenter, the young maiden, and the sheep. Any Filipino devotee would immediately recognize the Belen whenever they attend these masses held at dawn. 

Photo from St. Joseph Shrine | The Nativity Scene 

Christmas lights and lanterns, the most significant ornaments during this season, never fail to light the way of the entrance of a church. Whether it be one large giant parol or the brightest set of Christmas lights one has the pleasure of laying their eyes onto, these lights are amusing to see while on the way to church—complementing the beauty of its architecture.

Another thing to look out for when you attend the consecutive novena masses would be your fellow church-goers. During Simbang Gabi, your church would probably be full. Undeniably, it's a setting in which a diversity of people is present. You'd lay eyes on different parishioners, some characterized by their particular brand of fashion, so it wouldn't be uncommon to see teenagers with hypebeast clothing, people wearing trendy outfits, or fashion-forward clothes. You'd also find the sleepy ones during Simbang Gabi. Or the ones who are actually sleeping. Serious devotees would volunteer to stand and let others fill their seats not only as an act of kindness but also to reinforce their will to stay awake during mass.

 

Once each mass ends, people will usually proceed to the nearest vendors to buy iconic Simbang Gabi delicacies such as bibingka, suman, puto bumbong, and hot pandesal. Buying these foods after the mass is definitely a must-try, especially for first-time goers. 

Photo by Jire Carreon from ABS-CBN News

These are some of the things that make up one’s Simbang Gabi experience. There are various reasons why Filipinos take part in these masses. For Mrs. Gumogda, who is a long-time Simbang Gabi devotee, she never fails to complete the nine masses because for her, it is not just a mere Catholic or Filipino tradition—it is her way of commemorating and reminding herself of why we celebrate Christmas in the first place—to anticipate and celebrate Jesus’ birthday. For others, it is a time to bond with family, hang out with friends, or even be a chance to meet potential romantic interests. She is saddened whenever the attendance of parishioners would start to decline after the first day, but that sadness is replaced with joy whenever the last mass is held. By then, everyone would be ecstatic to greet the birth of Christ. 

Simbang Gabi goes beyond being a mere tradition that the Filipino culture prides itself on. A vast number of people attend Simbang Gabi as they believe it will grant their Christmas wishes. And though the majority of those people do not actually hold the belief that their wishes will be granted in exchange for their perfect attendance, they still choose to complete the novena masses out of their desire to be closer to God. This shows how much the Philippines is a Catholic nation through and through. 

That sacrifice of waking up very early in the morning despite the knowledge that wishes may still not come true makes the whole Simbang Gabi experience much more wholesome.

A long time has passed since the first Simbang Gabi was held by Spanish friars, and technology has now made it possible to partake in the said celebration in the comfort of your own home. All you have to do now is just wake up early and sacrifice a small portion of your time to connect with God in anticipation of the birth of his Son. When attending this joyous tradition has been made so simple and intimate, it really becomes much more enticing to go.

Set up your alarm as tomorrow marks the start of this beloved tradition. Kaya maghanda na—gising na, Simbang Gabi na!