Tuesday, December 16, 2008

The Filipino tradition of Misa de Gallo starts December 16. Misa means Mass, while Gallo means rooster. Get my drift? In Filipino it's called "Simbang Gabi" with simba meaning worship and gabi meaning night. For Roman Catholics, the Misa de Gallo is at 4:00 A.M. For most Evangelical churches, the worship service is at 8:00 P.M. For nine consecutive days, believers attend mass or worship service to remember and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. For most youngsters, the "simbang gabi" serves as a venue to socialize and eat puto bumbong or bibingka after the mass.

I have not attended Simbang gabi for quite a while. My church holds its worship service at 8:00 P.M. that when I was a teener, I hated it. It was not "cool" for there was no native delicacies galore after the service. When I was in UP, I had the chance to attend the Roman Catholic simbang gabi because of my then boyfriend. We were both staying at different dorms and since the church was just a stone's throw away from our dorms, what the heck?! I attended the mass for 5 consecutive days. On the sixth day, classes ended for Christmas break and I had no option but to go home. That was my first and last Catholic simbang gabi.



Simbang Gabi was a composition of the late National Artist Lucio San Pedro. I was actually looking for a version of the song from UP Concert Chorus as I'm alumna. This version is from the Philippine Madrigal Singers (formerly UP Mardigal Singers) -close to me heart too. Why? My ex who I went with to attend the Midnight Mass eons ago, is an alumnus of the UP Madrigal Singers. Saan na kaya itong ex ko na to? ( I wonder where he is now)
Posted by desperateblogger On 12/16/2008 05:46:00 PM 8 comments

8 comments:

  1. I used to finish the whole 9 misa de gallo...until I started working...malayo simbahan eh. Tama ka...the puto bungbong and bibingka were reasons enough for some to attend the mass [at 4 AM].

    How was the bday dinner? Naglalaway ako just thinking of the food you cooked....eh ni hindi ko alam kung ano...I just know masarap kasi they requested it....

    Huling

    ReplyDelete
  2. Putong bungbong is my favorite. I miss it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Now, this pic made me miss Manila all the more.

    Juliana
    http://julianasworld.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. huling: i cooked: spaghetti in marinara, chicken pastel with the crust, menudo, roast porkloin, fish a la pobre, kani salad and fruit salad. beverage: four seasons: cake: mango cream


    maria and juliana: how i wish I could send you puto bumbong for the holidays.

    ReplyDelete
  5. sarap!!!

    add bibingka please...

    --charles, http://www.bogsie.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wahhh....sabi ko na nga ba masarap eh! Menudo...I miss that so much...kasi kahit anong gawin ko di ko talaga mailuto....

    Hay....basa na naman ang keyboard ko...sa drooling....

    Huling

    ReplyDelete
  7. I miss simbang gabi! I used to finish the whole 9 early morning mass. The church is just a walking distance from our house so I don't have to hurry to wake up very early. After the mass, we always get bibingka and tupig for our breakfast! Sarap!!!

    ReplyDelete

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