By Honor Blanco Cabie
(PNA) — As the frosty Siberian winds start to blow south to these archipelago republic of 7,107 islands, many Filipino Catholics start preparing for dawn Masses which usher in what many celebrate as the birth anniversary of Jesus.
From up north in San Pablo, Isabela to Moncada in Tarlac to Looc, Romblon and the cities of Silay and Sagay in Negros Occidental in the Visayas to Bislig City in Mindanao, the faithful are separately looking at their budget schedules for the Christmas eve dining table.
In many other Catholic-dominated towns of this archipelago, which received the Cross in 1521, lanterns of different designs and colors make the celebration even brighter at night, not far from giant Christmas trees decked with bulbs and other blinking equipment.
The so-called “noche buena” – as the Christmas eve dinner has become known for scores – has become part of the custom among Filipino Catholics, many persuaded that Mary’s son Jesus was born on Dec 25, a celebration that some theologians say is not historically correct.
To many this is the highlight of the nine Masses – which begin at 4 a.m. Dec 16 in many Catholic parishes nationwide. The dawn mass is called “miatinis” in some towns of northern Philippines, “simbang gabi” (literally Mass at night) in Metro Manila and even in some Visayan towns like Minglanilla in Cebu, San Joaquin in Iloilo and Bato in Leyte.
The “simbang gabi” has become an integral part of a Filipino Christmas tradition which has been highlighted by cheers, gift-giving and parties in the run up to the date itself.
The nine dawn Masses are also seen as a novena to the Blessed Virgin Mary by the Catholic faithful, a reference to the Roman Catholic practice of performing nine days of private or public devotion to obtain special graces.
Some theologians say in traditional Catholic belief, completing the novena is also supposed to mean that God might grant the devotee’s special wish or favor.
This tradition was introduced by the Spanish friars to allow the Filipino farmers to hear mass before going to the fields early in the morning.
In 16th century Philippines, the church bells started ringing as early as 3 a.m. waking people up so they can get ready for the 4 a.m. dawn Mass, when Roman Catholic churches across the nation start to open their doors shortly before the break of dawn to welcome the faithful to the “simbang gabi” Mass.
Today, the tradition has continued – in the urban centers, like Metro Manila, and the far-flung towns of this country of 98 million people, nearly 90 per cent of whom are Christians – in different ways and lights, literally.
Churches are decorated with variegated lights and lanterns of different colors.
”Simbang gabi” is also a tradition among Catholic Filipino communities overseas – in Toronto, Canada, Alberta in Canada’s Calgary, Texas, California and Guam as well as European towns where Filipinos have stamped a living, indicating what observers call the depth of their Catholic faith despite their hectic work schedules.
According to Church scholars, the midnight Mass has been an orthodox Catholic tradition and has been celebrated with great devotion and ardor, the traditions varying in different regions but maintaining the essence round the world.
In the Philippines, some start planning what to prepare for the “noche buena” after hearing the midnight Mass on Dec. 24.
While some prepared items differ slightly from table to table, the food – from viands to fruits and desserts – are nearly the same across the country.
In Baybay Uno in Bislig City, the family of Edrian Advincula is set to prepare again “maja blanca,” spaghetti, meat balls, “biko,” and fruits in season, practically the same as those prepared by siblings Jane Recede and Marivic Rosal of Minglanilla in Cebu.
The family of Maricar Estrada of Tonsuya, Malabon, who had rebased from Silay City in Negros Occidental, would be cooking spaghetti and “biko,” fried chicken, and different fruits, nearly similar to what Rosemarie Monieva of Sagay City will prepare for her family.
In Looc, Romblon, Elizabeth Santiago will go for “lechon manok” – “lechon baboy” is for the rich, she says – but she will also prepare for the dining table pancit, “maja blanca,” “suman,” bananas and apples.
In the coastal town of Macalelon in Quezon, Rico Gajolin and his family will, as in years past, prepare for the family and relations what he calls the native – spelled Quezon – “tikoy, “lechon manok,” inihaw na karne ng baboy,” “katang,” or what Tagalogs call “alimasag,” buko salad, “kalamay” and a few varieties of fruits he will bring home from Manila where he works.
Zoilo Calicdan, who now works in Manila but will be home in Mangaldan this Christmas, says his parents will prepare once more the Ilocano favorite “lauya,” “bulalo,” “kakanin,” “dudumen” with coconut milk, “biko” and native fruits like mangoes and bananas.
This is practically the same preparation Gertrudes Atencio of Moncada will be preparing for her parents and sisters, as well as the preparation by Leng Acebo of San Pablo, Isabela.
At a middle income subdivision east of Manila, Dong, who has a food catering service on the side, will prepare the family’s favorite “pinakbet,” “bagnet” or pork rinds, “menudo,” originally a Mexican dish, and the Spanish higado, or what the family calls “gupi,” comprising fatty pork loin and liver cooked with red bell pepper and peas in a salty-sour sauce.
As usual, there will also be several varieties of fruits in season – enough for five adults and two little boys that make up the household.
The dawn Mass traces its roots to Mexico when, in 1587, the pope granted the petition of Fray Diego de Soria, prior of the convent of San Agustin Acolman, to hold Christmas Mass outdoors because the church could not accommodate the many people attending the evening Mass.
Observers of Philippine culture say Christmas Day in this multi-lingual country is ushered in by the nine-day dawn Masses.
It eventually became known as “Misa Aguinaldo” or also “Misa de Gallo” (Rooster’s Mass) in the traditional Spanish.
As the cold winds sweep the country, the countdown to the nine dawn Masses and the midnight Mass begins.