THE ORIGIN OF SIMBANG GABI
By Anton Antonio
December 15, 2015
Simbang Gabi is a truly unique Filipino religious
tradition. But is this an original
Filipino tradition? Here is a
researched material on the origin of this tradition.
“LOOKING BACK AT THE FIRST ‘SIMBANG GABI’ IN PH
By Kathleen de Villa, Inquirer Research
Do you know when “Simbang Gabi” (dawn Mass) started in the
Philippines? One December dawn in the
1700s, a Spanish friar gathered his farmers and taught them to say a prayer of
thanks to God for their generous harvest that year and, hopefully, in the years
to come. Historical records showed that
this was the birth of Simbang Gabi, the Filipino Christmas tradition that the
young and the old celebrate first thing in the morning for nine straight days
in the run-up to Christmas Day. Simbang
Gabi traces its roots to Catholic-dominated countries like Spain and
Mexico. According to the book, “Pasko!:
The Philippine Christmas,” by Reynaldo Alejandrino and Marla Chorengel, the
farmers followed the friar since they were used to early morning sacrifices and
rituals to their pagan gods before they did their fieldwork. The farmers were asked to sing during Mass,
which would be followed by a simple breakfast offered by the friar. Celebrating the dawn Mass every morning was a
mixture of pagan custom and Catholic rites.
This, the missionaries felt it would be a practical and effective means
of spreading Catholicism among the natives.
But there are other versions in historical records of the beginning of
Simbang Gabi, also known as “Misa de Gallo” or Mass of the Rooster. Historical researcher Jesson Gonzales
Allerite, in an online article of the Catholics Bishops’ Conference of the
Philippines (CBCP), said that based on historical accounts, Mass was forbidden
to be said during nighttime. Thus,
“these Masses were offered in the darkness of dawn amid the blaze of many
lighted candles, especially for farmers and workmen who had to labor
afterwards,” according to the account.
These Masses, lit only by candlelight, are also called “Misa Aurea” or
golden Mass, believed to be a precursor of the “Misa de Aguinaldo” in Spain,
the Americas and the Philippines.
Another story, told in 2012 by Fr. Gennie Diwa, head of the office of
liturgy of the Archdiocese of Manila, was that Simbang Gabi was brought by
Catholic missionaries from Mexico. He
said Mexican Catholics at that time began holding early dawn Masses in honor of
the Virgin Mary before going to till their fields at Christmasstime. Missionaries brought the practice to the
Philippines and Filipinos “enthusiastically adopted it,” adding their own
flavor. “From my research, it was
typically Mexican. They held it at dawn
because people wake up early in the morning before they do their farming. It was a way to start the day for nine days
in honor of the Blessed Mother and Christmas,” Diwa said. “I don’t think the Mexicans still celebrate
it… but it became more popular in the Philippines. It was easily accepted here because although
Easter is supposed to be the greatest feast day of the Church, for Filipinos,
Christmas in its form and preparation is more popular than Easter,” Diwa
said. These Masses were usually held in
a solemn manner but the Filipinos secured a permission from the Vatican to
allow Simbang Gabi in the Philippines t be festive. In his manuscript titled “The History of the
Misa de Aguinaldo: From Spain to the Philippine Islands,” Allerite said that
Masses had to be stopped due to an order from the Sacred Congregation of Rites,
a regulator of liturgical celebrations of the Roman Church, because of the
Filipinos’ habit of singing Christmas carols in the vernacular. Such singing was then prohibited, except for
the entrance and recessional songs. “The
wording of the order was very severe.
(The practice was described as) along the lines of “perversion of
doctrine,” said Allerite in his research.
Filipinos added “local flavour” through practices like panunuluyan
(dramatization of the Holy Family’s search for an inn), singing villancinco
(Spanish upbeat Church songs) and the cooking of Christmas delicacies like puto
bumbong and bibingka. IN the
Philippines, the festive atmosphere of the after-prayer gatherings varies in
different provinces, with Muslim, Chinese, Mexican, European or American influences. In Bicol, carollers dressed as shepherds
appear as soon as the Simbang Gabi starts.
They sing villacincos to the beat of Muslim gongs, Spanish guitars and
other string instruments. In Bohol, the
carollers, as Joseph, Mary and innkeepers, participate in a nine-day pageant
called “ige-ige” --- derived from the word “igehan” --- meaning to drive
somebody out from one’s house. This
begins simultaneously with the first dawn Mass.
In Cebu, the dawn Mass starts with carollers dressed up like jungle warriors
or city clowns performing acrobatic stunts in the streets. Their faces are smudged with black dye. IN Mindanao and some remote areas, however,
dawn Masses are celebrated without a priest.
Introduced by the CBCP five years ago, it was the prelates’ way of
reaching out to Catholics who could hardly be accommodated for lack of clerics. The practice of Simbang Gabi, as well as
decorating lanterns, has been brought overseas to non-Catholic nations, such as
the United States and Singapore, where a high number of Filipino migrants
live. In Seattle, Simbang Gabi is
considered a sacred ritual of lights symbolized by the “parol” (lantern). In December 1997, the archbishop of Seattle
celebrated the first Simbang Gabi and was so moved by the experience that he
has since encouraged the entire archdiocese to participate. But the Masses are held at night, due to busy
mornings and cold December nights, followed by the reception, ranging from a
simple merienda to an extravagant fiesta, with cultural entertainment. Two years later, the first novena Mass was
celebrated in Singapore, which was also held at night. The Filipino language was then used since
only Filipinos were in attendance.
English was later used after more foreigners began participating.”
Growing up in a Catholic family and community, I obediently
followed the tradition without question.
Perhaps this typifies my present day obedience to the laws of nature as
I move forward in my environmental advocacy and activism. But if I could find time to understand
environmental science, it should make perfect sense, as a devout Catholic, to
also look into the origin of Simbang Gabi.
Thoughts to
promote positive action…
REFERENCE:
