Misa de gallo celebrated

MARIBOJOC, BOHOL , Philippines   â€” The traditional dawn Mass (misa de gallo) as a prelude to Christmas went on yesterday (Dec. 16)  in this town even without the church building that was pulverized by the 7.2-magnitude earthquake two months ago.

Parish priest Rev. Fr. Warren Varquez told The Freeman, after the Mass, said the faithful of this old town still practice the misa de gallo at exactly 4 a.m. and they flocked and filled the sidewalks on both sides of the national highway due to limited space.

The mass, with the altar set under a tent, was held in an open space about the size of a basketball court with the backdrop of the limestone ruins of the centuries-old St. Vincent church, along with the private high school building nearby.

Varquez said he was happy that the faithful showed up to attend the Mass, bringing with them chairs and umbrellas as they braved the brief drizzle and the cold of dawn. "Naa gihapon ang spirit," he said.

The priest said having no church building did not matter because it is the people that is the church that makes Christmas continue.

Leonie Millana, a retired teacher who also attended the misa de gallo, told The Freeman that she used to attend this every Christmas, but she is saddened now to see the old church went to pieces due to the earthquake.

Varquez expressed hope that someday the church building will stand again with the generosity of the locals, though that may not enough, but also from those abroad through fund raising activity.

Meanwhile in Tacloban City, the devastation of Yolanda did not dampen the faith and enthusiasm of survivors for the traditional misa de gallo.

Residents ignored the pre-dawn drizzle and trooped to the Sto. Niño Parish church for the traditional Christmas dawn Mass, radio dzBB reported.

Though the church bells rang shortly after 4 a.m., the Mass was scheduled for 4:30 a.m. in deference to a curfew that should have lasted until 5 a.m. Others however opted to attend the 6 p.m. Mass.  (FREEMAN)