Misa de Gallo starts tomorrow

CEBU, Philippines - As soon as the strikes 4:00 at dawn tomorrow, bells in different churches and parishes across the country will ring to herald the beginning of the nine-day Misa de Gallo.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma has opted to hold the first Misa de Gallo this year in Barangay Manlapay, Dalaguete town in southern Cebu. 

On December 17, Palma will celebrate a mass at the Pope John Paul II retirement house for priests; Cebu Catholic Television Network chapel (December 21); Sto Niño Parish in Medellin town (December 23); and in Barangay Sta. Rosa, Olango Island in Lapu-Lapu City (December 24).

On Christmas Day, he will hold a 7:15 a.m. mass at the Archbishop’s Palace.

Misa de Gallo, also called Rooster’s Mass, is a Filipino Roman Catholic tradition which can be traced to the Spanish colonial era when Filipino laborers were made to hear the Masses during dawn.

At that time, the Philippine clergy was reportedly given permission by Pope Sixtus V to celebrate the masses before sunrise to give way for the laborers to get to their work in the farm fields on time.

This year, the Archdiocese of Cebu, along with the universal church, celebrates the extra-ordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy and prays that the faithful could see the face of Jesus, which is the face of mercy, said spokesperson Monsignor Joseph Tan.

“Usa ra gyud ang atong pag-ampo. Nga dili lang nga magmalampuson ang kalihokan nga umaabot, karon nga giablihan ang extra-ordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy. Nga ang panagway ni Kristo makita unta nga panagway sa kalooy,” Tan told The FREEMAN in a phone interview.

Tan said the Misa de Gallo tradition was handed over to the Filipino nation by the early missionaries, specifically those of Mexican descent.

Since the early 16th century, the practice has been passed down from generation to generation.

But what makes the Filipino Misa de Gallo distinct from that of the rest of the world, Tan explained, is that is it a Novena mass with distinct readings dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

 The novena mass is a preparation for the celebration of Christmas, not the same as in the early days.

Early Christians up to 1965, according to Tan, would fast up to 12 hours before receiving communion and this explains why there were early masses before, unlike in the present times where only one-hour fasting is required before receiving communion.

 Tan reminded the young people not to make the churches as dating sites, but he said that if it can’t be helped, at least it is better than dating elsewhere.

He also said while asking for something from the Lord after completing the nine days is a traditional practice, it is also important to have faith even in non-Christmas days.

“Kung di ka mobugto sa Misa de Gallo, naa kay pangayuon, Iyang ihatag. Di man sa Misa de Gallo lang ni, kon ang mga tawo mohugot sa pagtuo, ihatag g’yud na sa Ginoo,” he said.

CCTO plans

Meanwhile, traffic enforcers will also be deployed to several churches within Cebu City to assist motorists and control the flow of vehicles for a peaceful and orderly series of dawn masses.

City Hall’s Cebu City Transportation Office already assigned personnel or teams to designated churches.

“CCTO has already prepared for Misa de Gallo 2015 which will start on December 16 to December 24. Traffic direction and control in the vicinity of the different churches numbering (at least 25) all over Cebu City is assured with the deployment of around 60 personnel,” said lawyer Rey Gealon, CCTO’s acting executive director.

The city’s traffic enforcement arm, however, is expecting for more mass attendees to crowd the churches considering the upcoming religious activities set in the city.

“We are anticipating that more will be coming in for the Misa de Gallo as additional visitors and guests are expected this early not only for the yearly Sinulog festivities but also for this once-in-a-lifetime international gathering — the International Eucharistic Congress,” said Gealon.

CCTO operations division head Jonathan Tumulak said traffic enforcers will partner with parking aides to direct private motorists on the identified parking slots and further avoid congestion of arriving vehicles.

“Ang mga simbahan nato dinhi gibutangan nato og mga traffic personnel ug mga parking attendants,” said Tumulak.

He also said CCTO plans to divert some of the public utility vehicles from the roads fronting the churches to ease the flow of entering private vehicles.  Normal traffic route will go back to place when the dawn mass ends.  (FREEMAN)