Hello, my dearest hive friends. I hope everyone's doing well.
This is...
š Simbang Gabi: A 9-Day Filipino Tradition That Feels Like Home š
This is for all of my Catholic Hive Friends. Merry Christmas! I hope you enjoyed your vacation and holidays very well.
Short Facts About Simbang Gabi
ā¢ Simbang Gabi is a Filipino Catholic tradition held for nine consecutive days before christmas.
ā¢ It usually starts very early in the morning around 3:00 to 5:00 a.m.
ā¢ Completing all 9 days is believed by many to grant a special wish or blessing.
ā¢ It symbolizes preparation of the heart for the birth of Jesus Christ.
SIMBANG GABI 1
On the first dawn of Simbang Gabi, there was a Mass held in our barangay. We decided not to go to the main church anymore and instead attend the Mass nearby. It was held at the covered court of our barangay. The covered court is a bit secluded and requires a short walk but it doesn't even take 5 minutes.
Good thing my mom and I had companions because if it were just the two of us, we would probably be scared walking alone. I quietly listened during the Mass even though i was still very sleepy since we woke up at 3:00 a.m. Thankfully, on our way home, we were already walking with many people so it wasn't scary anymore because it was already getting brighter.
SIMBANG GABI 2
My mom and i woke up late because our alarm didn't ring. We hurriedly change our clothes and skip taking a bath because we were afraid we might miss the Mass. Thankfully, we were still able to sit all the we were seated at the very back. We where worried because we didn't bring chairs with us.
I really like the priest because he completely woke me up. He shared a story related to the gospel and his stories were funny, which made the Mass enjoyable.
After the Mass, I took some pictures before going back to sleep. I really felt the moment during the time.
SIMBANG GABI 3
On Day 3, everything went smoothly. It was just the same as day 2, chris shared another funny story that really kept everyone awake even those who were already feeling sleepy.
SIMBANG GABI 4 & 5
Unfortunately, my mom and i were not able to attend on these days. On Day 4, I had to take an entrance exam and my mom didn't want me to wake up at 3:00 a.m. because I might feel chelsey during the exam. On Day 5, we were still jet lagd from traveling and our bodies couldn't handle waking up early yet.
SIMBANG GABI 6
Finally, we were able to attend mass again i made sure to set my alarm for 3:00 a.m. because i was very excited to get back to church.
SIMBANG GABI 7
Everything went smoothly. It felt like we were already used to waking up at 3:00 a.m. just to attend simbang gabi.
Selfie with my new cardigan.
SIMBANG GABI 8
For the first time, we were finally able to sit near the front. Not exactly at the very front, but this time we could clearly see the priest during the Mass. We also bought a christmas prayer card that was blessed and prayed over the priest which will later hang on the Church's christmas tree.
SIMBANG GABI 9
We were a bit late, so we couldn't sit at the front anymore, but it was okay as long as we were able to attend the Mass. Sorry about the quality of my camera, hehe.
DECEMBER 24 9:00 PM
We attended Mass again to welcome and celebrate the birth of our savior Jesus Christ.
Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope you are all well and continue to stay well. Love you all. š©·š