‘Simbang Gabi’ can be celebrated any time: Villegas

AHEAD of the start of the traditional “Simbang Gabi” this Saturday, former Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president Archbishop Socrates Villegas reminded the faithful that their participation in the Mass is paramount.

In a Catechesis for the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, Villegas said: “With focus on the essentials, let us remember that the most important component of Simbang Gabi is not the time in which it is celebrated but the participation at Mass.

“The key word is simba, not gabi. The indispensable part of this nine-day pre-Christmas tradition is the Eucharist,” he said, adding that Simbang Gabi can be observed any time of the day.

He said the faithful may attend Masses even during the daytime.

“Attending Mass for nine days and preferably receiving Holy Communion in the state of grace during those Masses no matter the time of the day is the most important way to prepare for Christmas,” he said.

“No matter the time of day or night, it is the Lord who comes at every Mass to speak in the Liturgy of the Word and to feed us with His Body and Blood from the Eucharistic table,” he added.

Simbang Gabi is a practice of Filipino Catholics offering nine-day Masses in preparation for the solemnity of the Birth of Christ.

Simbang Gabi, which is also called Misa de Gallo, runs from December 16 to 24.

Meanwhile, San Juan City Mayor and Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) Chairman Francis Zamora said they are considering imposing strict security measures as Christmas Day nears.

Zamora said the RPOC will discuss what measures they would take to ensure the holidays are safe not only in San Juan but the whole National Capital Region.

He asked the public to be mindful of their surroundings and report anything they think is suspicious. – With Christian Oineza