Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma presides over the first nine dawn Masses at the Our Lady of Consolacion in Manlapay, Dalaguete town. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/SAMMY NAVAJA)
THOUSANDS of faithful trooped to Catholic churches in Cebu yesterday to attend the start of the Misa de Gallo or nine dawn Masses that lead up to Christmas Day.
At the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue City, Msgr. Daniel Sanico urged the faithful to reflect on the birth of Jesus.
“Our Lord chose to come into the world through a family. Within a home, he became close to us. Jesus is truly Emmanuel, ‘God with us.’ If so, every human family is a gift from God. In a family, love, who is Jesus, flows,” he said.
The new liturgical year in the Philippines was declared the “Year of the Family and the Eucharist” by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma traveled to the newly constructed Church of Our Lady of Consolation in the mountain barangay of Manlapay in Dalaguete town, southern Cebu for the first day of the Misa de Gallo.
At dawn today, he will spend time with retired members of the clergy at the St. John Paul II House for Priests inside the archdiocesan seminary compound in Mabolo, Cebu City.
Tomorrow, the archbishop will preside over the Mass at St. Joseph’s Chapel at his residence in Cebu City.
On December 21, he will be at the Holy Family oratory of the Cebu Catholic Television Network (CCTN).
Palma will travel to Medellin town on December 23 for the 8th day of the Misa de Gallo.
He will cap the well-loved Filipino tradition at Sta. Rosa Parish in Olango Island, Lapu-Lapu City on December 24. The archbishop has no Misa de Gallo schedules on December 19, 20, and 22.
In the evening of December 24, Palma will lead the Christmas Mass at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.
Misa de Gallo, which means “Mass of the Rooster” in Spanish, begins on December 16 and ends on December 24.
The tradition was introduced by the Spanish friars in the 17th century so that farmers could attend Mass before heading off to the fields early in the morning.
The Misa de Gallo is celebrated to honor Mary, the mother of Jesus, and to spiritually prepare the faithful for the birthday of Jesus.
Meanwhile Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas, chief of staff of the Police Regional Office (PRO-7), said the start of the traditional Simbang Gabi had been peaceful.
Chief Insp. David Senor, chief of the PRO-7’s Community Relations, said there were only minor traffic problems near churches.