Unang Simbang Gabi - Dec 16 @ UST

Simbang gabi simula ng pakso
Sa puso ng lahing Pilipino
 Siyam na gabi kaming gumigising 
Sa tugtog ng kampanang walang tigil 
Ding dong ding dong

So goes the Lucio San Pedro's Chrsitmas carol "Simbang Gabi". (here's a nice version of it) A very beautiful song showing our tradition of preparing for Christmas known as the "Misa de Gallo" or "Simbang Gabi". The people would go to church at an early morning hour (around 4 or 5 AM). For those that couldn't make it or can't wake up that early, they can attend the one in the evening (usually around 7 or 8 PM, even later). This year, of course, I will be attending them and will post them here.

Although I attended the anticipated mass last Dec 15 already, I still decided to attend the dawn mass in the morning of the 16th when they officially begin, and I attended it at my school, the University of Sto. Tomas in Manila. This has got to be my most favorite place to have the masses, in fact, this is where I attend Sunday masses the most (at least more recently). The place has one of the best atmospheres for the celebration, the people are reverent, even if there are a lot, the choirs are very good as well and its very festive and at the same time, solemn. Usually, the dawn mass would either take place in the field, but if the weather wouldn't permit, then it takes place inside the church, like in this case. The church however could not accommodate the huge crowd attending the celebration, in fact, a big number of the congregation had to follow the liturgy outside the church (Check my pics to see how big the crowd was). Right after the mass, I took a few pics and I went home and got back to sleep.

Here are a few pics:

 

The church was pretty much standing room only. Actually, beyond SRO.

That's how big the crowd was outside. My camera could not capture the entire scene.