Dressed in a floor length white robe and wearing a wooden cross around his neck, Kim Victoria fingered the blue beads of a bracelet sent to him by a cousin living in the Philippines.
Victoria is an eighth grader at St. Germaine Catholic Elementary School in Oak Lawn. His cousin is a world away but still seemed to be with him as he prepared to carry a large cross in a procession introducing the Simbáng Gabi Mass at Our Lady of St. Germaine Catholic Church Friday night.
Victoria said his mother hails from the Philippines and she wanted him to experience the Filipino Catholic tradition of Simbáng Gabi. The nine-day novena devoted to the Blessed Mother of Jesus is observed and celebrated by Filipino Catholics around the world.
Victoria’s mother’s desire was in keeping with an overarching message from Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, who celebrated the Mass. The traditional service was one of several at nearly 50 archdiocesan churches through Dec. 23.
“It’s important for you to always share with children your traditions, to put them in touch with their ancestors, with those who have gone before you,” Cupich said. “It offers a way to remind us to remember that we are here because others prepared the way.”
Addressing a crowd that filled the church sanctuary and spilled over to neighboring rooms, the cardinal also said observing faith traditions helps prevent what happens to many who come to America — becoming “disconnected from our past.”
Victoria was one of many children of Filipino heritage, ranging from toddlers to teens, who either participated in the celebration under the watchful eyes of parents or who attended with their parents.
This year marks the 37th for the Chicago Archdiocese’s Simbáng Gabi. The pre-Christmas tradition sponsored by the archdiocese’s Asian Catholic Initiative office comes with the theme All Generations Call Me Blessed.
Jannah Anoling, a third grader, participated by introducing the Mass at St. Germaine. She lined up with several children carrying large stars on poles festooned with ribbons.
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Her mother, Joann Anoling, explained that in Filipino Catholic tradition, the star takes the form of a paper lantern, called a parol. The parol represents the star of Bethlehem and the pending birth of Jesus. In the Philippines, many people display these in their homes at Christmas.
The Mass included readings in Tagalog as well as carols sung in Tagalog by a choir that brought together Filipinos from throughout the Chicago area. Among them was Cielo Medina, who attends St. Damian Catholic Parish in Oak Forest. She grew up in a town in the Philippines called Quezon.
“Where I’m from the Mass would start at 4 o’clock in the morning, but first the band would go around town,” said Medina, who for several years has encouraged participation in Simbáng Gabi.
The Simbáng Gabi tradition of paying devotion to Mother Mary dates back to the arrival of Spanish missionaries in the Philippines in the late 1500s, according to a popular article published twice in U.S. Catholic.
Because many people farmed and fished, the masses were held before daybreak when roosters crow, hence the name Misa de Gallo or Mass of the rooster.
Though masses were originally held outdoors in the early hours, in the United States they are mostly evening celebrations held indoors. Also in the U.S., worshippers are more likely to attend the novena at several different parish locations instead of nine masses at just one.
Marc Natividad, a member of St. Germaine for 25 years, grew up in the Philippines and moved to the Chicago area in 1988. He recalls Simbáng Gabi more in the old tradition.
“My friends would throw rocks at my window at 4:30 a.m.,” he said. “We would walk a couple of miles to church, and after church we would eat snacks at the side of the road. Those were really fun memories.”
Like several other men, Natividad wore an elaborately embroidered, cream-colored barong, a traditional men’s shirt.
Not all who attended were Filipino. As musical accompaniment to the choir, Dan Mataya, a mechanic from Evergreen Park, played an accordion.
“I’m not sure if everyone appreciates my playing, but my wife is Filipino,” Mataya said.
He also brought one of his teen sons.
At the close of the Mass, Flor Filomeno, a member of St. Germaine since 1993, was presented with a bouquet of flowers for her continuing efforts to organize the annual Simbáng Gabi celebrations, including the meals that follow in the parish gymnasium. This year’s meal consisted of a slice of ham, sweet bread, egg rolls and a fragrant pancit dish containing thin noodles, mushrooms and baby corn.
Filomeno grew up in the Philippines and moved to Oak Lawn in 1974. Her husband had worked at U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay in the Philippines. Though he is deceased, she said his contribution lives on. He made the brilliant stars carried year after year by children like Jannah Anoling at St. Germaine.
Upcoming area masses are at 7 p.m. Monday at Our Lady of the Woods, 10731 W. 131st St., Orland Park; 7 p.m. Tuesday at St. Elizabeth Seton, 9300 W. 167th St., Orland Park; 7 p.m. Wednesday at St. Julie Billiart, 7399 W. 159th St., Tinley Park; 7 p.m. Thursday at St. Michael, 14327 Highland Ave., Orland Park; and 7 p.m. Friday at St. Fabian, 7450 W. 83rd St., Bridgeview.
For a complete schedule, go to https://aci.archchicago.org/events/simbang-gabi.
Susan DeGrane is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.