General protocols and Mass schedules to stay safe and sacred
Much of our Christmas traditions were deemed impossible earlier on the pandemic. Pitting the holiday escapade to our regular days breeds another debate, but the level of security is not so hard to understand. Restaurants are easier to control even on a busy day, according to the Inter-Agency Task Force Management for the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), while a thronged Divisoria shopping rampage isn’t.
Still, it’s a matter of deciding whether or not you should brave the great outdoors to continue with the non-negotiable customs, like getting puto bumbong and hot chocolate as you pass by a nearby stall on the way to church for Simbang Gabi—and definitely Simbang Gabi.
Tracing back to the colonial Spanish period when farmers were allowed to hear Mass before sunrise, Simbang Gabi (anticipated evening Masses), and Misa de Gallo (dawn Masses) are poised to be the “most Filipino” ways of celebrating Christmas. For the purists or believers of spiritual favors, it feels shameful to skip on a nine-day tradition when they have been going out every day of the pandemic.
But you should understand catching a disease through it, or in any outdoorsy Christmas customs is an unprecedented holiday drawback. Everyone should instead be open to the new normal ways of keeping the sacred spirit intact. Since churches have been conducting online and socially-distanced physical Masses since May, going for Simbang Gabi at this point has been prepared for by means of Mass-goers limitation, schedule adjustments, social media livestreams, and new protocols as advised by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and IATF-EID.
Here is a definitive guideline for Simbang Gabi 2020.
General protocols:
- Instead of the usual 3 to 5 a.m. schedule, Masses go as early as 6 p.m. for the evening and 6 a.m. for the morning.
- You will be asked to write down your contact details such as your name, address, and phone number for contact tracing purposes.
- Only visitors from 15 to 65 years old are allowed to enter the church premises.
- The Vigil Mass on Christmas Eve may be celebrated from 6 p.m. in the evening.
- Churches maintain a 30-percent capacity in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ), including the NCR, while hose under MGCQ areas can accommodate up to 50-percent.
- Touching and kissing of images is not allowed so it’s advisable to bring your own family image of the infant Jesus during the Christmas Masses.
- Senior citizens and PWDs are advised to virtually attend the Masses to not compromise their health.
Mass schedules:
Simbang Gabi: from Dec.15 to 23
Misa de Gallo: from Dec. 16 to 24
Christmas Eve Mass: Dec. 24
Christmas Day Mass: Dec. 25
New Year’s Eve Mass: Dec. 31
New Year’s Day Mass: Jan. 1
Manila Cathedral
Simbang Gabi: 8 pm
Misa de Gallo: 4:30 am
Christmas Eve Mass: 8 pm
Christmas Day Masses: 8 am, 1 pm, 4 pm, 6 pm
New Year’s Eve Mass: 8 pm
New Year’s Day Masses: 8 am, 11 am, 4 pm, 6 pm
Livestream: Facebook and YouTube
Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, Quiapo Church
Simbang Gabi: 6 pm, 7:30 pm, 8:30 pm, 8 pm (Liwasang Bonifacio)
Misa de Gallo: 4 a.m., 5:15 a.m., 6:15 a.m.
Christmas Eve Masses: 7 p.m., 9 p.m.
New Year’s Day Mass: 12:15 p.m. (part of the preparation for the Traslacion)
Livestream: Facebook and Youtube
San Roque Cathedral - Diocese of Kalookan
Simbang Gabi: 6 pm, 8 pm, 10 pm
Misa de Gallo: 4 am, 6 am
Christmas Eve Mass: 7 pm, 10 pm
Christmas Day Masses: 7 am, 9 am 11 am, 5 pm, 7 pm
New Year’s Eve Mass: 6 pm, 9 pm
New Year’s Day Masses: 7 am, 9 am 11 am, 5 pm, 7 pm
Livestream: Facebook
San Felipe Neri Parish Church - Mandaluyong City
Simbang Gabi: 6 pm (English), 7:30 pm (Tagalog), 9 pm (Tagalog)
Misa de Gallo: 4 am (Tagalog), 5:30 am (Tagalog)
Regular Weekday Mass - 7 am
Livestream: Facebook
Mary The Queen Parish - San Juan City
Misa de Gallo: 4:30 am (Xavier School grounds)
Christmas Eve Mass: 6 pm, 8 pm
Christmas Day Mass: 10 am, 12 nn, 6 pm
New Year’s Eve Mass: 6 pm
New Year’s Day Mass: 8 am, 10 am, 12 nn, 6 pm
Livestream: Facebook and Youtube
San Felipe Neri Parish Church - Mandaluyong City
Simbang Gabi: 6 pm (English), 7:30 pm (Tagalog), 9 pm (Tagalog)
Misa de Gallo: 4 am (Tagalog), 5:30 am (Tagalog)
Regular Weekday Mass - 7 am
Livestream: Facebook
Diocesan Shrine of Jesus the Divine Word - Quezon City
Simbang Gabi: 8 pm
Misa de Gallo: 4:30 am
Christmas Eve Mass: 8 pm
Christmas Day Mass: 8 am, 10 am, 11:30 am, 4 pm, 6 pm
New Year’s Eve Mass: 8 pm
New Year’s Day Mass: 8 am, 10 am, 11:30 am, 4 pm, 6 pm
Livestream: Facebook
Church of the Gesù - Ateneo de Manila University
Misa de Gallo: 5 am
Livestream: Facebook
Antipolo Cathedral (Immaculate Conception Parish) or Birhen ng Antipolo - Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage
Simbang Gabi: 8 pm
Misa de Gallo: 4 am, 5:30 am