Misa de Gallo

In Spanish, La Mesa is the flat surface of a table. For Catholics, the table is the altar where religious objects like the crucifix, bible etc. are placed during the celebration of the Eucharist.

Gallo is Spanish for rooster which crows at early dawn. Misa de Gallo means when the rooster crows between 5 to 6 a.m., it’s time to dress up and go to the church for the nine (nueve is 9 in Spanish, novena is a 9 day prayer/petition) days novena masses beginning December 16 and ending on December 24.

This is one of the most beautiful traditions given to us by the Spanish church. The Filipino contribution to this is also unique after the Misa de Gallo mass, sidewalk stalls offer hot chocolate and salabat, Tamales, suman, bibingka na kung lutuin ay may apoy sa ibabaw, may apoy sa itaas, puto, sapin sapin etc.

We urged parents to attend the Misa de Gallo with their children especially during the school Christmas break. Catholic values and traditions today compete with cell phones, internet, computers, TV for the attention of the youth.

Misa de Gallo has been a part of our kinaiya/batasan since 1571 when Legaspi made Manila the Capital and built the first church. We must not allow this tradition to disappear because of materialism, secularism and electronics.

We owe it to our parents and our forbears who taught us the joy and beauty of Misa de Gallo that the present and the forthcoming youth will also experience and live it. Hoy, mata na!