05 December 2016—The Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur ushers another round of Christmas celebrations to highlight the holidays and the Filipino way of celebrating the season through the nine-day Simbang Gabi masses, as well as a Christmas concert for the community.

“We Filipinos are known to have the longest Christmas celebrations, and we wish to bring this to our nationals who yearn for the traditions from home, and also showcase to our Malaysian friends how we celebrate the holidays.  This year, we will again hold the Simbang Gabi novena masses at the Embassy, as well as a Christmas concert featuring Filipino artists such as Jericho Rosales and Arci Muñoz,” Philippine Ambassador to Malysia J. Eduardo Malaya said. 

The Simbang Gabi novena masses began last December 1, with Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur Most Reverend Julian Low Beng Kim as celebrant.  Manila-based Rev. Fr. Gabriel Paraan will celebrate the rest of the masses until December 9.  

All the masses are held in cooperation with the Federation of Filipino Associations in Malaysia. It is the second year the Embassy has hosted the Simbang Gabi, and it hopes to have it as an annual tradition.

On the first day, around 100 Filipinos braved the rains and traffic of central Kuala Lumpur to troop to the Embassy’s conference room to attend the first day of the novena masses. 

The masses are held at the Embassy’s conference room at 7 p.m. from December 1 to 7, and at the Embassy’s consular waiting area at 6 p.m. from December 8 to 9.

The Simbang Gabi is the nine-day novena mass traditionally held at dawn starting on December 16, which serves as the preparation for the birth of Jesus Christ.

The Embassy and the Filipino community will also have a Christmas concert entitled Pamaskong Pamaskong Pasasalamat at the StarXpo Centre of the Kenanga Wholesale Center in Kuala Lumpur on December 04.

Featured in the concert are Manila-based artists Jericho Rosales, Arci Muñoz, and Tart Carlos and talents from the Filipino-Malaysian community. The event is held in partnership with The Filipino Channel, Smart World, Western Union and LBC.  END