04 January 2016 – Forty-seven Filipino community organizations came together for the celebration of a Filipino Christmas in a nine-day evening mass or Simbang Gabi held at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center in Manhattan from 07 to 15 December 2015.
Now on its 28th year, Simbang Gabi sa Konsulado (SGK) reaffirmed the Filipino-American community’s re-connection with its culture and heritage through this unique Filipino Christmas tradition.
As has been the practice of the community in past years, each evening commenced with a recitation of the rosary, a reflection through a two-minute video of the Panunuluyan – another Filipino Christmas tradition narrating the search of Mother Mary and St. Joseph for a place to prepare for Jesus’s birth in Bethlehem – and the celebration of the Holy Mass. A group of second generation Filipino-Americans and their children dramatized the Panunuluyan on the last day.
The Simbang Gabi also gave an opportunity for Filipino-American community organizations in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania to coordinate, work and bond together to organize the Masses, salu-salo and the program. The program each evening demonstrated common Filipino rituals during the festive season of gift-giving, community Christmas caroling and dancing.
In his closing remarks on the 9th day, Consul General Mario L. de Leon, Jr. highlighted that the Simbang Gabi has become an institution that is embraced and honored by the community. He also acknowledged the community’s faith at work in bringing back the Simbang Gabi in 2014 after a two-year hiatus. With this year’s theme “Isapuso ang Pasko,” he asked the community to “pray to take the spirit of Christmas to heart.”
“May our unity in faith always bind us together, in triumph and trials. May this spirit be carried throughout the new year 2016 as we Filipinos represent solidly in America as an emerging community that is very much welcomed in our second home,” the Consul General concluded.
Leaders and members of the Filpino-American organizations, who enthusiastically offered their time and resources, looked forward to next year’s preparation of this joyous holiday gathering. END