Christmas in the Philippines and in the Church
It is customary in the Philippine Archipelago that the celebration of the Lord's nativity is pretty much long, actually it is because as per in the Catholic Church it is called the Christmas Season and it highlights some notable feast like the Holy Family and the Epiphany also The Self Manifestation of our Lord and commonly known as the Three Kings. It also highlights the octave within Christmas or the 8 days of joy where in the liturgy the Gloria is being sung or recited. That is how Christmas is being celebrated in the church.yet back on the Philippine mindset of Christmas, it begins with the "ber" months season. starting with September all throughout December and ends with Christmas day. A little deception with the context of the Church that Christmas ends with the Baptism of our Lord that falls January 13th this year.
Church
One of the core characteristics of the the catholic congregation is the place of worship also known as the churches where the celebration of the liturgy and sacraments as well as other ministerial and pastoral events are being held and celebrated most especially the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. People from the past value the intrinsic role of churches in the growth of the spirituality and relationship of the congregation to our Lord. That is why eggs are being used to strengthen the foundation. Artistic illustrations of angels and saints are attached to various pillars. Million worth of paintings are seen in the ceiling. Plenty of characters from the bible and the saints are placed in the walls most especially on the windows and highlighted in the center is the retablo mayor and the dome.on various churches the altar set up is being changes and decorated in special occasions like Christmas, feast days, solemnities, memorials and easter. it is customary in the Philippine tradition to set us a nativity scene and christmas trees and christmas lanterns or parol
Culture
in different culture christmas is celebrated with a huge importance and even value even smaller details of the liturgy and in the christmas symbols found on various churches. In the Philippines we are traditionally informed and aware of the so called novena- a nine day preparation toward a special feast day or solemnity. Christmas is being highlighted in the Philippines with the simbang gabi or dawn masses said in the dawn to commemorate the nine months of Jesus in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is also in honor of the Great Virgin Mother of God that in the past it is called Rorate Masses for the Blessed Virgin. In Spain the nine days novena is highlighted with the very unusual yet good to ponder representation of the nativity scene. it is called Las Jornaditas where everyday within the nine days up until Christmas Eve the set up is being arranged differently everyday. The tradition started in the Latin America in the 16th century the sadly been dying that time that Spain took oven and continued the tradition. In local terms it is the journey depicting the couple Mary and Joseph on their journey towards the Nativity of our Lord in the Christmas Eve.
Photo Credits to the page of https://www.facebook.com/AveMariaPilipinas/
During the Nativity
in the nativity season there are promising tradition both local and international that brings out the joyous and festive importance of the Nativity of our Lord. Starting is from Rome, where the famed Bambino de Aracoeli is being brought out in the nativity scene to be seen up close and venerated
in the Cathedral Parish of Saint John the Baptist Kalibo, Aklan one of the neglected symbol of the nativity Scene was the angel. It is said that during the creation of the angel in the preternatural world, god asked them by virtue of humility and to ask their obedience that in the future, God will become man and one of their task is to serve God the Son in the world. note that Angel is superior that man yet not by God. Those of the angel who've said serviam that they will serve was admitted in heaven. that number was seen in the gospel who have appeared to the shepherd saying Glory to God in the Highest
The Town of Malinao Aklan
a day before the Christmas a paid a visit to the newly renovated church of Saint Joseph in Malinao, Aklan to see the grandeur of the fruit of the renovation by the National Historical Commission and to discover the hidden beauty of their Christmas Tradition. The church as for the claim of the parishioners was the first church erected in Aklan as with supporting pictures from various libraries that the facade was still intact until its present beauty that undergone restoration.
Facade
The facade was decorated with various images as there was a two side altar featuring the two great patrons of Aklan, Our Lady and Our Lord in His Infancy. The newly renovated facade includes the new images of Saints Peter and Paul as if guarding the pillar of the Church with the resemblance of the Manila Cathedral. Top of the center of the facade was the great patron of the town and protector of the Catholic Church; The great foster father of Our Lord Saint Joseph.
Retablo Mayor
The newly blessed retablo was sort of adopted from old traditional design bearing the perdon or the crusifix at the center together with the tabernacle of the Most Blessed Sacrament. Together in the altar is the Patroness of the Philippine Island; The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the titular patron of the town; Saint Joseph the Worker. One of the key characteristic of the newly renovated altar is the altar rails that after the several churches not celebrating the Traditional Latin Mass removed the pulpit and the altar rails in each churches. The altar rail serves as a boundary between the congregation and the sanctuary where the most blessed sacrament is present and to avoid people with unholy motive desecrate the altar and the Blessed Sacrament.
One of the images featured in the sanctuary is the image of Saint Joseph under a tree together with an angel
Christmas Tradition
Kometa
Translated in Aklanon-Comet. It is narrated that in the christmas narrative in the sacred scriptures that a star lead the three magi to see the new born king Word made flesh. in the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the mass in the town of Malinao, prior to the singing of the gloria a comet often seen as star is set up to accompany the eyes of the faithful leading their eyes to the nativithy scene in the center of the altar.this tradition is one of the most awaited event in the christmas season. I verified it myself that even in the jeepney on the way to the town the day before the 24th of december people are talking about it.
image below is the men setting up the kometa a day before the nativity mass
Christmas Proclamation
one of the beauty of our faith and the richness of our liturgy is we are always bringing the celebration at its fullness, in the high masses from the old mass there is always a chanting of the christmas proclamation. in the town of Malinao, a set of women choir, occupy a space at the both sides of the altar. Their primary role is to sing the et incarnatus as per the soloist of the choir that seems the christmas proclamation.
Dove
prior to the arrival of the kometa in the altar a dove will signal the arrival of the star that is now being kept inside a case in the newly renovated and enhanced ceiling in the parish. its reflection would be the christmas event was through the Holy Spirit conceived in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary signals the fulfillment of the incarnation of the Son of God. The Holy Spirit is honored that even invisible was made visible through the Blessed Virgin that bore the Son of God.
here is the image of the new ceiling
The image features the communion of saints in heaven as well as the depiction of the Holy Trinity and the exaltation of the Holy Cross
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