There’s a belief that anyone who completes all the 9-day, or more properly, 9-night, traditional Simbang Gabi, gets a wish granted. The Simbang Gabi is a practice dating back hundreds of years ago when the Philippines was still a colony of Spain. The mass was celebrated before dawn (nowadays, there’s an option to have Simbang Gabi in the evening). Farmers would attend the mass before heading off to work and because it’s dark, the parol would serve as the light leading to the churches. It’s like the string of light in this photo by the lovely B E T H ( thewanderingwish_ ). Interesting. Just like the fact that the longest Christmas season is celebrated in the Philippines. Distinctly Filipino. Anyway, if you intend to complete the 9-day cycle, you better wait next year because the first mass was celebrated early morning of today (December 16-24). Nothing to lose in trying it, right? Here’s the photo (click to enlarge): Continue reading Photo of the Day: Simbang Gabi
Tag Archives: parol
Photo of the Day: Parol ng Pinoy
A parol or lantern, or what others refer to as a Christmas star (although it’s important to remember that a lantern is not limited in shape as a star), is a common sight in the Philippines, a warm country with the longest Christmas celebration in whole world (some say Philippine Christmas season starts with the “ber” months, September 1, while others say it officially starts on the First Advent, which happens to be today, the reason why we’re featuring the parol). So what makes a parol stand out from the crowd? We really don’t know, but somehow this particular photo of a parol captured our attention. This parol looks really simple, not the most expensive or the most ostentatious in the parol universe, for sure. Maybe our choice is based on this simplicity, yet this parol exudes the colors and warmth of Christmas, an occasion special to Filipinos — it’s one of the few events when you expect Filipinos to move heaven and earth to get home. For Filipinos, Christmas is, in large part, about the family. It is thus not surprising for this special photo to come from a “super dooper happy mom and wife,” like Jade “Jing” Barcas (jade_anne03). Look at this photo (click photo to enlarge): Continue reading Photo of the Day: Parol ng Pinoy