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Thousands
of devotees of this predominantly Catholic province converged
as early as three or four o'clock dawn in church plazas to
herald the coming birth of Christ.
In
big cities where piety carelessly mingles with sleek modernity,
the elite and the affluent, fresh from the jitters of night
clubs and cabarets, in their flashy limousines and woolen
garments will kneel before the King of Kings, while those
in the countryside churches prefer to console themselves with
the thought that Christ would be born in the silence of their
own humble churches.
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"Misa
de Gallo" is a traditional affair which dates back
to the birth of Christ. The church has given sanction
to its early celebration in order to inject a realistic
touch to the greatest and most profound miracle in the
history of Mankind.
The
"Misa de Gallo" is so named to depict the
crowing of the cocks as church bells start ringing to
herald the nine dawn masses before the Nativity.
Filipinos
have been going to these nine pre-Christmas masses as
early as the days of the Spanish conquistadors who introduced
the custom here. The observance was said to have originated
in Mexico when the Spaniards ruled that country.
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The
tradition, wonderfully enough, has survived the acid test
of time, to be observed with renewed fervor as the coming
of every New Year dawns. Not even war, famine, pestilence,
or the vicissitudes of time have attempted to obliterate the
simple homage of those who believe in Christ.
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