Sunday, December 24, 2006 Newman: Christmas Morn By Jenara Regis Newman
FOR people of Parian and the parishioners of the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, Misa de Gallo was not just attending the novena of Masses at cock’s crow for the days before Christmas. It was also a time for a beautiful tradition of reenacting the search of shepherds and kings for the Child King, God made man.
In his time as parish priest of the cathedral, when he was new to Cebu, this tradition was among what His Eminence, Ricardo J. Cardinal Vidal enjoyed about the cathedral’s Misa de Gallo. But, as he recalls it, when Josefina Gullas died, she who funded the children who would be going around singing native Christmas carols as they looked for the baby Jesus, the custom also died.
Last year, though, it was revived, and for the duration of the Asean Summit preparations this year, the thought of doing it once again was set aside. When the summit went bust, Val Sandiego made haste to meet interested parties so the tradition could go on.
And so it has come about that every 4 o’ clock dawn in the Parian district during these Misa de Gallo days, “kings” on camels in search for the Messiah would come from barangay Tinago and meet up with shepherds with their sheep in barangay Parian near the Parian chapel, and together, would proceed to the Cebu Cathedral singing carols as they search for Jesus. The participants then attend the Misa de Gallo, after which they regroup and, singing carols again (carols believed to be composed by a long-ago resident of Parian) proceed to the Parian plaza for pamainit.
This is what makes the Misa de Gallo tradition in the Parian district more memorable and meaningful, more enjoyable for the children of participants. It is something for them to look forward to and, in later years, to remember.
This year, the proponents of this tradition revival are Barangay Tinago under Barangay Captain Joel Garganera and Barangay Parian under Barangay Captain William Balaga, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, the Kaguikan sa Parian and the Cofradia de San Juan Bautista of which Val Sandiego is a member. The barangays provide the project participants and manpower for security and distribution of the painit, the organizations are in charge of soliciting for funding and Val, on his own, is providing the costumes for the project participants.
This year, Garganera has added a social dimension to the project by letting youth in conflict with the law be the main participants in the Tinago delegation of the Three Kings and their retinue. He says this is part of the process of reintegrating them into the social mainstream.
It is a project that makes the Misa de Gallo tradition of Parian district give deeper meaning to Merry Christmas and a Peaceful New Year.
