Southern California ‘Simbang Gabi’ to be held at LA Cathedral
LOS ANGELES – Filipino Catholics from throughout Southern California will celebrate the beginning of Simbang Gabi, one of the oldest Filipino Christmas traditions, with a special Mass at the Cathedral on Thursday, December 15, 2022 at 6:30 PM.
Archbishop José H. Gomez will preside at the liturgy, presented by the Filipino Ministry of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
The Mass will be preceded by the traditional music band that leads the “Parade of Parols,” or lanterns, of more than 120 parishes from the five pastoral regions in the tri-county Archdiocese (LA, Santa Barbara and Ventura).
The parol, a Philippine Christmas symbol, will be blessed at the end of the Mass. In the Philippines, the parol is used to light up people’s homes and is carried by parishioners attending Simbang Gabi Mass, or “Mass before dawn.”
The procession will also include parol of religious Filipino American organizations, civic and professional organizations, and government offices, usually led by the Philippine Consulate General.
The Mass will be transmitted live via live stream on the Cathedral Facebook and Youtube platforms.
Date/time: Thursday, December 15, 2022, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Location: Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels
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