CATHERINE H. SANTOS
Today marks the beginning of the simbang gabi, a long-treasured Filipino tradition of celebrating a nine-day series of dawn masses before Christmas. While there have been some changes in the observance of the tradition over the last 600 years, the fundamental purpose of Filipino Catholics attending simbang gabi remains the same. It is basically to show devotion to the Blessed Mother and to spiritually prepare for the celebration of the birth of Christ.