Traditional Rorate Mass on December 23: Photos

Full photo-galleries of the Rorate Mass held at the Parish of the Lord of Divine Mercy on December 23 of this year can be found HERE, HERE and HERE.

Some of the pictures:

Simple paper lamps with candles, on the ground

Our chaplain, Fr. Michell Joe Zerrudo, also has a blog post on this Mass (which he celebrated) in his blog: Rorate Mass in the Longest Night of the Year.

Announcement: traditional-style 'Simbang Gabi' in the Parish of the Lord of Divine Mercy on December 23

The Parish of the Lord of Divine Mercy of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cubao, the current home of the oldest continuously-existing Traditional Latin Mass community in the Philippines, will be having a Rorate Mass (better known in this country as Simbang Gabi) according to the 1962 Missal on December 23, Friday, at 2:00 A.M. (yes, that's TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING). 

Rorate Mass according to the 1962 Missal. SOURCE. 

In accordance with the traditional way of celebrating the "Rorate Mass" not just in the Philippines but also in Europe, the Mass will be offered entirely in candlelight. Some churchgoers are also expected to come with traditional Filipino parols or star-shaped Christmas lanterns (traditional because these will be lit from the inside with candles). The hour at which the Mass will be celebrated is also quite traditional: the "Simbang Gabi" was sometimes offered as early as two in the morning in pre-WWII Philippines (see this article: Christmas in the Philippines c. 1940).

Naturally, the texts and readings of the 1962 Missal's Votive Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Advent will be used. 

The older Filipino way of observing All Saints' and All Souls' Days.

Go to the Filipino Catholicism blog to read more on this topic:

The older Filipino way of observing "Undas"