Misa de Gallo is the Spanish phrase for Midnight mass, more literally translated as "Rooster's Mass".
It is said that the "Rooster's Mass" owes its name to the idea that a rooster would have been among the first to witness the birth of Jesus, and thus be the one to announce it.
In most Spanish speaking countries, La Misa del Gallo entails a typical midnight mass, starting at around 12:00 a.m. on Christmas Eve. To see "La Misa Del Gallo" clearly go to Montserrat, high in the mountain near Barcelona.
In the Philippines, the prayer is done early morning on Christmas Eve, and it is the last day of a nine-day ritual known as Simbang Gabi. Completing the nine days culminating with the Misa de Gallo is equal to a wish come true, and many Filipinos believe this centuries-old promise to this day.
One of the customs related to the Philippine Misa de Gallo is the selling of traditional Philippine food, such as puto bumbong (a purple colored rice pastry, seasoned with grated--coconut and brown sugar), tsokolate (a hot chocolate drink), bibingka (flour and egg cakes cooked on top and under), and salabat, or ginger tea, which are sold by vendors to the faithful outside churches.
'twas almost four in the morning when I woke up. I had to shave up, brushed my teeth, took a quick shower. The church was full because it was the first day of 9 mornings before christmas. Guess what? I forgot the Our Father song in my own dialect! So I just made a lip Sync hehhehe
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