Simbang Gabi Mass – December 15

The Filipino Catholic Ministry in the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Florida, invites you to the first of a nine-day devotional series of Advent Masses in preparation for Christmas. The first Mass of this celebration will be held at St. Paul Catholic Church on Monday, December 15th at 7:00pm. A reception in the St. Paul Pavilion will be held after the Mass.

The Simbang Gabi tradition, which means “Night Mass,” started in the 1600’s as dawn Masses for Filipino farmers, though modern celebrations often include evening services. The celebration is marked by a spirit of anticipation for Christ’s birth and often involves community gatherings and traditional Filipino foods afterward.