I’m a religious person. I go to church every week. I read my scriptures every day. I say morning and night prayers.
But when I asked one of my VAs about Christmas traditions I didn’t expect to hear about midnight mass for 9 days in a row!
Here’s what she said:
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Midnight Mass
You’re probably used to hearing roosters or dogs when you call your VA. Prepare to hear something new if you call your virtual assistant over the holidays, a Catholic mass.
Simbang Gabi or Night Mass is a devotional nine-day series of Catholic masses practiced by Filipinos in anticipation of Christmas. The masses start on Dec 16 and end on Dec 24.
The practice started when the Philippines was colonized by Spain. Spanish friars started holding mass at midnight or at dawn so farmers can attend Christmas devotionals before going to work. The practice continues today because of the superstitious belief that if you complete all 9 masses, your wish would be granted.
This belief is so prevalent, there’s even a movie about it: 9 Mornings (2002) – IMDb
Because of the pandemic though, some Filipinos may have to resort to attending masses online. So if you hear a Catholic mass playing in the background, don’t be surprised. They’re just doing that in the hopes that their wishes would come true for the new year.
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Maybe them working for you helps their wishes come true this next year?
I guess it might depend on what kind of a boss you are.
John