PH Post in KL Brings ‘Simbang Gabi’ Closer to Pinoys
MANILA – The Philippine embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia has lined up several events for the Filipino community in time for Christmas.
“We wish to share Christmas joy, the Filipino way, to our Malaysian friends and to our Filipino compatriots who cannot be home in the Philippines in the most festive of our holidays,” Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya said in a statement.
The embassy said there will be nine-day Holy Masses to be held at the embassy grounds every 7 p.m. from December 1 (Tuesday) to December 9 (Wednesday).
The Simbang Gabi is the nine-day novena masses traditionally held at dawn starting on December 16, which serves as the preparation for the birth of Jesus Christ.
The first Simbang Gabi mass will be celebrated by the Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, Most Reverend Julian Low Beng Kim.
The masses are a joint project of the embassy and the Federation of Filipino Associations in Malaysia (FFAM), chaired by Ms. Menchie Añonuevo.
The embassy and the Filipino community will also have a Christmas concert entitled “Pamaskong Handog” to be held on December 6 (Sunday) at the Amphitheatre of the Kompleks Kraft in Kuala Lumpur.
Those visiting the Embassy have noticed that parols (Christmas lanterns) are already up at the main Chancery building and at the gazebo.
Lanterns, courtesy of the San Fernando City Government, are already up at the main Chancery building and at the gazebo of the embassy. Giant versions of these parols will be lit during a Christmas Open House on December 11 (Friday), to be attended by members of the diplomatic corps, Malaysian government officials and businessmen and leaders of the Filipino community.