‘Misa de Gallo’ allowed only in churches

CEBU CITY – The local government said it will allow dawn masses or Misa de Gallo, but only in churches and prohibited the nine-day Eucharistic celebrations in shopping malls, small chapels and other venues.

Misa de Gallo is a name for the Catholic Mass celebrated around midnight of Christmas Eve and sometimes in the days immediately preceding Christmas.  

Mayor Edgardo Labella said this policy will ensure the strict observance of minimum health protocols, particularly the 50-percent capacity per venue at one time. He said since Cebu City is under Modified General Community Quarantine, churches must observe the 50-percent capacity limit.

“While the authority to decide whether or not to conduct Misa de Gallo is given to the LGUs (local government units), I, myself, is in favor of the Misa de Gallo,” Labella said.

Labella said he decided to limit the pre-Christmas dawn celebrations to the main churches in compliance with the policies and the health protocols set by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) in combating the spread of Covid-19.

He said the local government sought the assistance of the Parish Pastoral Security Council of the Archdiocese of Cebu in laying down security measures, as well as in deploying marshals, to ensure churchgoers are compliant with health measures such as wearing of face mask and physical distancing.

Labella also urged Cebuanos to bear with the local government’s policy in not allowing all establishments to reopen even if the capital city is now under lower quarantine restrictions. “Always remember, even if Cebu City has been under MGCQ but not all establishments are open. We have opened the economy but those establishments that may put the health and lives of the people at risk are still prohibited today,” he said. (John Rey Saavedra)

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