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Christmas in the Philippines
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Christmas in the Philippines
In the Philippines, Christmas (Filipino: Pasko; [pɐsˈkɔ] ⓘ) is a major annual celebration, as in most countries of the Christian world. It is observed as a public holiday on December 25, concurrent with celebrations in many other countries.
As one of the two predominantly Catholic countries in Asia (the other being Timor-Leste), the Philippines is often described as having the world's longest Christmas season (Filipino: Kapaskuhan), spanning what are colloquially referred to as the "ber months". With Christmas music played and decorations displayed as early as August, the holiday season gradually begins in September, reaches its peak in December during Christmastide, and concludes within the week after New Year's Day. Festivities may also extend until the third Sunday of January with the feast of the Santo Niño. For some Catholics, the season extends even further, ending only on February 2 with the feast of the Candelaria, marked by cultural observances, religious services, and the traditional removal of decorations. Liturgically, the Christmas season is observed by the Catholic Church from the first day of Advent (the fourth Sunday before Christmas) to Three Kings' Day, which falls on the Sunday between January 2 and 8.
In Filipino and other Philippine languages, the word paskó commonly refers to Christmas. It derives from the Spanish phrase pascua de navidad (lit. 'Easter of the Nativity'); the latter part, de navidad, fell out of use, leaving the word pascua to be assimilated into local languages over the years. The Spanish word pascua ultimately derives from Latin pascha, which was borrowed from Ancient Greek πάσχα (páskha), meaning "Passover". The word was further shortened through the dropping of the final "a", leading to the archaic spelling Pasco and its modern form, Pasko.
In Kapampangan, Pasko is spelled Pasku or Pascu, the latter reflecting the language's Spanish-based orthography. In other languages spoken in the country, including Chavacano (a Spanish-based creole), Hiligaynon, and Ilocano, the Spanish-derived word pascua remains in use, although its spelling may vary. Krismas, a Filipinized rendering of English Christmas, is also occasionally used in informal contexts. Christmas Day is called Araw ng Pasko and Christmas Eve Bisperas ng Pasko (from Spanish vísperas). In the Pangasinan language, Inkianac (meaning "birth") is also used alongside Pasko. Conversely, navidad survived in the Bolinao language in the form of Abidad.
Several Filipino Christmas-related terms are derived from paskó, including Kapaskuhán (Christmas season), namamaskó (a caroller), pamamaskó (the act of caroling), pamaskó (Christmas gift), and pampaskó or pang-Paskó (lit. 'for Christmas', often referring to clothing worn for the holiday).
Pamamaskó also refers to the practice in which children visit relatives, godparents, and family friends during Christmas, offering greetings and songs in exchange for gifts of money or food. The custom usually takes place after attending Christmas Day Mass.
The earliest claims of a Christmas celebration in what is now the Philippines come from a widely disputed legend involving an Italian Franciscan missionary named Odoric. According to the account, Odoric and his companions were blown off course by a storm and landed in present-day Bolinao, Pangasinan, where they were said to have preached to the inhabitants and celebrated a Catholic Mass on December 25, 1324. Later retellings claim that he baptized locals and planted a cross at the site, while others added the detail of a Christmas tree–an anachronism, as this custom would not even become common in Europe until the 19th century.
Historians such as Ambeth Ocampo and William Henry Scott have dismissed the account as lacking credible evidence. Notwithstanding scholarly rejection, a plaque was installed in 2007 at Bolinao Church, claiming that Odoric celebrated a Mass there in 1324. The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) officially recognize the 1521 Easter Sunday Mass in Mazaua (present Limasawa, Southern Leyte) as the earliest documented Catholic Mass in the archipelago.
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Christmas in the Philippines
In the Philippines, Christmas (Filipino: Pasko; [pɐsˈkɔ] ⓘ) is a major annual celebration, as in most countries of the Christian world. It is observed as a public holiday on December 25, concurrent with celebrations in many other countries.
As one of the two predominantly Catholic countries in Asia (the other being Timor-Leste), the Philippines is often described as having the world's longest Christmas season (Filipino: Kapaskuhan), spanning what are colloquially referred to as the "ber months". With Christmas music played and decorations displayed as early as August, the holiday season gradually begins in September, reaches its peak in December during Christmastide, and concludes within the week after New Year's Day. Festivities may also extend until the third Sunday of January with the feast of the Santo Niño. For some Catholics, the season extends even further, ending only on February 2 with the feast of the Candelaria, marked by cultural observances, religious services, and the traditional removal of decorations. Liturgically, the Christmas season is observed by the Catholic Church from the first day of Advent (the fourth Sunday before Christmas) to Three Kings' Day, which falls on the Sunday between January 2 and 8.
In Filipino and other Philippine languages, the word paskó commonly refers to Christmas. It derives from the Spanish phrase pascua de navidad (lit. 'Easter of the Nativity'); the latter part, de navidad, fell out of use, leaving the word pascua to be assimilated into local languages over the years. The Spanish word pascua ultimately derives from Latin pascha, which was borrowed from Ancient Greek πάσχα (páskha), meaning "Passover". The word was further shortened through the dropping of the final "a", leading to the archaic spelling Pasco and its modern form, Pasko.
In Kapampangan, Pasko is spelled Pasku or Pascu, the latter reflecting the language's Spanish-based orthography. In other languages spoken in the country, including Chavacano (a Spanish-based creole), Hiligaynon, and Ilocano, the Spanish-derived word pascua remains in use, although its spelling may vary. Krismas, a Filipinized rendering of English Christmas, is also occasionally used in informal contexts. Christmas Day is called Araw ng Pasko and Christmas Eve Bisperas ng Pasko (from Spanish vísperas). In the Pangasinan language, Inkianac (meaning "birth") is also used alongside Pasko. Conversely, navidad survived in the Bolinao language in the form of Abidad.
Several Filipino Christmas-related terms are derived from paskó, including Kapaskuhán (Christmas season), namamaskó (a caroller), pamamaskó (the act of caroling), pamaskó (Christmas gift), and pampaskó or pang-Paskó (lit. 'for Christmas', often referring to clothing worn for the holiday).
Pamamaskó also refers to the practice in which children visit relatives, godparents, and family friends during Christmas, offering greetings and songs in exchange for gifts of money or food. The custom usually takes place after attending Christmas Day Mass.
The earliest claims of a Christmas celebration in what is now the Philippines come from a widely disputed legend involving an Italian Franciscan missionary named Odoric. According to the account, Odoric and his companions were blown off course by a storm and landed in present-day Bolinao, Pangasinan, where they were said to have preached to the inhabitants and celebrated a Catholic Mass on December 25, 1324. Later retellings claim that he baptized locals and planted a cross at the site, while others added the detail of a Christmas tree–an anachronism, as this custom would not even become common in Europe until the 19th century.
Historians such as Ambeth Ocampo and William Henry Scott have dismissed the account as lacking credible evidence. Notwithstanding scholarly rejection, a plaque was installed in 2007 at Bolinao Church, claiming that Odoric celebrated a Mass there in 1324. The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) officially recognize the 1521 Easter Sunday Mass in Mazaua (present Limasawa, Southern Leyte) as the earliest documented Catholic Mass in the archipelago.
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