True storyEvery December the city of San Fernando in Pampanga holds its Giant Lantern Festival.
VII · The World
How is Christmas celebrated in the Philippines?
True storyHow to read this bookReads aloud in 3 minutesAdded to the book
True storyIn the Philippines, Christmas Day is one of the country's national holidays.
In the Philippines, the days before Christmas belong to Simbang Gabi: from December 16 to 24, Filipino Catholics go to nine Masses in a row, by tradition at dawn. Nine in ten Filipinos are Christian, and about three in four are Catholic; only Brazil and Mexico are home to more Catholics.
At a glance
- Nine Masses: Simbang Gabi, December 16 to 24, by tradition at dawn
- December 25: Christmas Day, a regular national holiday
- In January: the feast of the Santo Niño, the Holy Child Jesus
- Christians: about nine in ten; Catholics: about three in four
Christmas words
say it
Maligayang Pasko
tap, and follow the star
- What it means
- happy Christmas (maligaya means happy; Pasko means Christmas)
- When to say it
- at Christmas
/maliˌɡajaŋ pasˈko/
Simbang Gabi
From December 16 to 24, Filipino Catholics keep Simbang Gabi: nine Masses in a row, by tradition at dawn, ending on Christmas Eve. People call them Simbang Gabi, Misa de Gallo or the Aguinaldo Masses. These are joyful Masses: the priest wears white and the Gloria is sung. Today many churches also hold them the evening before, a change that began in the years of martial law.
A Catholic country in Asia
In figures from 2010, the Philippines and Timor-Leste were the only two countries in Asia where most people were Catholic.
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
Christmas Day is one of the Philippines’ regular national holidays. For 2026, a proclamation also made Christmas Eve a special non-working day, to give families more time together at Christmas.
The lanterns of San Fernando
In December the city of San Fernando, in Pampanga, holds its Giant Lantern Festival.
The Santo Niño
In January, Filipino Catholics honor the Santo Niño, the Holy Child Jesus, with a feast on a Sunday in the middle of the month.
Quick answers
What is Simbang Gabi?
Nine Masses in a row, from December 16 to 24, by tradition at dawn. Many churches now also hold them the evening before.
How do you say Merry Christmas in Filipino?
Maligayang Pasko, said mah-lee-GAH-yahng pahs-KOH.
Is Christmas a holiday in the Philippines?
Yes: Christmas Day, a regular national holiday. For 2026, Christmas Eve is a special non-working day too.
Read on: why so many countries celebrate on Christmas Eve, Christmas in Mexico, Simbang Gabi, Christmas lights and Tagalog Christmas words.
Where our facts come from
- CBCP News (Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines), "Instructions on the celebration of Aguinaldo Masses, Misa de Gallo or Simbang Gabi", December 2, 2020, Title and introduction ("Aguinaldo Masses, Misa de Gallo, Simbang Gabi"; "traditionally held at dawn from December 16 to 24"; "white vestments, singing of the Gloria, ornamentation"); section 1 ("nine consecutive early morning or dawn Masses"; moved to the previous evening "in the Martial law years"; evening Masses "can start as early as 6:00pm"); section 2 ("The Gloria is prayed/sung and white vestments are used")
- Pew Research Center, "5 facts about religion in the Philippines", June 30, 2026, The introduction, before the five facts (the world's third-largest Catholic population, after Brazil and Mexico); section "Three-quarters of Filipinos are Catholic", the sentence above the chart (92% of adults Christian, 76% Catholic)
- J. Z. Park et al. (Baylor University), "Asian Pacific Islander Catholics in the United States: A Preliminary Report", USCCB, January 2015, Page 4, bullet list ("The only Asian nations or territories with Catholic majorities are the Philippines … and Timor-Leste"; data from Pew's Global Christianity report, 2010 figures)
- Republic Act No. 9492 (July 25, 2007), amending Sec. 26 of the Administrative Code of 1987 (Lawphil Project), Section 1, amended Sec. 26 (1)(a) "Regular Holidays" ("Christmas Day – December 25")
- Proclamation No. 1006, s. 2025 (September 3, 2025), "Declaring the Regular Holidays and Special (Non-Working) Days for the Year 2026" (Lawphil Project), Section 1, D. Additional Special (Non-Working) Days ("Christmas Eve – 24 December (Thursday)"); the whereas clause (more time for "Christmas Day activities", to strengthen family ties)
- City Government of San Fernando, Pampanga, notice "Supply and Delivery of Meals to be served during the Giant Lantern Festival 2023 Reception … on December 2023", The notice's title (reference 2023-10-02543); the city's festival committee notices in its sitemap
- Kendrick Ivan B. Panganiban, "2 Holy Child shrines declared on Santo Niño feast", CBCP News, January 17, 2022, Paragraph 1 ("on Sunday, the feast of the Sto. Niño"); the photo caption (the Mass on Jan. 16, 2022)