For the first time, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels will host an archdiocesan-wide beginning to the traditional Simbang Gabi celebration.

Auxiliary Bishop Oscar A. Solis will preside at the Dec. 15 event, beginning at 6:30 p.m. and preceded by the Parade of Parols or lanterns which are the Philippine Christmas symbol. The traditional five-point star parol lights up people's homes and is used when walking to Mass before dawn.

Simbang Gabi is a Philippine Advent tradition, a novena of Masses that literally means "night Mass," This year's theme is "Father, May They be One (Ama, nawa'y mahka-isa sila)," taken from John 17: 21.

"This theme is truly appropriate to highlight our nation's diverse realities and our desire to have unity in diversity," said Good Shepherd Sister Mary Christina Sevilla, ministry director for the Filipino Community of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, under whose auspices the Our Lady of the Angels Region is sponsoring the celebration. An interparish choir directed by Ed Magistrado will sing at the Mass.

Simbang Gabi, a uniquely Filipino custom dating back nearly 500 years, begins nine nights before Christmas Eve. In the Philippines, families usually make their way to church in the dark to attend dawn Mass. Hence the term: Simbang Gabi. In the U.S. Masses are often held in the evening.

More than 100 parishes of the archdiocese are hosting one or more nights of Simbang Gabi celebrations, some for all nine. For more information, call the Office of Filipino Ministry at (323) 662-8480. For information on a particular celebration, call the parish.

SIMBANG GABI 2003 SCHEDULE

Our Lady of the Angels Region

A novena of Simbang Gabi Masses Dec. 16-24 takes place at the following parishes:

---Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, L.A., 5:30 a.m.

---St. Brendan Church, L.A., 6 a.m.

---St. Columban Church, L.A., 7 p.m. except Dec. 19, 5 p.m.; Dec. 24, 6 a.m.

---St. Kevin Church, L.A., 7 p.m.

Additional celebrations:

Dec. 16

Our Mother of Good Counsel Church, L.A., 7 p.m.

Precious Blood Church, L.A., 7 p.m.

St. Basil Church, L.A., 7 p.m.

Dec. 17

St. Mary Magdalen Church, L.A., 7 p.m.

St. Sebastian Church, L.A., 7 p.m.

Dec. 18

St. Gerard Majella Church, L.A., 5:30 p.m.

St. Augustine Church, Culver City, 7 p.m.

Dec. 19

Blessed Sacrament Church, L.A., 6 p.m.

Dec. 21

Cathedral Chapel, L.A., 7 p.m.

St. Teresa of Avila Church, L.A., 7 p.m.

Dec. 22

St. Joan of Arc Church, L.A., 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 23

St. Anne Church, Santa Monica, 6 p.m.

St. Gregory Nazianzen Church, L.A., 6 p.m.

Christ the King Church, L.A., 7:30 p.m.

Santa Barbara Region

A novena of Masses Dec. 16-23 takes place at the following parishes:

---Queen of Angels Church, Lompoc (call for schedule; (805) 733-2735).

---Mary Star of the Sea Church, Oxnard, 7 p.m. weekdays, 5:30 p.m. weekends.

Additional celebrations:

Dec. 17

St. Peter Claver Church, Simi Valley, 7 p.m.

St. Paschal Baylon Church, Thousand Oaks, 7 p.m.

Dec. 18

St. Jude Church, Westlake Village, 5 p.m.

Sacred Heart Church, Ventura, 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 19

St. Rose of Lima Church, Simi Valley, 6 p.m.

Dec. 22

St. Julie Billiart Church, Newbury Park, 7 p.m.

Dec. 23

Blessed Junipero Serra Church, Camarillo, 7 p.m.

San Fernando Region

A novena of Masses Dec. 16-24 take place at the following parishes:

---Holy Trinity Church, Atwater, weekdays 7 p.m., weekends 5 p.m.

---Our Lady of the Valley Church, Canoga Park, 5 a.m.

---Holy Family Church, Glendale, 5 a.m.

---St. Genevieve Church, Panorama City, 5:30 a.m. (from Dec. 17)

Additional celebrations:

Dec. 16

St. Genevieve Church, Panorama City, 7 p.m.

Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Northridge, 7 p.m.

Dec. 17

Incarnation Church, Glendale, 7 p.m.

St. Didacus Church, Sylmar, 7 p.m.

St. Francis Xavier Church, Burbank, 7 p.m.

St. John Baptist de la Salle Church, Granada Hills, 7 p.m.

Dec. 18

Blessed Junipero Serra Church, Lancaster, 5 p.m.

Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Tujunga, 5:30 p.m.

St. Mary Church, Palmdale, 5:30 p.m.

St. Patrick Church, North Hollywood, 5:30 p.m.

St. Bridget of Sweden Church, Van Nuys, 7 p.m.

St. Elizabeth Church, Van Nuys, 7 p.m.

St. Ignatius Church, L.A., 7 p.m.

Dec. 19

Sacred Heart Church, Lancaster, 5 p.m.

St. Clare Church, Santa Clarita, 5:30 p.m.

St. Catherine of Siena Church, Reseda, 6 p.m.

St. Jane Frances de Chantal Church, North Hollywood, 6 p.m.

Our Lady of the Rosary Church, North Hollywood, 7 p.m.

Dec. 20

St. Charles Borromeo Church, North Hollywood, 7 p.m.

St. Dominic Church, Eagle Rock, 7 p.m.

St. Ferdinand Church, San Fernando, 7 p.m.

St. John Eudes Church, Chatsworth, 7 p.m.

Dec. 21

St. Joseph the Worker Church, Canoga Park, 7 p.m.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Santa Clarita, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 22

Blessed Kateri Church, Santa Clarita, 7 p.m.

Holy Family Church, Glendale, 7 p.m.

St. Bernard Church, Glassel Park, 7 p.m.

St. Finbar Church, Burbank, 7 p.m.

St. Mel Church, Woodland Hills, 7 p.m.

Dec. 23

Our Lady of Peace Church, North Hills, 7 p.m.

Our Lady of the Valley Church, Canoga Park, 7 p.m.

St. Bede Church, La Canada Flintridge, 7 p.m.

San Gabriel Region

A novena of Masses Dec. 15-23 takes place at the following parishes:

---Annunciation Church, Arcadia, 6 a.m.

Additional celebrations:

Dec. 15

Holy Family Church, South Pasadena, 7 p.m.

Dec. 16

Our Lady of Miraculous Medal Church, Montebello, 7 p.m.

San Gabriel Mission Church, San Gabriel, 7 p.m.

Dec. 17

Sacred Heart Church, Covina, 7 p.m.

St. Denis Church, Diamond Bar, 7 p.m.

St. Elizabeth Church, Altadena, 7 p.m.

St. Louise de Marillac Church, Covina, 7 p.m.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Irwindale, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 18

San Lorenzo Ruiz Church, Walnut, 5 p.m.

St. Andrew Church, Pasadena, 5 p.m.

St. Stephen Church, Monterey Park, 5 p.m.

St. John Vianney Church, Hacienda Heights, 5:15 p.m.

Holy Name of Mary Church, San Dimas, 7 p.m.

St. Dorothy Church, Glendora, 7 p.m.

St. Christopher Church, West Covina, 7 p.m.

Immaculate Conception, Monrovia, 7:15 p.m.

Dec. 19

St. Martha Church, Valinda, 5 p.m.

St. Anthony Church, San Gabriel, 7 p.m.

Dec. 20

St. Benedict Church, Montebello, 7 p.m.

Dec. 22

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, Rowland Heights, 7 p.m.

St. John the Baptist, Baldwin Park, 7 p.m.

Dec. 23

St. Joseph Church, La Puente, 7 p.m.

San Pedro Region

A novena of Masses Dec. 15-23 will take place at the following parishes:

---Holy Family Church, Artesia, 5:30 a.m.

---Holy Innocents Church, Long Beach, 7 p.m.

---St. Lucy Church, Long Beach, 7 p.m.

---St. Philomena Church, Carson, 7 p.m.

Additional celebrations:

Dec. 16

St. Peter Chanel Church, Hawaiian Gardens, 6:30 p.m.

Beatitudes of Our Lord Church, La Mirada, 7 p.m.

Dec. 17

St. Pius X Church, Santa Fe Springs, 7 p.m.

St. Joseph Church, Hawthorne, 7 p.m.

Dec. 18

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque Church, Lomita, 6 a.m.

St. Raymond Church, Downey, 5 p.m.

Mary Star of the Sea Church, San Pedro, 5:15 p.m.

St. Athanasius Church, Long Beach, 5:30 p.m.

St. Hilary Church, Pico Rivera, 5:30 p.m.

Holy Family Church, Artesia, 7 p.m.

Dec. 19

St. John of God Church, Norwalk, 4:45 p.m.

St. Dominic Savio Church, Bellflower, 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 20

St. Linus Church, Norwalk, 7 p.m.

St. Paul of the Cross Church, La Mirada, 7 p.m.

Dec. 21

St. Bernard Church, Bellflower, 7 p.m.

Dec. 22

St. Gregory the Great Church, Whittier, 7 p.m.

Dec. 23

St. Pancratius Church, Lakewood, 6:30 p.m.