Lanterns lead Pampanga’s dawn devotion

Simbang Gabi in Pampanga feels a little more magical than anywhere else. Before dawn breaks, streets glow not just with church lights but with towering lanterns carried in solemn processions — turning entire towns into rivers of light.

This tradition is called Lubenas or Lubenas ning Pasku, a centuries-old Kapampangan devotion that blends faith, artistry, and community. Practiced mainly in Pampanga and parts of Tarlac, Lubenas is held on the eve of each Simbang Gabi from 16 to 24 December, serving as a nine-day spiritual preparation for the birth of Christ.

Rooted in the novena — or Misa de Gallo — Lubenas takes its name from a Kapampangan adaptation of the Spanish word novena. Historians trace the practice back to the 1800s, and despite the passage of time, it remains very much alive today.

In Angeles City, Lubenas is a visual and spiritual feast. Participating barangays such as Cutcut, Malabanias, Pampang, Pandan, Pulungbulu, Sta. Teresita, Sto. Domingo, Sto. Rosario, and San Nicolas roll out handcrafted lanterns, illuminated crosses, and religious icons. These are carried through historic streets as devotees chant “Dios te Salve, Maria,” their voices echoing in the early morning quiet.

Traditionally, each procession follows a distinct pattern: a lantern shaped like a cross leads the way, followed by 12 lanterns arranged in pairs to represent the apostles. Behind them comes the andas or carroza bearing the image of the barangay’s patron saint. In towns like Magalang, fish-shaped lanterns are added — symbols of Christ and his followers — while choirs, brass bands, or guitarists accompany the faithful.

Magalang, in particular, has drawn attention for reviving the tradition on a grand scale. This year, the town showcased more than 400 handmade lanterns, with festivities beginning as early as 12 December in a massive parade involving 26 barangays. The effort has earned cultural heritage recognition, proof of how deeply Lubenas is woven into local identity.

Angeles City’s Lubenas is among the most elaborate and well-attended, culminating in the Maitinis on Christmas Eve, when lanterns from different barrios converge at the Holy Rosary Parish. Meanwhile, in the City of San Fernando — home of the famous Giant Lantern Festival — the tradition lives on through modern Pailaw displays, which trace their roots back to the original Lubenas processions.

Kapampangan lantern artistry even found a national spotlight recently, when parols from Angeles City were featured in the Metro Manila Film Festival Parade of Stars — bringing Lubenas ning Pasku to a wider audience.

For Kapampangans, Lubenas is more than a pre-dawn walk to church. It is faith carried on bamboo poles, prayers glowing in candlelight, and a shared heritage passed from one generation to the next — one of the many reasons Pampanga proudly carries its title as the country’s Yuletide capital.