THE TRADITIONAL Paskuhan festivities, including the grand Paskuhan concert, will again be mostly limited to Thomasians and alumni this year, the Office of the Secretary General (OSG) said.
Secretary General Fr. Louie Coronel, O.P. told the Varsitarian that the grand Paskuhan concert set on Dec. 21 will be exclusive to Thomasians and UST alumni.
This will be the second straight year that outsiders will be barred from attending the concert, which marks the end of UST’s month-long Christmas celebration.
“Paskuhan 2023: Witnessing the Joy of Christmas” is the theme of this year’s festivities, which drew inspiration from the bible verse Luke 2:20, or “The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen.”
“The theme ‘Witnessing the Joy of Christmas’ draws inspiration from Luke 2:8-20, which recounts the profound and transformative experience of the shepherds in the fields near Bethlehem, where they encountered the newborn Jesus in the manger, and upon seeing Him, they were filled with great joy,” a circular on the Paskuhan theme from the OSG read.
Christmas lights and decor on campus will be lit up on Dec. 1 at 6 p.m., followed by the UST Christmas Concert Gala at 6:30 p.m.
The Paskuhan pop-up village, which will feature Thomasian-made Belen and parol, will be launched at the Quadricentennial Square on Dec. 1 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and will be open until Dec. 7.
A Belen exhibit will be open from Nov. 15, 2023 to Jan. 10, 2024 at the UST Main Building lobby. The “Christmaseum” exhibit at the UST Museum gallery will be open from Nov. 20, 2023 to Jan. 10, 2024.
On Dec. 5, a Paskuhan Mass will be offered at the Santísimo Rosario Parish Church at 5:15 p.m., followed by the traditional Agape or the Thomasian Christmas feast at 6:30 p.m.
The “Christmaseum” concert will be held at the UST Museum on Dec. 6 at 3 p.m. and on Dec. 7 at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
On Dec. 7, a University-wide advent recollection will be held at the Santísimo Rosario Parish Church from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. It will be followed by a vigil Mass for the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
There will be no classes in the University on Dec. 8, a special non-working holiday and school holiday, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Masses will be offered at the Santísimo Rosario Parish Church at 6:15 a.m., 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 4 p.m., 5:30 p.m., and 7 p.m.
The traditional Simbang Gabi Masses will start on Dec. 15 and will be celebrated every 4:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. until Dec. 24.
The Paskuhan raffle draw will be on Dec. 21 at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the Plaza Mayor.
At 4 p.m., the grand Paskuhan concert will commence.
Paskuhan-related events at the UST Museum and Masses will be accessible to non-Thomasians, Coronel said.
The Christmas break at the University will be from Dec. 22 to Jan. 14.
Last year, in-person Paskuhan festivities returned on-site for the first time since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, with most activities limited to Thomasians and University alumni. Hannah Joyce V. Andaya
