In Brazil, what is the name of the midnight mass on Christmas Eve?

In Brazil, the midnight Mass on Christmas Eve is called Missa do Galo.

The Portuguese name literally means “Rooster’s Mass.” It belongs to the wider Catholic tradition known in Spanish as Misa de Gallo and in Catalan as Missa del Gall. The rooster is associated with daybreak, vigilance, and the announcement of Christ’s birth. In Brazil, the service traditionally begins at midnight as December 24 becomes December 25, although many parishes now schedule it earlier for practical and safety reasons.

Brazilian Christmas customs reflect both Portuguese Catholic heritage and local culture. Families commonly gather for a late Christmas Eve meal, often featuring roast turkey, fruit, farofa, cod, and rabanada. Some attend Mass afterward, while others watch a televised Christmas service from Rome.

Missa do Galo is sometimes confused with the Philippines’ Simbang Gabi. The terms are related, but Simbang Gabi is a nine-day series of dawn or evening Masses, whereas Missa do Galo generally refers to the Christmas Eve midnight liturgy. The phrase is also used in other Portuguese-speaking and Latin Catholic communities.