Peranakan Catholics in Singapore celebrate faith, heritage in Chinese New Year Eve Mass

Around 200 Peranakan Catholics gathered at the Church of the Holy Family in Singapore on January 28 for the annual Peranakan Chinese New Year Eve Mass, a celebration rich in spirituality and culture.

Peranakans, descendants of early Chinese settlers in Southeast Asia who intermarried with local communities, have developed a unique fusion of Chinese and local traditions.

Their language, a blend of Malay and Hokkien, reflects this cultural heritage. The men are known as babas, while the women are called nyonyas.

The special Mass, conducted entirely in Peranakan patois, was celebrated by parish priest Father Adrian Yeo, himself a baba.

The congregation, dressed in traditional Peranakan attire—sarong kebaya for women and batik or Chinese-style baju lok chuan for men—was encouraged to uphold Christian values during the festive season.

Father Yeo reminded the faithful that, unlike non-Christian Chinese who may focus on wealth and prosperity during the New Year, Christian Peranakans should focus on gratitude to God for His blessings.

At the conclusion of the Mass, Indonesian priest Father Robertus Sarwiseso blessed Mandarin oranges, which were distributed before the service. In Peranakan and Chinese traditions, oranges symbolize good fortune and happiness.

The Church of the Holy Family has been celebrating this special Peranakan Mass annually since 1984.

It was initiated by the church’s former parish priest, Father Alfred Chan, a baba, to serve the Peranakan Catholic community, many of whom reside in the eastern part of Singapore. - Christopher Khoo, Singapore