Holy Saturday: The Easter Vigil
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Holy Saturday, Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter is Saturday, April 8th, 2023.
The Easter Vigil
Holy Saturday is the third day of the Sacred Paschal Triduum and it is the Saturday before Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord.
The Easter Vigil begins between sunset on Holy Saturday and sunrise on Easter Sunday. The Easter Vigil Mass is held and is the first official celebration of Jesus Christ's Resurrection from the dead. This night's vigil is the greatest and most holy of all solemnities in the Catholic Church.
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On this holy night, the Church keeps watch, celebrating the Resurrection of Christ in the sacraments and awaiting his return in glory. It is the turning point of the Sacred Paschal Triduum, the Passover of the new covenant, which marks Christ's passage from death to life. Therefore, the Easter Vigil does not correspond to the usual Saturday evening Mass and its character is unique in the cycle of the liturgical year.
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What are the elements and parts to the Easter Vigil?
The Easter Vigil consists of four parts:
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The Service of Light
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Liturgy of the Word
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Liturgy of Baptism
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Liturgy of the Eucharist
The Service of Light
In a suitable place, a "blazing fire" ( rogus ardens) is to be prepared so that the people may experience the flames dispelling the darkness and lighting up the night. Thus do the beauty of the fire, its warmth and its light, draw the liturgical assembly together. As the celebrant blesses the fire he says a prayer with hands outstretched.
The Paschal Candle is brought forward. The Paschal Candle is the symbol of the "light of Christ, rising in glory," scattering the "darkness of our hearts and minds." Jesus is the light of the world.
The celebrant cuts a cross into the candle. Then he makes the Greek letter Alpha above the cross, the letter Omega below it, and the four numerals of the current year between the arms of the cross. After these rites, the priest lights the Paschal Candle from the new fire and says: May the light of Christ, rising in glory, dispel the darkness of our hearts and minds.
After the procession, the Easter Proclaimation is proclaimed from the ambo. This poetic text captures the whole Easter mystery placed within the context of the economy of salvation.
Liturgy of the Word
One of the unique aspects of the Easter Vigil is the recounting of the outstanding deeds of the history of salvation. These deeds are related in seven readings from the Old Testament chosen from the law and the prophets and two readings from the New Testament, namely from the apostles and from the gospel. Thus, the Lord "beginning with Moses and all the prophets" meets us once again on our journey and, opening up our minds and hearts, prepares us to share in the breaking of the bread and the drinking of the cup.
Liturgy of Baptism
After the readings, the liturgy of Baptism begins. Christ's Passover and ours are given full expression when baptismal water is blessed in the font and when the Christian Initiation of Adults takes place at the Easter Vigil. While the new members of the community are baptized, the faithful join in renewing our promises as the whole community is sprinkled with the water as we remember our baptism.
Liturgy of the EucharistRegarding the Eucharist, we are reminded "about the preciousness of so great a mystery, which is the climax of initiation and the center of the Christian life". The Easter Vigil comes to a climax in the sharing of the Eucharist.
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They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
Luke 24: 2-3
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Easter Vigil Reflection
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Readings of the Mass
LISTEN HERE for the Audio recording of the Readings of April 16th, 2022, Holy Saturday. Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter.
SELECT HERE for the Readings of April 16th, 2022, Holy Saturday. Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter.
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The Exsultet is said or sung during the Easter Vigil, after the Easter candle is lit. The deacon usually sings this proclamation, or the priest. If there is no deacon or priest to sing, then another person may sing.
Easter Proclaimation, ExsultetRejoice, heavenly powers! Sing, choirs of angels!
Exult, all creation around God's throne!
Jesus Christ, our King, is risen!
Sound the trumpet of salvation!
Rejoice, O earth, in shining splendor,
radiant in the brightness of your King!
Christ has conquered! Glory fills you!
Darkness vanishes for ever!
Rejoice, O Mother Church! Exult in glory!
The risen Savior shines upon you!
Let this place resound with joy,
echoing the mighty song of all God's people!
[My dearest friends, standing with me in this holy light,
join me in asking God for mercy,
that he may give his unworthy minister
grace to sing his Easter praises.]
[V. The Lord be with you.
R. And also with you.]
V. Lift up your hearts.
R. We lift them up to the Lord.
V. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
R. It is right to give him thanks and praise.
It is truly right
that with full hearts and minds and voices
we should praise the unseen God, the all-powerful Father,
and his only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
For Christ has ransomed us with his blood,
and paid for us the price of Adam's sin
to our eternal Father!
This is our passover feast,
when Christ, the true Lamb, is slain,
whose blood consecrates the homes of all believers.
This is the night when first you saved our fathers:
you freed the people of Israel from their slavery
and led them dry-shod through the sea.
This is the night when the pillar of fire
destroyed the darkness of sin!
This is the night when Christians everywhere,
washed clean of sin
and freed from all defilement,
are restored to grace and grow together in holiness.
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This is the night when Jesus Christ
broke the chains of death
and rose triumphant from the grave.
What good would life have been to us,
had Christ not come as our Redeemer?
Father, how wonderful your care for us!
How boundless your merciful love!
To ransom a slave
you gave away your Son.
O happy fault, O necessary sin of Adam,
which gained for us so great a Redeemer!
Most blessed of all nights, chosen by God
to see Christ rising from the dead! Of this night scripture says:
"The night will be as clear as day:
it will become my light, my joy."
The power of this holy night
dispels all evil, washes guilt away,
restores lost innocence, brings mourners joy;
it casts out hatred, brings us peace, and humbles earthly
pride.
Night truly blessed when heaven is wedded to earth
and man is reconciled with God!
Therefore, heavenly Father, in the joy of this night,
receive our evening sacrifice of praise,
your Church's solemn offering.
Accept this Easter candle,
a flame divided but undimmed,
a pillar of fire that glows to the honor of God.
Let it mingle with the lights of heaven
and continue bravely burning
to dispel the darkness of this night!
May the morning Star which never sets find this flame
still burning:
Christ, that Morning Star, who came back from the dead,
and shed his peaceful light on all mankind,
your Son who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
R. Amen.
The Exsultet is said or sung during the Easter Vigil, after the Easter candle is lit. The deacon usually sings this proclamation, or the priest. If there is no deacon or priest to sing, then another person may sing, but omit the bracketed words of ["My dearest friends, etc."]
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