Easter Vigil - Christianity's Most Beautiful Easter Tradition

The Catholic Easter Vigil Service is the most beautiful and spiritually uplifting of all Easter traditions. Celebrated on Holy Saturday evening after dark, this two hour or longer service that dates back to the early church embodies the true meaning of Easter - the triumph of life over death ... and the victory of the forces of light over the forces of darkness made possible through Christ's death and resurrection.

Since the conclusion of the Holy Thursday evening service, the interior of the church as been bare and in a state of dark emptiness - similar to a tomb. Candles, votive lamps and holy water have been removed ... all crucifixes, crosses and statues of saints have been shrouded entirely in purple ... the Holy Eucharist has been removed and transported to a repository where it will remain until the Easter Vigil service ... there are no flowers or other signs of joy or celebration. This commemorates the darkness of Holy Thursday night when Christ went through the "agony in the garden" and was betrayed by Judas and turned over to the Romans.

Conquering Death and Making The Transition From Darkness Into Light

Before the Easter Vigil service, the congregation gathers in the totally dark and silent church. Each person is given an unlighted candle while outside, the priest lights and blesses the new fire and then lights the large paschal candle. This begins the "Service of Light", the first part of the Easter Vigil Service.

As the paschal candle is carried into the dark church in a procession, a brief prayer the "Lumen Christi" (Light of Christ) is recited 3 times as everyone in the church lights their individual candle from the paschal candle. In just moments, the dark church has become aglow with the light of hundreds of individual candles. This signifies the transition from darkness into light that took place when Christ died and rose from the dead. It also underscores how important it is for each person to stand out as a light and do their best to make the world a better place.

After selected readings during "The Liturgy of The Word", the lights in the church are turned on, flowers are brought in, the candles on the altar are lighted, the crucifix and statues are uncovered, the church bells are rung loudly, the organist begins playing and for the first time in 4 weeks, The Gloria is sung signifying the end of Lent and the celebration of Easter, as is the Alleluia.

Baptism and the Renewal of Baptismal Vows

Following this joyous celebration, the new water is blessed. Converts to the Church are now baptized. Following the baptism, the entire congregation is blessed with the new holy water and each member renews their baptismal vows and agrees to renounce satan and his ways.

The Eucharistic Celebration

The Liturgy of the Eucharist now continues as it does during a normal mass. Before members of the congregation receive Holy Communion, the newly baptized members of the Church receive the Eucharist for the first time. Joyful hymns are sung as the service concludes.

Celebrating Family Easter Traditions At Home

After the Easter Vigil Service, people return home to observe their own family traditions. In our family, the after Easter Vigil tradition is to simply enjoy expresso with a snifter of

Black Sambuca and pastries while we color Easter Eggs. Happy Easter!