Easter Vigil
The Easter Vigil, also called the Paschal Vigil, the Great Vigil of Easter, or Holy Saturday in the Easter Vigil on the Holy Night of Easter is a
Among liturgical
In the
Earliest known form
The original twelve Old Testament readings for the Easter Vigil survive in an ancient manuscript belonging to the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The Armenian Easter Vigil also preserves what is believed to be the original length of the traditional gospel reading of the Easter Vigil, i.e., from the Last Supper account to the end of the Gospel according to Matthew. In the earliest Jerusalem usage the vigil began with Psalm 117 [118] sung with the response, "This is the day which the Lord has made." Then followed twelve Old Testament readings, all but the last being followed by a prayer with kneeling.
(1) Genesis 1:1–3:24 (the story of creation); (2) Genesis 22:1–18 (the binding of Isaac); (3) Exodus 12:1–24 (the Passover charter narrative); (4) Jonah 1:1–4:11 (the story of Jonah); (5) Exodus 14:24–15:21 (crossing of the Red Sea); (6) Isaiah 60:1–13 (the promise to Jerusalem); (7) Job 38:2–28 (the Lord's answer to Job); (8) 2 Kings 2:1–22 (the assumption of Elijah); (9)
Jeremiah 31:31–34 (the New Covenant); (10) Joshua 1:1–9 (entry into the Promised Land); (11) Ezekiel 37:1–14 (the valley of dry bones); (12) Daniel 3:1–29 (the story of the three youths).
The twelfth reading leads into the Song of the Three Children and is not followed by a prayer with kneeling, but is immediately followed by the prokeimenon of the Eucharistic liturgy. Thomas Talley stresses the importance of this series of reading as representing the oldest known series and the one evidently having the very greatest influence on the development of all subsequent series of readings.[3]
According to Byzantine historian Andrew Ekonomou, the Easter Vespers was unknown in Rome prior to its introduction in the mid-7th century, and solemnization by Pope Vitalian during the period when Rome was part of the Byzantine Empire. The Paschal vespers was long celebrated in Constantinople prior to this and the liturgy itself has details that appear eastern in origin.[4]
Western Christian Churches
Catholic Church
The Roman Missal states: "Of this night’s Vigil, which is the greatest and most noble of all solemnities, there is to be only one celebration in each church. It is arranged, moreover, in such a way that after the Lucernarium and the "Exsultet", The Easter Proclamation (which constitutes the first part of this Vigil), Holy Church meditates on the wonders the Lord God has done for his people from the beginning, trusting in his word and promise (the second part, that is, the Liturgy of the Word) until, as day approaches, with new members reborn in Baptism (the third part), the Church is called to the table the Lord has prepared for his people, the memorial of his Death and Resurrection until he comes again (the fourth part)."[5]
In the Roman Rite liturgy, the Easter Vigil consists of five parts:
- The Lucernarium
- The Liturgy of the Word
- The catechumens. Renewal of the baptismal vowsby the whole congregation)
- The Asperges
- Liturgy of the Eucharist
The vigil begins between sunset on
Once the candle has been lit, it is carried by a deacon through the nave of the church, itself in complete darkness, stopping three times to chant the acclamation 'Light of Christ' (Lumen Christi), to which the assembly responds 'Thanks be to God' or 'Deo Gratias'. As the candle proceeds through the church, the small candles held by those present are gradually lit from the Paschal candle. As this symbolic "Light of Christ" spreads, darkness is decreased.
The deacon, priest, or a cantor now chants the Exsultet (also called the "Easter Proclamation" or "Paschal Praeconium"), after which the people sit for the Liturgy of the Word.
Once the paschal candle has been placed on its stand in the sanctuary, the lights in the church are switched on and the congregation extinguish their candles (although in some churches, the custom is to continue the liturgy by candlelight or without any lights until the Gloria).
The
Each reading is followed by a psalm or biblical canticle (i.e., 1. Psalm 104 or Psalm 33; 2. Psalm 16; 3. Exodus 15:1-18; 4. Psalm 30; 5. Isaiah 12:2-6; 6. Psalm 19; 7. when Baptism is celebrated: a combination of Psalm 42 and Psalm 43; 7. when Baptism is not celebrated: Isaiah 12:2-6 or Psalm 51)[7] sung responsorially and followed by a prayer that relates what has been read in the Old Testament to the mystery of Christ. After these readings conclude, the altar candles are lit. The Gloria in excelsis Deo is sung for the first time since before Lent, with the exception of Holy Thursday or any solemnities or feasts that occurred during Lent.
The church bells and the organ, silent, since that point on Holy Thursday, are sounded again. It is customary in some churches to have no organ playing during Lent at all, except when accompanying hymns. In some regions, the statues, which have been covered during Passiontide, are unveiled at this time. After Gloria in Excelsis Deo, the collect is sung or recited by the celebrant. The reading from the Epistle to the Romans (Romans 6:3-11) is proclaimed, followed by the chanting of Psalm 118. The Alleluia is sung for the first time since before Lent and with special solemnity. The Gospel of the Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-10, Mark 16:1-8, or Luke 24:1-12 depending on the liturgical year) follows, along with a homily.
After the conclusion of the Liturgy of the Word, the water of the
After the prayers, the
Revisions
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On 9 February 1951, Pope Pius XII issued decree Dominicae Resurrectionis,[8] instituting several changes to the Easter Vigil in an experimental basis. Previously, the Easter Vigil was held on Holy Saturday morning. He changed the hour of the celebration to after sunset. Pope Pius XII made the changes obligatory in 1956.
Outside the church the Easter fire was lit and blessed, and five grains of incense were blessed. All lamps and candles within the church were quenched, so as to be relit later with the new fire. The rubrics did not envisage electricity or gas lighting. At the church entrance, in the center of the church, and then at the altar, each of the candles on a triple candlestick was lit from a candle that had been lit from the new fire. On each occasion, this was followed by a genuflection and the chanting of "Lumen Christi". During the singing of the Exsultet, which then followed, the five grains of incense were placed in the paschal candle. The paschal candle was lit from one of the candles on the triple candlestick.
The Liturgy of the Word consisted of twelve readings, for the most part without responsory chants: the seven mentioned above except the fourth and seventh, plus the account of the Flood (Gen 5–8) as the second; followed by a different one from Ezekiel (37:1-14), plus Isaiah 4:1-6, Exodus 12:1-11 (the introduction of the Paschal rites, also read then on Good Friday but now on Holy Thursday), Jonah 3:1-10, Deuteronomy 31:22-30, Daniel 3:1-24. The prayers after the readings were preceded by Flectamus genua and a genuflection, except for the last. After the Old Testament readings the baptismal font was blessed, and the conferral of baptism was envisaged, though rarely performed.
The Litany of the Saints followed. Violet vestments were worn except for the deacon, or the priest performing the deacon's functions, who wore a white dalmatic in the procession and at the Exsultet. The priest, unless acting as deacon, wore a violet cope. After this, white Mass vestments were put on, and Mass followed. The Mass was in the then normal form, including the prayers at the foot of the altar, but without Introit, Agnus Dei, Postcommunion and Last Gospel. Its Epistle was Colossians 3:1-4, and the Gospel was Matthew 28:1-7. Mass was followed immediately by abbreviated Vespers.
Under Pope Pius XII, the Easter Vigil was restructured. He separated the blessing and lighting of the Candle from the Exsultet to the beginning, the present position. The triple candlestick was no longer used. It was from the Paschal candle that, at the chanting of "Lumen Christi", without genuflection, the priest would light his own candle at the Paschal candle. For the second, the rest of the clergy plus altar servers would. For the third, the entire congregation.
The Exsultet's function was turned, without change in the text, into a jubilant praise of the Paschal candle already blessed and lit. Of the Old Testament readings, only four were kept: what had been the first (story of Creation; now still the first), the fourth (parting of the Red Sea; now the third), the eighth (from Isaiah; now the second) and the eleventh (from Deuteronomy; now the fourth).
Then followed the first part of the Litany of the Saints (only the names of the saints), the blessing of the font, possible baptisms, renewal of baptismal promises, a novelty with respect to the past and the first inclusion of the vernacular language in the general Roman liturgy, and the second part of the litany. After this came Mass, without prayers at the foot of the altar. This was followed by Easter Lauds, no longer Holy Saturday Vespers. In virtue of the 2007 motu proprio Summorum Pontificum, this form may, under certain conditions, still be used because of its inclusion in the 1962 Roman Missal of Pope John XXIII.
Lutheran Churches
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The Easter Vigil, like the
Emphasis was placed on the scriptural readings, congregational singing and on the Easter sermon. In Wittenberg the Easter Gospel (Matthew 28. 1 - 10; 16 - 20) was sung in the German language in a tone similar to the tone of the Exsultet - a gospel tone only used for this worship service. The devastation caused by the Thirty Years' War led to a decline in worship culture in the Lutheran Churches in Germany. The rationalism of the 18th century also brought about a change in worship habits and customs. The liturgical movement that arose in the German Lutheran Churches after World War I rediscovered the Easter Vigil in its reformational form.[10]
In an article from 1934 for the Liturgical Conference of
This movement within the German Lutheran Churches contributed to a revival and revision of the
The order for the Easter Vigil is comparable to the order of service used by American Lutherans. It is characterized by a number of
In North America the
In the
Anglican Churches
Although the Easter Vigil is not universal in the
The service, as provided for example in the current version of the
The service normally consists of four parts:
- The Service of Light.
- The Service of Lessons.
- Christian Initiation, or the Renewal of Baptismal Vows.
- The Holy Eucharist with the administration of Easter Communion.
Some of the other particular differences from the Roman Catholic observance include:
- If the service of baptism takes place after the Old Testament readings, the Gloria is sung after the Baptism or Renewal of Baptismal Vows. The Te Deum Laudamus or the Pascha Nostrum may be used in place of the Gloria.
- The number and particular passages in the Service of Lessons differs. There are up to nine (as opposed to seven) readings from the Hebrew Bible.
Reformed Churches
In the
Methodist Churches
In Methodist congregations that observe it, the Easter Vigil is the first service of Eastertide.[14] The liturgy contained in The United Methodist Book of Worship divides the Easter Vigil into four parts:[14]
- The Service of Light[14]
- The Service of the Word[14]
- The Service of the Baptismal Covenant[14]
- The Service of the Table[14]
The Service of Light begins in silence outside of the church building in the nighttime. There, a new fire is kindled and each member of the congregation is given a candle. A greeting, opening prayer and lighting of the
The Easter Proclamation is then chanted by a deacon. If there is no deacon, a concelebraing minister does the task. If there is no concelebrating minister, it is entrusted to a lay cantor.[14] The Service of the Word contains readings explicating the following topics: "The Creation", "The Covenant between God and the Earth", "Abraham's Trust in God", "Israel's Deliverance at the Red Sea", "Salvation Offered Freely to All", "A New Heart and a New Spirit", "New Life for God's People", and "Buried and Raised with Christ in Baptism".[14]
After each reading, a canticle is sung and then a prayer is offered. Following the hearing of the "record of God's saving deeds in history", the
Eastern Christian Churches
Byzantine Rite
In popular culture and for most believers, the Paschal vigil is the liturgy that commences at midnight; however, the vigil proper commences with vespers Saturday afternoon.
Saturday Midday
Commencing two hours before sundown according to the written rubrics,[15] although generally in the late morning in actual practice,[16] is great vespers with the Divine Liturgy. It is during this liturgy that catechumens are baptized and that fact, together with the lengthy Old Testament readings, shows that this liturgy is analogous to the Easter vigil described in the previous sections,[17] seemingly representing development from a common tradition.
The Old Testament readings are:
1. Genesis 1:1-13; 2. Isaiah 60:1-16; 3. Exodus 12:1-11; 4. Jonah 1:1-4:11; 5. Joshua 5:10-15; 6. Exodus 13:20-15:19; 7. Zephaniah 3:8-15; 8. 3 Kings 17:8-24; 9. Isaiah 61:10-62:5; 10. Genesis 22:1-18; 11. Isaiah 61:1-9; 12. 4 Kings 4:8-37; 13. Isaiah 63:11-64:5; 14. Jeremiah 31:31-34; 15. Daniel 3:1-68.
It is during these readings that catechumens may be baptized and chrismated, the order of which is given in the Book of Needs (Ευχολόγιον; Требникъ) and is performed while most of the faithful and clergy remain in the church for the readings, the newly baptised being led back into the church during the singing of "As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (sung in place of the Trisagion).[18]
This liturgy recounts the
Although this vespers liturgy begins Sunday in the usual manner, including the resurrectional stichera of the first tone, the feast of Pascha begins in the middle of the night, at the time Christ rose from the dead, while the text of and rubrics for Saturday's liturgy are found in the Triodion, the Lenten liturgical book.
Before the Gospel reading, in place of the "Alleluia" sung at every other Liturgy of the year, is a
In Jerusalem, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch receives the
At the closing of this vespers/liturgy is a modified
In ancient times, the faithful would remain in the church throughout the night. The Paschal Vigil would have begun on the afternoon of Saturday and not ended until towards dawn on Sunday morning. In contemporary practice, there is typically a gap of some hours before this reading commences.
Saturday Midnight
The order of the Paschal Vigil is as follows (with some minor local variations):
- After the reading of the Acts of the Apostles the Epiphanius of Cyprus and John Chrysostom.[23]
- The epitaphios (shroud) depicting the dead body of Christ is solemnly venerated for a last time and then ceremoniously taken into the altar and laid on the Holy Table towards the end of the canon.
- After the dismissal of the midnight office all the lights in the church are extinguished except for the Holy Sepulchreduring Holy Saturday afternoon and it is used to light anew the unsleeping flame.
- At the "time for matins",Holy Doors are opened, after which the priest exclaims "Come receive the light from the light that is never overtaken by night, and glorify Christ, Who is risen from the dead!" or a similar variation depending on tradition. After this proclamation, the priest approaches the congregation with the Paschal trikirion(lit from the unsleeping flame), and the people light their candles from the flame.
- Two vessels of incense, one in the altar, the other in the middle of the church, are lit. The priest takes the blessing cross and the deacon a candle, and other priests take the Gospel Book and icon of the Resurrection, and process westward, opening the doors of the nave and the exterior doors and together with the people exit the church and go in Tomb of Christ. During and after the procession, the priest carries a special triple candlestick, known as the Paschal trikirion, and the deacon also carries a special Paschal candle. The candles lit at midnight are held by the people throughout the entire liturgy, just as is done by the newly baptized.
- Before the front doors of the church, the priest gives the blessing for the beginning of Matins. The clergy, followed by the people, sing the Paschal troparion with the Paschal Verses, and the Paschal greeting"Christ is risen!" "Truly He is risen!" is exchanged for the first time. Then, everyone enters the church singing the troparion.
- The rest of St. John Chrysostomis proclaimed.
- Eggs which have been dyed red are blessed and are usually distributed to the people for the breaking of the Great Lenten fast.
- The Paschal Hours, which are of entirely different text than their usual order, are sung where it is the custom.
- The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is celebrated as usual, but with special features added that are unique to the Paschal season.
- At the end of the liturgy, the Artos, a large loaf of leavened bread, which represents the Resurrected Christ, is blessed. This is then set next to the Icon of the Resurrection and is venerated by the faithful and carried in processions throughout Bright Week.
- Baskets of food for the feast that follows are blessed with holy water.
The liturgy typically finishes at 3:00 or 4:00 a.m. There is no prescribed liturgy on Sunday morning, everything for the feast having been celebrated during the Vigil. On Sunday afternoon there is a special, Paschal Vespers, at which the Gospel (John 20:19–25) is chanted in many languages (called "Vespers of Love" in some traditions).
The week that begins on the Sunday of Pascha is called
Indian Orthodox Church
In the
The church celebrates this most important festival in the church calendar, as per the Gregorian Calendar.
Traditionally, the principal liturgy which corresponds to the Easter Vigil in Eastern and Western rites would be conducted in the early hours of the morning, typically at around 3 a.m. on Sunday. In many cities, however, the liturgy is conducted after 6:00 p.m. on Saturday; this is also the case for practical reasons in former Christian lands of the Oriental Orthodox rite which now have Muslim majorities.
Easter marks the change in the set of prayers said and sung before the Eucharist. From Easter to the Feast of the Cross on September 14, the prayers follow the Liturgy of Easter.
Traditionally the Prayers of the Night and Midnight Hours are said. Then follows the most dramatic moment in the liturgy, the Announcement, when all the lights in the church are extinguished other than from the
This is the cross which has been used in the Good Friday liturgy for the procession commemorating the Carrying of the Cross to Calvary and then ritually embalmed and buried in a small coffin-shaped box behind the altar, to commemorate the Burial. The chief celebrant is flanked by the altar-servers, holding candles and hand-bells. In a loud voice, the chief celebrant announces to the congregation, “Dearly beloved, I bring you all news of great joy. Our Lord Jesus Christ has resurrected from the dead and defeated His enemies.” Amid the ringing of the hand-bells and church-bells, the congregation responds, "Truly, we believe that He rises!” This is done three times.
The Easter Procession follows, in which the entire congregation, holding lighted candles, participates with the celebrants and the altar servers. The cross, covered in the red veil, used in the Announcement, is carried in procession around the church. The hymn sung during the procession describes Christ's answer to Mary Magdalene when she sees him at the tomb and mistakes him for the gardener:
O Mary! I am the Gardener truly,
I am the One, Who established Paradise.
I am the One Who was killed,
I am the One Who entered the grave.
Touch Me not, for I have not ascended to the Father.
That I have gloriously risen from that grave,
give thou this good news to the disciples.
Following this, the chief celebrant "celebrates" the Cross, by blessing the four directions while the Trisagion is said. The chief celebrant gives the Kiss of Peace, commemorating Christ's wishing peace on the Apostles. This is passed on to the congregation. On this day alone the Kiss of Peace is given twice. Prayers of the Morning hours follow, and the Holy Qurbana is then conducted as usual. Since Easter also marks the end of the Great 50-day Lent the Service of Reconciliation (Shubhkono) is also held on this day. Special prayers are said.
At the end of the liturgy, instead of the normal touching by the Chief Celebrant's hand of the foreheads of each member of the congregation in blessing, the Easter Cross is used.
From Easter to the Feast of Ascension, the Easter Cross is moved from the centre of the church to a stand inside the sanctuary. This stand, called Golgotha, is itself shaped as a large cross. The Easter Cross is set on its head, and the whole structure looks like a Patriarchal Cross. It had been set up in mid-Lent in the centre of the church and the faithful would kiss the cloth covering it while entering and leaving the church.
References
- ^ a b c Steenwyk, Carrie. "Easter Vigil". Christian Reformed Church in North America. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
The Easter Vigil, also referred to as the Paschal Vigil or the First Service of Easter, is held either on the Saturday evening before Easter or very early Easter morning.
- ^ "Lent, Holy Week and Easter". Home Moravian Church. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
- ^ Thomas J. Talley, The Origins of the Liturgical Year, New York: Pueblo Publishing Company, Inc., 1986, pp.48-49.
- ^ Andrew J. Ekonomou. Byzantine Rome and the Greek Popes. Lexington books, 2007.
- ^ Roman Missal, The Easter Vigil in the Holy Night, 2
- ^ Thomas Talley claims that the original readings of the Roman Paschal vigil were Genesis 1, Genesis 22, Exodus 14, Deuteronomy 31, Isaiah 4, Isaiah 54 and Baruch 3.
- ^ a b "Holy SaturdayAt the Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter | USCCB". bible.usccb.org. 2021-04-03. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
- ^ "Dominicae Resurrectionis" (in Latin). 9 February 1951. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
- ^ Mahrenholz, Christhard: Agende II für evangelisch-lutherische Kirchen und Gemeinden, Lutherisches Verlagshaus, Berlin 1960, pp. 304 - 306; Schmidt-Lauber, Hans-Christoph: Die Zukunft des Gottesdienstes, Calwer Verlag, Stuttgart, 1990, pp. 395 - 396
- ^ Mahrenholz, Christhard: Agende II für evangelisch-lutherische Kirchen und Gemeinden, Lutherisches Verlagshaus, Berlin 1960, pp. 304 - 306; Schmidt-Lauber, Hans-Christoph: Die Zukunft des Gottesdienstes, Calwer Verlag, Stuttgart, 1990, pp. 395 - 396
- ^ Mahrenholz, Christhard: Agende II für evangelisch-lutherische Kirchen und Gemeinden, Lutherisches Verlagshaus, Berlin 1960, pp. 304 - 306; Schmidt-Lauber, Hans-Christoph: Die Zukunft des Gottesdienstes, Calwer Verlag, Stuttgart, 1990, pp. 395 - 396
- ^ Mahrenholz, Christhard: Agende II für evangelisch-lutherische Kirchen und Gemeinden, Lutherisches Verlagshaus, Berlin 1960, pp. 304 - 306; Schmidt-Lauber, Hans-Christoph: Die Zukunft des Gottesdienstes, Calwer Verlag, Stuttgart, 1990, pp. 395 - 396
- ^ Times and Seasons: The Easter Liturgy
- ^ ISBN 9780687035724.
- ^ a b Тvпико́нъ, p 456
- ^ The Lenten Triodion, p 655
- Quartodecimans
- ^ Потребникъ
- ^ Sokolof, p 105
- ^ Тvпико́нъ, p 472, for the subsequent Sundays, "Are read from the Acts from the beginning or from the Commentaries of Chrysostom
- ^ Тvпико́нъ, p 457
- ^ The Lenten Triodion, p 660
- ^ Тvпико́нъ, p 457-458
- ^ Тvпико́нъ, p 458
- ^ Sokolof, p 106
Bibliography
- Тvпико́нъ сіесть уста́въ (Title here transliterated into Russian; actually in Church Slavonic) (The Typiconwhich is the Order), Москва (Moscow, Russian Empire): Сvнодальная тvпографiя (The Synodal Printing House), 1907, p. 1154
- Потребникъ (Title here transliterated into Russian; actually in Church Slavonic) (The [Book of] Needs), Москва (Moscow, Russian Empire): патриархальная тvпографiя (The Patriarchal Printing Press), 1606
- The Lenten Triodion, translated from the Original Greek by Mother Mary and Archimandrite Kallistos Ware, ISBN 1-878997-51-3
- Sokolof, Archpriest Dimitrii (1899), Manual of the Orthodox Church's Divine Services, ISBN 0-88465-067-7
- Ware, Timothy (1963), The Orthodox Church, ISBN 978-0-14-013529-9