The Great Vigil of Easter

Join us for the Great Vigil of Easter

The Vigil is the most important liturgy of public worship and Mass of the liturgical year, marked by the first use since the beginning of Lent of the exclamatory “Alleluia”, a distinctive feature of the Easter season

The vigil begins at sunset on Holy Saturday outside the church, where an Easter fire is kindled, and the Paschal candle is blessed and then lit. This Paschal candle will be used throughout the season of Easter, remaining in the sanctuary of the church or near the lectern, and throughout the coming year at baptisms and funerals, reminding all that Christ is “light and life”.

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.