Saturday, April 4th, 9:00 PM in St. Raphael Church

Held after nightfall of Holy Saturday, or before dawn on Easter Day, in anticipation of the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus.
 

The Easter Vigil consists of four parts:

• The Service of Light
• The Liturgy of the Word
• Christian Initiation and the Renewal of Baptismal Vows
• Holy Eucharist

The Service of Light
The Vigil service begins outside the church around a large fire.  This new fire symbolizes the radiance of the Risen Christ dispelling the darkness of sin and death.  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 ambo, and throughout the coming year at baptisms and funerals, reminding all, that Christ is “light and life.”
 
Once the candle has been lit there follows the ancient and dramatic rite of the Lucernarium, in which the candle is carried by a priest or deacon through the nave of the darkened church, stopping three times to chant an acclamation such as ‘The Light of Christ’ to which the assembly responds ‘Thanks be to God.’  As the candle proceeds through the church, the baptized light their candles from the flame of the Paschal candle.  As this symbolic “Light of Christ” spreads throughout those gathered, the darkness is dispersed.  Once the procession has reached the sanctuary of the altar, with the church lit only by candle light, the Exultet (Easter Proclamation) is intoned.
 
The Liturgy of the Word
The Liturgy of the Word consists of seven readings from the Old Testament, although it is permitted to reduce this number for pastoral reasons (if reduced, it is customary to use readings 1, 3, 5 and 7).  Each reading is followed by a psalm and a prayer relating what has been read in the Old Testament to the Mystery of Christ.  After these readings conclude, the Gloria is sung for the first time since before Lent (with the exception of Holy Thursday, which is the only time it is heard during the 40 days of Lent), and the church bells and the organ, silent since that point on Holy Thursday, are sounded again. The opening collect (prayer) is read.  A reading from the Epistle to the Romans is proclaimed, followed by the chanting of Psalm 118.  The Alleluia is sung for the first time since the beginning of Lent.  The Gospel of the Resurrection is proclaimed.
 
The Rite of Christian Initiation
People desiring full initiation in the Catholic Church, and who have completed their formation, are formally initiated as members of the Church through the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and the Holy Eucharist; the latter is celebrated during the Liturgy of the Eucharist).  The Initiation celebration consists of the Baptismal Liturgy (litany of the saints, blessing of the baptismal waters, Baptism celebration, and Confirmation celebration, and a renewal of Baptismal vows of all present.
 
The Easter Vigil then concludes with a Liturgy of the Eucharist.