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THE EASTER LITURGY
	THE VIGIL
1	The priest or deacon may introduce the Vigil using these or other appropriate words.
		Brothers and sisters in Christ, on this most holy night, in which our LordJesus Christ passed over from death to life, the Church invites her members, dispersed throughout the world, to gather in vigil and prayer. For this is the Passover of the Lord, in which through word and sacrament we share in his victory over death. As we await the risen Christ, let us hear the record of God's saving deeds in history, recalling how he saved his people in ages past and in the fullness of time sent his Son to be our Redeemer; and let us pray that through this Easter celebration God may bring to perfection in each of us the saving work he has begun.
2	Any of the readings suggested at section 48 (with or without the accompanying psalms and prayers) or other suitable passages of Scripture may be used.
	THE SERVICE OF LIGHT
3	The building being in darkness, the ministers go in silence, one of them carrying the unlit Easter candle.
4	All stand and face the ministers. The president lights a taper.
5	One or more of these prayers may be used.
6		Eternal God, who made this most holy night to shine with the brightness of your onetrue light: set us aflame with the fire of your love, and bring us to the radiance of your heavenly glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
7		Christ yesterday and today, the beginning and the end, Alpha and Omega, all time belongs to him, and all ages; to him be glory and power, through every age and for ever. Amen.
8		By his holy and glorious wounds may Christ our Lord guard and keep us. Amen.
9	The priest or deacon lights the Easter candle with the taper saying
		May the light of Christ, rising in glory, banish all darkness from our hearts and minds.
10	The minister bearing the candle enters the building, followed by the other ministers, and they pause just inside the entrance.
11	THE GOSPEL is read either here or at section 23.
12	The minister bearing the candle raises it and says or sings
		The light of Christ.
	All	Thanks be to God.
13	The procession moves further into the building and then stops. The verse and response are repeated, and the candles of those around are lit from the Easter candle.
14	The procession continues to the centre of the building and stops once more. The verse and response are again repeated, and the candles of those around are lit.
15	The Easter candle is placed on a stand in the midst of the building, and all other candles in the church are now lit.
16	The minister may say
		Alleluia! Christ is risen.
	All	He is risen indeed. Alleluia!
17	EXSULTET (the Easter Song of Praise) may be said or sung by a minister standing near the candle. For an alternative version see p. 287.
		Rejoice, 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 splendour, 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 Saviour shines upon you! Let this place resound with joy, echoing the mighty song of all God's people!
	Minister	The Lord be with you.
	All	And also with you.
	Minister	Lift up your hearts.
	All	We lift them to the Lord.
	Minister	Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
	All	It is right to give him thanks and praise.
	Minister	It is indeed right that with full hearts and minds and voices we should praise you, the unseen God, the Father Almighty, and your only Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who has ransomed us by his death, and paid for us the price of Adam's sin. For this is the Passover of that true Lamb of God, by whose blood the homes of all the faithful are hallowed and protected. This is the night when of old you saved our fathers, delivering the people of Israel from their slavery, and leading them dry-shod through the sea. This is the night when Jesus Christ vanquished hell and rose triumphant from the grave. This is the night when all who believe in him are freed from sin and restored to grace and holiness. Most blessed of all nights, when wickedness is put to flight and sin is washed away, lost innocence regained, and mourning turned to joy. Night truly blessed, when heaven is wedded to earth and all creation reconciled to God! Therefore, heavenly Father, in the joy of this night, accept our sacrifice of praise, your Church's solemn offering; and grant that this Easter candle make make our darkness light; for Christ the morning star has risen, never again to set, and is alive and reigns for ever and ever.
	All	Amen.

Easter Vigil

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» Exsultet (Easter Proclamation)

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» Holy Saturday
» Easter Sunday

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Easter Vigil

The Easter Vigil liturgy is the most beautiful liturgy in the Roman Catholic Church. This walks through the Easter Vigil, and includes the words to the Exsultet.

Although celebrated Holy Saturday evening, it is the dramatic Easter vigil liturgy that marks the beginning of Easter. We are awaiting our master's return with our lamps full and burning, so that he will find us awake and seat us at his table (cf. Luke 12:35ff). All Catholics should try to attend this beautiful service. The vigil is divided into four parts: 1) service of light, 2) liturgy of the Word, 3) liturgy of Baptism, and 4) liturgy of the Eucharist.

1) Service of Light
The atmosphere in the church is different: the holy water fonts are drained, all the lights are out, the tabernacle is empty. The service begins outside the church. A new fire is lit and blessed.

A Paschal Candle is prepared with these words while the priest marks the candle:

Christ yesterday and today (vertical arm of the cross)
the Beginning and the end (horizontal arm of the cross)
Alpha (alpha above the cross)
and Omega (omega below the cross)
all time belongs to him (numeral 2 in upper left corner of cross)
and all the ages (numeral 0 in upper right corner of cross)
to him be glory and power (numeral 0 in lower left corner)
through every age for ever. Amen (numeral 0 in lower right corner)

The priest lights the candle from the new fire, saying:

May the light of Christ, rising in glory,
dispel the darkness of our hearts and minds.

The candle is then processed through the church, with the deacon lifting the candle at three different times, singing: Christ our light (Lumen Christi) and the congregation sings in reply: Thanks be to God (Deo gratias). Everyone lights their candle from the Easter candle and continue in procession until the whole church is alight. The Paschal candle symbolizes Christ, the Light of the World.

Next follows the glorious Easter song of the Catholic Church: the Exsultet (Easter proclamation). "This magnificent hymn, which is remarkable for its lyric beauty and profound symbolism, announces the dignity and meaning of the mystery of Easter; it tells of man's sin, of God's mercy, and of the great love of the Redeemer for mankind, admonishing us in turn to thank the Trinity for all the graces that have been lavished upon us" (©1947 With Christ Through the Year, by Bernard Strasser). This is usually sung by the deacon.

Exsultet (excerpts)
Rejoice, 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!
For Christ has ransomed us with his blood,
and paid for us the price of Adam's sin
to our eternal Father!
This is night,
when Christians everywhere,
washed clean of sin and freed from all defilement,
are restored to grace and grow together in holiness.
This is the night,
when Jesus 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.
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.
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.

2) Liturgy of the Word

During the Easter vigil, nine readings, seven Old Testament and two New Testament, are provided. Not all are required to be read due to time constraints, but at least three Old Testament readings must be read, including Exodus 14. These readings help us meditate on the wonderful works of God for his people since the beginning of time. The readings are 1) the story of creation, Gen 1:1-2; 2; 2) Abraham and Isaac, Gen 22:1-18; 3) Crossing of the Red Sea, Exodus 14:15–15:1; 4) Isaiah 54:5-14; 5) Isaiah 55:1-11; 6) Baruch 3:9-15.32–4:4; 7) Ezekiel 36:16-17.18-28; 8) Romans 6:3-11; and 9) Gospel reading Mark 16:1-7. The Gloria is sung before the reading of the Epistle of the Romans, and the Alleluia is sung before the Gospel.

3) Liturgy of Baptism

During this time the Easter water is blessed, new members are brought into the Church through baptism, and the faithful are blessed with water and renew their baptismal promises.

4) Liturgy of Eucharist

So resumes the Mass, with the special prayers inserted during the Eucharist Prayer. The whole church is called to join at the sacrificial table that Christ prepared for us through his death and resurrection. The Mass ends with the glorious

V. The Mass is ended, go in peace, alleluia, alleluia.
R. Thanks be to God, alleluia, alleluia.

THE EASTER LITURGY

THE VIGIL

THE SERVICE OF LIGHT