Easter Vigil: The central rite of the entire Christian year and a marvelously rich service which begins in darkness (any time convenient between Saturday sunset and Sunday sunrise) with the lighting of the new fire, from which the Paschal candle is lighted. A procession of clergy and servers follows this single light into the darkened church, pausing three times to chant, “The light of Christ.” The Paschal candle is places in tis stand and , standing near it a deacon or other person sings or says the Exsultet. The service continues with lessons which trace the history of God’s people in the Old Testament; baptisms (or renewal of baptismal vows if there is no baptismal candidate); confirmation; and the first Eucharist of Easter. The Vigil Service is especially impressive when it can include the initiatory rites, a deacon chanting the Exsultet, and a bishop celebrating the Eucharist with lay and clergy participating fully. Recovering the Easter Vigil in its full significance is one of the greatest achievements of the modern liturgical movement.
Good Friday: Friday before Easter, on which we remember the crucifixion of Jesus with a day of fasting, abstinence, penance, and special devotion. Special rites for the day include a reading of the passion narrative from Joh n’s Gospel, a lengthy period of intercessory prayer called the Solemn Collects, and the recitation of anthems recalling the significance of the cross. No Eucharist is celebrated this day; the altars were stripped at the end of the Eucharist on Maundy Thursday and any immovable crossed where shrouded. In some places a cross is brought forward du ring the Good Friday liturgy to serve as a focus for devotions. Communion may be part of the Good Friday liturgy, but it is administered from the reserved sacrament. No celebration of the Eucharist, in fact, takes place from Maundy Thursday until the celebration at the Easter Vigil on Easter Eve. Exsultet: Song of rejoicing an giving thanks for “this night” and remembering central moments in the history of God’s people, sung or said by a deacon or other person appointed after the lighting of the Paschal candle and procession into the church during the Easter Vigil. Comments are closed.
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