Preparing our Easter Celebrations

As Lent slowly comes to an end. Our next big focus should be on preparing the liturgies of Holy Week and the mother of all vigils "The Easter Vigil".
Out of all the church's vigils, our Easter Vigil is when time does not matter, when everything we do in the liturgy should be slowed down for the ministers and the assembly to reflect as the Vigil slowly moves to its summit. All Catholics practicing or not should at least try to attend this wonderful service.

Our Easter Vigil is made of Four Parts

First Part - The Blessing of the Fire and Preparation of the Candle/ Service of Light
Second Part - The Liturgy of the Word
Third Part - Baptismal Liturgy and
Fourth Part - The Liturgy of the Eucharist.


1. The Service of Light
Unlike all the church's other Feast Days and Solemnities this particular night starts off in darkness, to reflect on the light the Christ brought into the world. During the service of light, the holy water fonts should be emptied and all the lights of the church should be switched off. The tabernacle should still be empty after the blessed sacrament was removed during the Mass of the Last Supper or Holy Thursday. The Service of Light starts outside the church and Pascal candle is blessed and lit by the priest.

Christ yesterday and today (vertical arm of the cross)
the Beginning and the End (horizontal arm of the cross)
the Alpha (alpha above the cross)
and the Omega (omega below the cross)
All time belongs to him (numeral 2 in upper left corner of cross)
and all the ages (numeral 1 in upper right corner of cross)
To him be glory and power (numeral 4 in lower left corner)
through every age and for ever. Amen (numeral 0 in lower right corner)
Then the priest may insert five grains of incense into the candle in the form of a cross, meanwhile saying:
1. By his holy
2. and glorious wounds,
3. may Christ the Lord
4. guard us
5. and protect us. Amen.

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.

 After the candle is lit and blessed, those gathered outside should now be starting the procession into the church behind the deacon elevating the Pascal Candle. If there is no deacon then the priest himself will be the one to lead the procession with the Pascal Candle.

Following the procession when everyone has gathered in the church. The Easter Proclamation or the Exsultet is sung. Here is a link to the Exsultet  

2. Liturgy of the Word

During our celebration of the Easter Vigil, a total of nine readings are proclaimed: Seven readings from the Old Testament and Two Readings from the New Testament. Don't worry! not all readings HAVE to be read but if you play a part in preparing for the vigil, at least 3 have to be read from the Old Testament including Exodus 14. The readings that you may choose from 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.   

Note: 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, part of the liturgy includes the Litany of the Saints. Afterwards the faithful are blessed with water and all renew their baptismal promises.

4. Liturgy of the 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.