Rachel Evans
Easter is the most important liturgical time for Catholics, celebrating Jesus's resurrection from the dead and his victory over sin and death. The Easter Vigil is the most important Eucharistic celebration of the year, lasting multiple hours due to the inclusion of several special readings from the Old Testament that foreshadow Jesus's death and resurrection. The Vigil also includes the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and first communion for new Catholics. The Easter Vigil is followed by Easter Sunday Mass, which is more celebratory in nature and more closely resembles ordinary Mass. The Easter season is the second-longest liturgical season, lasting 50 days from the Sunday of the Resurrection to Pentecost Sunday.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | Always on a Sunday between March 22 and April 25 |
| Easter Vigil | Multiple hours long |
| Easter Octave | Eight days from the first to the second Sunday |
| Easter Season | 50 days from the first Sunday to Pentecost |
| Easter Sunday | Most important day |
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What You'll Learn
The Easter Vigil Mass
The Liturgy of the Eucharist follows, which is similar to Mass as typically experienced by Catholics. The Eucharist should finish before dawn. During the Eucharist, the newly baptised receive Holy Communion for the first time. The Easter Vigil Mass concludes with a solemn blessing.
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The Service of Light
The lighting of the candles and the procession into the church symbolise the passing from darkness to light, reflecting the resurrection of Jesus and offering hope to the faithful. The candles illuminate the church, signifying that Christians interpret life and the Old Testament in the light of the resurrection.
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Readings from the Old Testament
The Easter Vigil is the most important Eucharistic celebration of the year for Catholics. It is the "Mother of All Vigils", and Easter Sunday is the greatest of all Sundays. The Easter Vigil liturgy is long and complex, and in the early Church, it lasted all night until dawn. The Vigil includes the opening Service of Light, an extended Liturgy of the Word, the blessing of water, and the celebration of the Christian sacraments of initiation, such as baptism.
The Old Testament is a collection of sacred writings that were authored and compiled by the Hebrew people over many centuries. It is also known as the Hebrew Bible or the Tanakh. Here are some readings from the Old Testament that are relevant to Easter:
Isaiah
"Death has been frustrated in meeting him below! It is frustrated, for it is destroyed. It is frustrated, for it is annihilated. It is frustrated, for now, it is made captive. For it grabbed a body and discovered God. It took earth and behold! It encountered Heaven. It took what was visible, and was overcome by what was invisible. O Death, where is your sting? O Death, where is your victory? Christ is risen, and the demons are cast down. Christ is risen, and life is set free. Christ is risen, and the tomb is emptied of the dead."
Genesis
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."
Exodus
"And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually... And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth... For it repenteth me that I have made them."
Psalms
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake."
The season of Easter is a time of great joy for Catholics as they celebrate the Lord's resurrection from the dead, his victory over sin and death, and the salvation of mankind. The fifty days from the Sunday of the Resurrection to Pentecost Sunday are celebrated as one feast day, one "great Sunday".
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Baptisms and sacraments
The Easter Vigil is the most important Eucharistic celebration of the year for Catholics. It is held on the night of Holy Saturday, between sunset on Saturday and sunrise on Easter Sunday. The Vigil is made up of several parts, including the Service of Light, the Service of Readings, the Service of Holy Baptism, the Service of Prayer, and the Service of the Sacrament.
The Service of Holy Baptism is a critical part of the Easter Vigil. Baptism is the first of the sacraments of initiation into the Catholic Church. It incorporates one into Christ, pardons all sin, and forms one into God's people. It is a permanent relationship with Christ and his Church, even if one is not an active member of the Catholic community. The words used for conferring baptism in the Latin Church are: "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
During the Easter Vigil, the water of the baptismal font is blessed, and catechumens and candidates for full communion are initiated into the church by baptism or confirmation. After these sacraments of initiation, the congregation renews their baptismal vows and receive the sprinkling of baptismal water. The prayer of the faithful follows, with the newly baptised now part of the faithful.
The Easter Vigil also includes the blessing of water, which is used in the celebration of the Christian sacraments of initiation, including baptism. The Paschal candle, lit during the Service of Light, is also used during baptisms throughout the year.
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The Octave of Easter
During the Octave of Easter, the Mass readings tell the story of the Resurrection, allowing Catholics to reflect on the reality that Calvary was not the end. Each day of the octave has its own title, such as "Monday in the Octave of Easter" or "Tuesday in the Octave of Easter," commonly referred to as "Easter Monday" and "Easter Tuesday."
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Frequently asked questions
The Catholic Easter Vigil service can be lengthy, sometimes lasting multiple hours. This is because the service includes a number of sacraments, such as baptisms, and special readings from the Old Testament that foreshadow Jesus' death and Resurrection.
The Catholic Easter celebration lasts for 50 days, from the Sunday of the Resurrection to Pentecost Sunday. This period is known as the Easter Octave and is celebrated as one "great Sunday".
The Catholic Easter Mass typically lasts around two hours. It includes hymns, vestments, prayers, and other details that are unique to the liturgical calendar.
