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The Great Vigil of Easter
Service at 7:30pm begins outside (weather permitting) surrounding "the new fire" of Easter. The Church remembers: "This is the night, when Christ broke the bonds of death and hell, And rose victorious from the grave." Throughout the ages, the Great Vigil of Easter is the time when countless followers of Jesus have proclaimed, "Alleluia, Christ is risen!" When we experience the darkness of the tomb, the light of the Resurrection is all the more glorious. It is an elaborate service, rich with scripture, tradition, and ceremony.
The Liturgy of Light: The Easter Vigil begins in the evening on the night during which Jesus rose from the dead. The Paschal Candle is lighted from the New Fire and carried into the darkened church as the Exultet, the oldest distinctively Christian melody, is sung. This paschal candle will be lit for each service during the season of Easter, until Pentecost, which is when the church is called to spread the light out into all of the world.
The Liturgy of the Word: The readings chronicle the story of God's relationship with humanity, interspersed with prayers and songs and silent reflection.
The Renewal of Baptismal Vows: The readings reaffirm our identity as the People of God. We renew our own baptismal covenant and are blessed with holy water, recalling that in our baptism we are a new creation in Christ Jesus and the resurrection of Christ is renewed in our midst.
Holy Eucharist: In sign and sacrament, holy story and song, the dying and rising of Jesus in the midst of the people is once again enacted. We share the holy "Gifts of God for the People of God," and rejoice in this foretaste of the glory of God's reign both on earth and in heaven.
Event Links
Website: https://go.evvnt.com/1635975-0
