A few questions about the baptism at the Easter Vigil

[GloriousOrder]

Friends ,

1. Is the Litany of the saints always proclaimed in the Easter Vigil? I’ve heard people mention it, but I don’t know for sure.
2. Do all the catechumens and candidates prostrate themselves while this Litany is prayed?
3. Are the patron/confirmation saints chosen by the catechumens/candidates inserted into the Litany?
4. Do the unbaptised heathens and former heretics, about to enter the Church, receive a paschal candle each? Is that reserved for people already inside the heavenly gates?

Thanks a lot for any aid and clarification you can give! I’m sure they’ll explain it all later, but I’d like to know if I can get excited to finally prostrate before my Lord and all His blessed saints, including those who I know have protected and prayed for me all these years.

 

[puzzleannie]

Friends ,

1. Is the Litany of the saints always proclaimed in the Easter Vigil? I’ve heard people mention it, but I don’t know for sure.

yes it is part of the rite

1. Do all the catechumens and candidates prostrate themselves while this Litany is prayed?

no, the catechumens may kneel if there is enough room and are physically able
we have so many they will probably stay and kneel in their pews this year

1. Are the patron/confirmation saints chosen by the catechumens/candidates inserted into the Litany?

they can be, at the discretion of the presiding priest, It is not mandatory even that they chose new patron saint names, but their birth names can be inserted if they correspond to a saint in the calendar

1. Do the unbaptised heathens and former heretics, about to enter the Church, receive a paschal candle each? Is that reserved for people already inside the heavenly gates?

there are not any such about to enter the Church, neither of those describes those who have made the faith journey to this point, and indeed mistates canon law about their status.

those who have made the journey and decided to enter the Church are the Elect, if unbaptized, and the Candidates if baptized. The Elect do not carry a lighted candle. They receive their candle from their sponsors after their baptism

Thanks a lot for any aid and clarification you can give! I’m sure they’ll explain it all later, but I’d like to know if I can get excited to finally prostrate before my Lord and all His blessed saints, including those who I know have protected and prayed for me all these years.

also to correct the assumption in your question above, nobody here on earth including the baptized have yet entered the heavenly gates. That will have to wait until after our earthly death.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Friends ,

…
2. Do all the catechumens and candidates prostrate themselves while this Litany is prayed?
…

Our Baptismal pool is at the back of the church. The elect, their sponsors, and the ministers of the mass process back while the Litany is being sung.

 

[quiet52]

Friends ,

1. Is the Litany of the saints always proclaimed in the Easter Vigil? I’ve heard people mention it, but I don’t know for sure.

If no one is being baptized, the Litany of the Saints is not sung.
(yes, some parishes sadly do not have anyone to baptize during the Easter Vigil)

If there are only candidates for full communion, or candidates for reception of Confirmation and first Eucharist, the Litany is still omitted.