Easter Vigil Mass; order from the Vatican?

[Phemie]

Where I live it was dark at 7:30. Most children are in bed at a certain hour. We had one baby and about 12 kids baptized tonight. Our service ended around 10:20.

I must admit that we have only had 1 person (a 10 year old) baptized at the Vigil in the 19 years I’ve been in this parish. Parents often have a problem with Baptism being celebrated at a regular Mass so they’re not lined up to have their child baptized at the Vigil, a celebration they don’t normally attend.

 

[tee_eff_em]

Was there some order from the Vatican this year saying all Easter Vigil masses have to happen before 9 p.m.?

No *order *I am aware of, but certainly nothing wrong with it, providing darkness has fallen.

By EWTN’s schedule, the Vigil from St Peter’s broadcast at 1430 EDT yesterday, which would put it 2030 Vatican time.

tee

 

[7_Sorrows]

I must admit that we have only had 1 person (a 10 year old) baptized at the Vigil in the 19 years I’ve been in this parish. Parents often have a problem with Baptism being celebrated at a regular Mass so they’re not lined up to have their child baptized at the Vigil, a celebration they don’t normally attend.

That does seem unusual. We have baptisms throughout the year of little babies, but last night there was one adult and lots of kids from 4. - 11 and one baby under 1.

 

[Phemie]

That does seem unusual. We have baptisms throughout the year of little babies, but last night there was one adult and lots of kids from 4. - 11 and one baby under 1.

In my 19 years in this parish we’ve had only 2 converts – from the Anglican community.

The 10 year old who was baptized at the Vigil was from a Catholic family but due to a family breakdown her Baptism had been neglected. When she was 9 she asked to be baptized after two of her much younger siblings were baptized.

 

[7_Sorrows]

In my 19 years in this parish we’ve had only 2 converts – from the Anglican community.

The 10 year old who was baptized at the Vigil was from a Catholic family but due to a family breakdown her Baptism had been neglected. When she was 9 she asked to be baptized after two of her much younger siblings were baptized.

Is it a small town in an isolated location?

 

[Kielbasi]

No *order *I am aware of, but certainly nothing wrong with it, providing darkness has fallen.

By EWTN’s schedule, the Vigil from St Peter’s broadcast at 1430 EDT yesterday, which would put it 2030 Vatican time.

tee

Darkness falls at different times, depending on a couple of factors- the latitude of the location- higher latitudes have longer days during the summer, as well as the longitude- sun falls at an earlier hour in Boston than it does in Pittsburgh as they are further east but in the same time zone.

It doesn’t get totally dark until about 1 a.m. in Nome Alaska this time of year, it gets dark in Christchurch New Zealand by 7 p.m…

 

[Phemie]

Is it a small town in an isolated location?

Yes, 8500 people in the middle of nowhere. We have Catholics, Pentecostals, Salvation Army, Baha’i, two different Baptist communities, Anglicans, United Church of Canada, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Gospel Assembly.

One of those who came into full reception was a fairly new arrival in town, the other had been married to a Catholic for several years.

 

[7_Sorrows]

Yes, 8500 people in the middle of nowhere. We have Catholics, Pentecostals, Salvation Army, Baha’i, two different Baptist communities, Anglicans, United Church of Canada, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Gospel Assembly.

One of those who came into full reception was a fairly new arrival in town, the other had been married to a Catholic for several years.

that is probably why then.

 

[tee_eff_em]

Darkness falls at different times, depending on a couple of factors- the latitude of the location- higher latitudes have longer days during the summer, as well as the longitude- sun falls at an earlier hour in Boston than it does in Pittsburgh as they are further east but in the same time zone.

So I understand.

Though I spoke informally of “darkness”, as [user]Phemie[/user] has noted, *Paschale Solemnitatis *calls for nightfall. While there are at least three definitions of “twilight” (which generally precedes nightfall) – Civil, nautical, and astronomical – It is my understanding (concurring with [user]Phemie[/user]) that the local ordinary determines the time of nightfall for the purpose of Easter Vigil. I am quite satisfied such should be the case, since the Church already has a lo-ong history of astronomical observation, it being vital to the *computus *-- The calculation of the date of Easter!

Currently, Google tells me “dusk” (local time) is:

• …in Boston: 19:57 Sunday 16 Apr
• …in Pittsburgh: 20:29 Sunday 16 Apr
• …in Nome: 23:40 Sunday 16 Apr
• …in Christchurch: 18:22 Monday 17 Apr
• …in Rome: 20:22 Monday 17 Apr

(Times for Saturday 15 Apr ought not have been too far different. I do not know, specifically, what each local ordinary may have determined)

tee
Calendar nerd

 

[newcalling]

Not a hospital nor anything like that. It’s a small parish in one of California’s historic missions. We combined with the Spanish language parish and had a bilingual service. All of our motel reservations were checked in by 3, minor miracle, so we were able to attend. It definitely wasn’t dark at 7, but it was by the time we got done around 9. All of the local parishes had them early, only a couple as late as 8pm. The last couple of years it was at 11pm in our parish. I wasn’t Catholic before then, but I heard it was always at 11pm.