Easter Vigil Mass time

  • Thread starter Thread starter ratio1
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
What time do you normally eat dinner that you can’t eat before you go to the Vigil?

So just eat earlier than you normally do. Honestly, it’s one day.
 
The reason this isn’t packed is because while Christmas Midnight Mass is a tradition of centuries, the late night vigil is a novelty of the 50s.

Yes, Christians stayed up all night in antiquity. They did it every Sabbath into Sunday, in fact.

Those who are interested in restoration of ancient practices should just go all the way and fast all day until evening every day of Lent through Holy Saturday inclusive…but one rarely hears that encouraged. 🙂
 
ratio1 said:
Mine is 7pm which I find is extremely inconvenient. Just when are you supposed to have dinner? Before or after???
Click to expand...
Well…we (my husband and children and I )always eats just after 5, hubbys family did, my family did…so that wouldn’t be an issue at all.

I would think that moving around a meal time would not be difficult for most grown adults, and young children (who aren’t receiving communion anyway) are very much excused.
 
With the Vigil, a person could eat a full dinner in the parking lot, walk into the Vigil and not have to worry - it is going to be more than an hour until Communion 🙂
 
TheLittleLady said:
With the Vigil, a person could eat a full dinner in the parking lot, walk into the Vigil and not have to worry - it is going to be more than an hour until Communion 🙂
Click to expand...
Logistics of a ham dinner with the steering wheel in the way could get tricky tho.
 
Phemie said:
For a couple of years we had a reception, with lots of food, after the Vigil. It stopped because someone thought it was ridiculous to do this so late. Too bad, it used to be fun and good way to end the fast.
Click to expand...
One of my kids’ teachers is married to a Syrian Christian (not sure if Orthodox or Catholic). He was bragging to the kids about their church’s 3 AM (or something like that) Easter lamb feasts.
 
Last edited:
twf said:
Yes, I know that the Vigil must begin after dark. My post was in response to the poster who claims that, historically, the Vigil was held around 4 pm, after None. I am questioning this as I understood that it was traditionally forbidden to celebrate Mass after noon.
Click to expand...
The poster referred to the Middle Ages. It is true that the Easter Vigil was originally an all-night thing in the earlier centuries of Church history. Gradually it moved back, first to the afternoon of Holy Saturday in the early middle ages, then after that, to Holy Saturday morning, where it remained until 1955. This is documented in most books about the history of Holy Week, by authors such as James Monti, Aemiliana Lohr, Dom Jean Gaillard, and James W. Farwell, inter alia.
 
@Grey – Welcome!

My parish also starts at 8 on Saturday, and I’m a sponsor for someone being received into the Church this year (I’m also going to be doing two readings, I’m quite excited, as we get to have all the readings this year). Sunset here is going to be 7:18, so we’ll be pretty dark outside when we begin.
 
Ours has started at 9:30PM in recent years, but the new pastor prefers 10:30PM. (FSSP parish.)
 
The problem with calling something “traditional” is that it depends on your reference time frame for the establishment of a “tradition.”
 
I am in Eastern US time zone and the Easter vigils tend to start here at either 7 or 8 pm.
I plan to attend the one at the cathedral in Philadelphia which is starting at 8 pm.
 
Last edited:
Yep. It will be pretty light here in the Pacific NW then as well. Ours starts at eight.
 
Ours starts at 8. I feel sorry for my Protestant transportation.
 
Easter is so close to the equinox that it might not matter that much if you are north or south
 
Yep.

Ottawa to Miami is only about 20 minutes difference but Bar Harbor to Grand Rapids is an hour sunset difference
 
8pm in the Cathedral just 2 blocks away. I am still on fasting mode the whole day of Holy Saturday, therefore, I will not be eating much up until after the Easter Vigil and the Salubong Procession that follows.
 
8 pm CST at my parish, usually it’s getting pretty dark by then, especially since it’s earlier in the year. We have RCIA here, so mass can go til about 10. I’m usually at church for hours, since I’m in the choir and we arrive for practice at 6:30 pm. I eat a very early supper and then stay up for a while after Mass to eat unhealthy things
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top