Easter Vigil Mass

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I saw that the Easter Vigil Mass at our parish is scheduled for 7:00 PM. This is more than an hour before sunset. Is that okay?
 
JaredR said:
I saw that the Easter Vigil Mass at our parish is scheduled for 7:00 PM. This is more than an hour before sunset. Is that okay?
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No, it’s not OK.

From the Circular Letter Concerning the Preparation and Celebration of the Easter Feasts – Congregation for Divine Worship
**1. The meaning of the nocturnal character of the Easter Vigil
**78. “The entire celebration of the Easter Vigil takes place at night. It should not begin before nightfall; it should end before daybreak on Sunday”. (82) This rule is to be taken according to its strictest sense. Reprehensible are those abuses and practices which have crept in in many places in violation of this ruling, whereby the Easter Vigil is celebrated at the time of day that it is customary to celebrate anticipated Sunday Masses. (83)
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Those reasons which have been advanced in some quarters for the anticipation of the Easter Vigil, such as lack of public order, are not put forward in connection with Christmas night, nor other gatherings of various kinds.
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  1. The Passover Vigil, in which the Hebrews kept watch for the Lord’s passover which was to free them from slavery to Pharaoh, was an annual commemoration. It prefigured the true Pasch of Christ that was to come, the night that is of true liberation, in which “destroying the bonds of death, Christ rose as victor from the depths”. (84)
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  1. From the very outset the Church has celebrated that annual Pasch, which is the solemnity of solemnities, above all by means of a night vigil. For the resurrection of Christ is the foundation of our faith and hope, and through Baptism and Confirmation we are inserted into the paschal mystery of Christ, dying, buried, and raised with him, and with him we shall also reign. (85)
    The full meaning of this Vigil is a waiting for the coming of the Lord. (86)
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That’s what I thought. This will be my confirmation. I am 18, and I am only a candidate. Can I say anything without coming across as presumptuous? :juggle:
 
Phemie said:
No, it’s not OK.

From the Circular Letter Concerning the Preparation and Celebration of the Easter Feasts – Congregation for Divine Worship
Click to expand...
  1. The meaning of the nocturnal character of the Easter Vigil
  2. “The entire celebration of the Easter Vigil takes place at night. It should not begin before nightfall; it should end before daybreak on Sunday”. (82) This rule is to be taken according to its strictest sense. Reprehensible are those abuses and practices which have crept in in many places in violation of this ruling, whereby the Easter Vigil is celebrated at the time of day that it is customary to celebrate anticipated Sunday Masses. (83)
Click to expand...
Those reasons which have been advanced in some quarters for the anticipation of the Easter Vigil, such as lack of public order, are not put forward in connection with Christmas night, nor other gatherings of various kinds.
Click to expand...
  1. The Passover Vigil, in which the Hebrews kept watch for the Lord’s passover which was to free them from slavery to Pharaoh, was an annual commemoration. It prefigured the true Pasch of Christ that was to come, the night that is of true liberation, in which “destroying the bonds of death, Christ rose as victor from the depths”. (84)
Click to expand...
  1. From the very outset the Church has celebrated that annual Pasch, which is the solemnity of solemnities, above all by means of a night vigil. For the resurrection of Christ is the foundation of our faith and hope, and through Baptism and Confirmation we are inserted into the paschal mystery of Christ, dying, buried, and raised with him, and with him we shall also reign. (85)
    The full meaning of this Vigil is a waiting for the coming of the Lord. (86)
Click to expand...
I’m glad you brought this letter to light. Sigh! In my archdiocese there never seems to be uniformity between one parish to the other whether in the French or English deanery. Oddly some parishes begin Easter Vigil at 7:00 pm and others at 8:00 pm.
I think those parishes that begin at 7:00 pm do so out of expediency and convenience because most Easter Vigil Mass services are usually in the vicinity of being three hours long. Personally I love the Easter Vigil Mass. It has sometimes been called the Mass of all Masses.
 
JaredR said:
That’s what I thought. This will be my confirmation. I am 18, and I am only a candidate. Can I say anything without coming across as presumptuous? :juggle:
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You can always phrase it as a question: “I thought the Vigil was always supposed to take place after dark. Was I wrong?” At least you might find out why they decided to do this. Don’t expect them to change it though but at least if you ask the question it might make someone think.

While we are having it after dark, after 8 years of having all the readings the pastor has decided to only have 3 readings from the Old Testament. I honestly cannot fathom why, on the most important night of the Liturgical year, we have to do it half way. Sometimes I feel that if they could they wouldn’t even bother with the Vigil.
 
Congratulations, candidate!
JaredR said:
I saw that the Easter Vigil Mass at our parish is scheduled for 7:00 PM. This is more than an hour before sunset. Is that okay?
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Good for you for wondering this.
Are they maybe having Vespers first?
 
JaredR said:
I saw that the Easter Vigil Mass at our parish is scheduled for 7:00 PM. This is more than an hour before sunset. Is that okay?
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No, it’s my understanding this is a requirement that the Easter Vigil not start before sunset local time.
 
My parish is starting their Easter Vigil at 8:00 PM, this is the earliest time any of the parishes in our diocese are allowed to start their Easter Vigil. According the deacon running my RCIA class the Bishop sent this out to all the parishes in the diocese.
 
I thought that there was some condition - i.e. if there was some grave reason that it couldn’t be celebrated after sunset (e.g. one priest having to celebrate 2 or 3 Easter Vigils at different parishes), then it could be celebrated somewhat earlier… However, all I can seem to find is totally in accord with what others have said - the Church wants parishes to take the requirements very seriously.

Anyway, it simply does not make sense to celebrate the vigil before dark. Last year, I deputised for an organist at the Easter Vigil & it was celebrated at the same time as the usual Vigil Mass - 6p.m.! It was one of the most glorious spring evenings I have ever seen and the daylight just seemed to make a mockery of the Easter fire! It lost all of its significance. The same happened when the Easter Candle was lit and brought indoors - many of the words of the Exultet were rendered meaningless: e.g. references to the Easter Candle dispelling the darkness of the night, “a flame divided but undimmed”… So, speaking from experience, having the Easter Vigil at an inappropriate time greatly undermines the solemnity and significance of the occasion.
 
NPC said:
I thought that there was some condition - i.e. if there was some grave reason that it couldn’t be celebrated after sunset (e.g. one priest having to celebrate 2 or 3 Easter Vigils at different parishes), then it could be celebrated somewhat earlier… However, all I can seem to find is totally in accord with what others have said - the Church wants parishes to take the requirements very seriously.

Anyway, it simply does not make sense to celebrate the vigil before dark. Last year, I deputised for an organist at the Easter Vigil & it was celebrated at the same time as the usual Vigil Mass - 6p.m.! It was one of the most glorious spring evenings I have ever seen and the daylight just seemed to make a mockery of the Easter fire! It lost all of its significance. The same happened when the Easter Candle was lit and brought indoors - many of the words of the Exultet were rendered meaningless: e.g. references to the Easter Candle dispelling the darkness of the night, “a flame divided but undimmed”… So, speaking from experience, having the Easter Vigil at an inappropriate time greatly undermines the solemnity and significance of the occasion.
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I thought that there was some condition - i.e. if there was some grave reason that it couldn’t be celebrated after sunset (e.g. one priest having to celebrate 2 or 3 Easter Vigils at different parishes), then it could be celebrated somewhat earlier… However, all I can seem to find is totally in accord with what others have said - the Church wants parishes to take the requirements very seriously.
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Maybe its possible that one exception to the rule would be the priest’s poor health being a factor of celebrating the Easter Vigil at a earlier time with no other priests available.
I’m sure there are logical exceptions that happen that are not set to deliberately break Church rules.
 
In a well worded RESPECTFUL letter, quote the Vatican document and ask why the Mass is scheduled to begin before dark.

Next step is same letter to the Bishop.
 
centurionguard said:
I think those parishes that begin at 7:00 pm do so out of expediency and convenience because most Easter Vigil Mass services are usually in the vicinity of being three hours long.
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Yes, it does, but that is no excuse to start it early. Do they celebrate Christmas Mdnight Mass at 7PM for the same reason? :tsktsk:

My parish starts it at 10:30PM.
 
centurionguard said:
Maybe its possible that one exception to the rule would be the priest’s poor health being a factor of celebrating the Easter Vigil at a earlier time with no other priests available.
I’m sure there are logical exceptions that happen that are not set to deliberately break Church rules.
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I do not believe that there are any exceptions.
 
Br.Rich_SFO said:
I do not believe that there are any exceptions.
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" This rule is to be taken according to its strictest sense. Reprehensible are those abuses and practices which have crept in in many places in violation of this ruling, whereby the Easter Vigil is celebrated at the time of day that it is customary to celebrate anticipated Sunday Masses."

That is very clear.

Vigil must start after sundown.
 
The parishes in our archdiocese got a letter telling us that sunset is at 7:45pm and the earliest we can start the Easter Vigil is 8:15pm, 30 minutes later. We’ve always had ours at 7pm, and it was kind of twilight outside most of the time, but good and dark in the church. We’re about to get a new pastor this weekend, so I guess we’ll see what happens not only with this but a lot of things.
 
Unfortunately, there are several parishes down here in my diocese that have broken this rule, big-time. Some have had it as early as 6:30PM, but, others have had it at 7PM. Unfortunately, the bishop has done nothing about the problem, even though it was pointed out that these schedules are in violation of PS. The issue has already been addressed to Rome. Hopefully, there will be some intervention.
 
Hello everyone…I am now classed as " the elect " after the signing of the book at the rite of election mass. I am awaiting the Easter Vigil with anticipation for my baptism, holy eucharist and confirmation that special day along with thousands across the world doing so with me…:signofcross:

Our Easter Vigil Mass aparently starts outside the church and begins at 7pm too…I did say the other day at my RCIA class that it should be dark upon commencement. Either no one heard me or it was brushed off…Not sure which…:highprayer:

Yep it will be a fantastic night. church packed to the gills with people standing…Gee I’m going to be so emotional and nervous that day if the Rite of Election was anything to go buy…I’ve already picked out my outfit…Can’t wait!!!:harp:

Anyway everyone enjoy the lenten journey and that Easter is nearly there… God Bless
 
Mistyjazz said:
Hello everyone…I am now classed as " the elect " after the signing of the book at the rite of election mass. I am awaiting the Easter Vigil with anticipation for my baptism, holy eucharist and confirmation that special day along with thousands across the world doing so with me…:signofcross:

Our Easter Vigil Mass aparently starts outside the church and begins at 7pm too…I did say the other day at my RCIA class that it should be dark upon commencement. Either no one heard me or it was brushed off…Not sure which…:highprayer:

Yep it will be a fantastic night. church packed to the gills with people standing…Gee I’m going to be so emotional and nervous that day if the Rite of Election was anything to go buy…I’ve already picked out my outfit…Can’t wait!!!:harp:

Anyway everyone enjoy the lenten journey and that Easter is nearly there… God Bless
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Congratulations. I hope you have a wonderful night.

We just discussed this in our Liturgy Committee meeting last night. Our church used to have the Vigil Mass at 8:00 p.m. I brought up this issue last night at our meeting. The Mass is actually not to start until Astronomical Twilight. In our area, that is 9:38 p.m. I had a copy of the naval observatory charts showing this. Our pastor decided to have the Mass at 9:00 p.m. We’re starting a little early, but at least we’re making steps in the right direction with our new pastor.

I called the Archdiocese before the meeting and they said 8:30 p.m. or later, but it is still fairly lit outside at 8:30 p.m. since the Daylight Savings Time will be in effect.
 
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