Easter Vigil

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keri6789

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I’m getting confirmed :extrahappy: :dancing: :extrahappy: on Saturday! I am just so excited…I feel like I did when it was Christmas Eve and I was waiting for Christmas morning!

What exactly happens at the Easter Vigil? I have never been to one and I really would like a little info about what is going to happen and what will be happening to get me confirmed. I am already baptized so I know that I won’t be doing that. I do know that I have to go to confession…I’m doing that Saturday morning.
 
Lighting the Paschal Fire, usually outside, after dark
everyone will be given a small taper to carry for the
Procession into church, singing, as the fire is passed the dark church comes into the Light of Christ
Lots of incense
Readings from OT interspersed with psalms, covering all of salvation history, if there are many baptisms scheduled, readings may be reduded to 5 or so, ending with the Gospel
Baptisms
Paschal candle dipped into the font to bless the water
Candidates for baptism brought forward and baptized one by one. As they are dressing and donning their white baptismal garments, the rest of the congregation is singing.
If there are many candidates, they may be asked to make their profession of faith at this time and be confirmed
Or the newly baptized and the candidates may do this together.

The liturgy of the Eucharist continues and new Catholics receive communion for the first time.
dismissal to go forth and share the good news of the resurrection.

If you are lucky and your priest is in good voice he will sing the Exultet, and the gloria will be sung. This seldom happens at our church and I miss it so much.

it has to be experienced, no description will do it justice.
If you ever have the chance to celebrate Easter in a Byzantine, Greek or Russian church, don’t miss it. Wear comfortable shoes because it goes on all night.
 
puzzleannie said:
it has to be experienced, no description will do it justice.
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Amen to that!

There are 7 Old Testament reading, each followed by a Responsorial Psalm. Then an Epistle reading, and finally, the Gospel. Pay careful attention to the readings. When you list carefully all the way through them, you’ll be blown away by the message. It’s one of the most beautiful liturgies of the year.
 
Last evening, our RCIA class (I’m a sponsor this year) had a 90 minute explination/rehersal for the Vigil. Father is a gifted teacher, he went over the history, the symbolism, as well as walking everyone through the Missal. We discussed which readings will be used (of the OT readings, we will use 4 of the available 7 - 1,2,3 and 6).

We have a very large group, the walk through was very helpful to make sure everyone has a place to stand when they need to be up front!

Guess we are very blessed to have such an instructive RCIA program - maybe we will tape the rehersal next hear 👍
 
No offense, but I actually wish you would not have been given the information requested. No offense to those trying to help you either. Sometimes it’s best to experience such things as they take place. This is only an opinion anyway, and I hope no one gets the wrong idea.

Congratulations!
 
I have never had the opportunity to go to an Easter Vigil myself and I have a couple of questions also:

What if you are physically unable to follow in the procession? Would it be inaapropriate to sit in the pew?

How long is the Vigil?

Thanks.

:heart:Blyss
 
BlyssfulDreamer said:
I have never had the opportunity to go to an Easter Vigil myself and I have a couple of questions also:

What if you are physically unable to follow in the procession? Would it be inaapropriate to sit in the pew?

How long is the Vigil?

Thanks.

:heart:Blyss
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I was told by the RCIA director that we should plan for atleast 2 hours.
 
BlyssfulDreamer said:
I have never had the opportunity to go to an Easter Vigil myself and I have a couple of questions also:

What if you are physically unable to follow in the procession? Would it be inaapropriate to sit in the pew?

How long is the Vigil?

Thanks.

:heart:Blyss
Click to expand...
As someone with physical issues that limit my mobility, I can relate to your question.

The procession consists of the Priest, deacons, servers, (like at a regular Mass) along with those coming into the Church and their sponsors/godparents and sometimes spouses. The rest of the congregation is already gathered inside, just like a regular Mass.

Right now, I can walk from the rear of the Church to the front - so, the procession will be fine. If one could do that using adaptive aids (an arm to lean on, cane, walker, wheelchair, etc.) that would work.

If one of those entering the Church is simply unable to move that far, I’m sure the Pastor would make a provision for them to be seated ahead of time in the pew. Just check with your Pastor or RCIA director.

2 hours is the shortest Vigil I’ve attended - have been to those that last 3 hours. Also, it is a good idea to arrive early, this is usually a packed Mass. After Mass we have a reception for everyone, so - we just plan on making it home by Midnight 🙂
 
I can’t wait until Saturday. Our rehersal is Saturday morning. I’m even excited about that!!

BTW, this may be a really really stupid question but will candidates (those already baptized) have to memorize the Nicene Creed for Easter Vigil?

For some reason I thought I had heard this but I wasn’t sure. I’m still having trouble with it. I want to mix it up with the Apostles’ Creed b/c that’s what I was used to saying in the Methodist church!
 
The profession of faith is not either of those creeds 🙂

Sometimes it is said as a group, ours will be individual - and they will have it written on a card 🙂
 
kage_ar said:
The profession of faith is not either of those creeds 🙂

Sometimes it is said as a group, ours will be individual - and they will have it written on a card 🙂
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I didn’t think it was from what I saw in my missal, but I could have almost sworn I heard someone in RCIA say that we had to memorize it! 🤷 Thanks for the clarification!
 
gvogt4 said:
No offense, but I actually wish you would not have been given the information requested. No offense to those trying to help you either. Sometimes it’s best to experience such things as they take place. This is only an opinion anyway, and I hope no one gets the wrong idea.

Congratulations!
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Oh, gvogt4, I don’t think there are words in existence that can really describe what will happen during the Vigil…so Keri will probably be blown away. I know that I was, the first time I ever attended the Easter Vigil. I was 25 year old !!! There is nothing on earth to compare it to…not even Midnight Mass. The entire Triduum is something beyond human comprehension…it is my favorite liturgical season.

As for time…our pastor usually goes almost 4 hours. It will not start until 8:45 (completely dark). Thus, I’m sad to say that I won’t be going to our Vigil this year as I have young grandchildren with me.
 
AngelRose81 said:
I can’t wait until Saturday. Our rehersal is Saturday morning. I’m even excited about that!!

BTW, this may be a really really stupid question but will candidates (those already baptized) have to memorize the Nicene Creed for Easter Vigil?

For some reason I thought I had heard this but I wasn’t sure. I’m still having trouble with it. I want to mix it up with the Apostles’ Creed b/c that’s what I was used to saying in the Methodist church!
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The creed is not said at the Easter Vigil, so it certainly does not need to be memorised for that ceremony. But it may be required for a ceremony earlier on Holy Saturday. From the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, (with the numbers from the edition used in England and Australia. In the USA edition this is n. 185):

"Preparation Rites on Holy Saturday
172 In proximate preparation for the celebration of the sacraments of initiation:
  1. The elect are to be advised that on Holy Saturday they should refrain from their usual activities, spend their time in prayer and reflection, and, as far as they can, observe a fast.
  2. When it is possible to bring the elect together on Holy Saturday for reflection and prayer, some or all of the following rites may be celebrated as an immediate preparation for the sacraments: the presentation of the Lord’s Prayer, if it has been deferred (see nos. 136, 165-167), the ‘return’ or recitation of the Creed (nos. 180-183), the ephphetha rite (nos. 184-186), the choosing of a baptismal name (nos. 187-189), and the anointing with the oil of catechumens (nos. 190-194; for the rite of anointing the celebrant is a priest or deacon). [26, 193]
    173 The choice and arrangement of these rites should be guided by what best suits the particular circumstances of the elect, but the following should be observed with regard to their celebration:
  3. In cases where celebration of the presentation of the Creed was not possible, the recitation of the Creed is not celebrated. …"
There is an instruction in the RCIA book: “The elect are to commit the Creed to memory and they will recite it publicly (nos. 180-183) prior to professing their faith in accordance with that Creed on the day of their baptism.” (n. 135 in RCIA book of England and Australia, n. 148 in USA edition, n 183 or 184 in Latin edition). But the reciting publicly may not happen.

During the day on Holy Saturday, it can be either version that is recited. Using the USA numbers of the RCIA:
“RECITATION OF THE CREED
196. The elect then recite the Creed. Depending on the version that was entrusted to them at the presentation, they recite either the Apostles’ Creed, option A, or the Nicene Creed, option B.”
(The Rites Volume One, Liturgical Press, 1990, ISBN: 0-8146-6015-0, pages 140-141).
 
keri6789 said:
…What exactly happens at the Easter Vigil? I have never been to one and I really would like a little info about what is going to happen and what will be happening to get me confirmed. I am already baptized so I know that I won’t be doing that. I do know that I have to go to confession…I’m doing that Saturday morning.
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A lot of the texts are at canticanova.com/planning/year-c/plnevc_l.htm . But how things happen depends on whether anyone is being baptised and whether there is a “Reception of Baptised Christians into the Full Communion of the Catholic Church”.
 
kage_ar said:
As someone with physical issues that limit my mobility, I can relate to your question.

The procession consists of the Priest, deacons, servers, (like at a regular Mass) along with those coming into the Church and their sponsors/godparents and sometimes spouses. The rest of the congregation is already gathered inside, just like a regular Mass.
QUOTE]

Oh, thank you so much for the information. Now, I think I will go, as I have heard it is a very moving experience. I have also heard it is quite packed , so i will be there early.

Thanks again…🙂

:heart:Blyss
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Keri…

Only one day away…good luck and God Bless:thumbsup:

:heart:Blyss
 
Does Easter Vigil fulfil the obligation for Easter Sunday?
Do we need to attend both?
 
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