History of Vigil Masses

[mass4life]

I thought the practice of having Vigil Masses (the evening before) was a long tradition of the Catholic faith rooting back in Judaism, in which days started in the evenings. Something I recently read made me think it was a recent development and that everyone used to go on Sundays.

Does anyone have any info on this?

Liturgically, it’s a long day in the Catholic faith, in which a Sunday obligation could be filled from Saturday evening until Sunday at midnight.

 

[Michael_AMDG]

I think it may have started that way in the VERY early Church when Christians were still celebrating the Sabbath, but then faded out when they started having mass early Sunday morning due to the persecutions, and has only redeveloped recently.

 

[buzzcut]

Hi m4l there are several threads about this question on the Liturgy and Sacraments forum and also here:

catholic.com/thisrock/2001/0104qq.asp