Easter Vigil

Liturgical color is white (or gold)

The setting is typically Willan

Propers are at DWM pg. 391

The Gloria is sung with accompanying bells

Easter Sequence: Victimae Paschali - Hymnal 97

Easter forms at the Communicantes and Hanc igitur

Easter Dismissal is used through the Day of Pentecost (double 'Alleluia')

Preparations

  • A chasuble for the celebrant draped at the Gospel-Side choir stall

  • Put the Paschal Candle stand in the chancel on the Gospel-side

  • Have there also the wooden lectern for the Deacon's Exsultet, with a white antependium

  • Set two candles near the lectern (with a lighter) for servers to hold during the Exsultet

  • Set an electric light at the lectern

  • Place the sanctuary lamp with globe at the credence (for lighting after Communion)

  • Place the aspersorium and two ewers on the table near the font

  • Set up for baptism at the font, with the sacred oils, candles, etc (if needed)

  • Set up a small table with sacred oil in the chancel for confirmations

  • Make sure the font is full of water

  • Rope off the front pews (Gospel side) for catechumens, sponsors, and families

  • Place priest’s hosts on the paten, with the veiled chalice

  • Have the fire pot set up with wood in front of the church for kindling the New Fire

  • On a table at the back of the nave, place the Paschal Candle, a stylus, “five grains of incense,” and a taper

  • Place a large white veil over the table and its contents before the service begins

  • Have ready charcoal and tongs on a tray to prepare the thurible at the New Fire

  • Place nearby hand-candles for the sacred ministers and servers

  • Place sanctus hand bells (both sets) at the footpace, together with the gong

  • Have a taper on the Epistle-Side gradine (for lighting the sanctuary lamp)

  • The processional cross in its bracket should have an Easter lilly tied to it.

  • Baskets for the ushers to collect extinguished hand-candles

  • Veil the exit signs

  • The tabernacle doors should be open at the beginning (Make sure the tabernacle key is in the burse)

  • Confer with ushers about tending the New Fire, etc.

  • Confer with choirmaster about the chanted parts, etc.

  • Instruct servers about filling holy water stoups, etc

  • Take special care to have tapers ready in the sanctuary for the lighting of the altar candles from the Paschal Candle

Lighting of the new fire

  • Lights in the church should be very dim, if not completely off

  • The people should be inside holding unlit hand-candles

  • In silence the celebrant, ministers, and servers gather outside

  • The thurifer has an empty thurible, with coals and tongs on a tray

  • The celebrant kindles the New Fire outside accompanied by opening address and blessing prayers

  • While at the fire, the Paschal Candle is prepared:

Lighting of the Paschal Candle

  • The Paschal Candle is held up for the celebrant by Deacon of the Word (who will intone the Exsultet)

  • A tray stands ready with stylus, grains, & taper

  • Meanwhile, the thurifer lights the Coals directly from the New Fire – making sure the coals are well lit

  • Chanting, the celebrant traces figures on the paschal candle w/ the stylus

  • Chanting, the celebrant sticks the five grain-pins into the candle

  • The deacon holds the candle upright, as the other deacon lights the taper, giving it to the celebrant.

  • With the taper, the celebrant lights the candle, saying “May the Light of Christ …”

Procession

  • The thurifer presents the thurible to the celebrant to lay on incense

  • The thurifer then leads the deacon with the New Fire followed by the other sacred ministers into the church

  • The thurifer leads the procession, followed by the deacon with the Paschal Candle.

  • Then come the sacred ministers with candle bearers, visiting clergy, other servers – all with hand candles

  • At the back of the nave, the deacon pauses and sings “The Light of Christ”

  • The deacon moves forward to the middle of the nave, pausing to sing a second time “The Light of Christ”

  • The celebrant lights his candle from the Paschal Candle and then lights the candle bearers’ processional candles as they proceed

  • The servers continue lighting hand candles for the people

  • The MCs give lit hand-candles to the rest of the altar party

  • Two ushers may also assist lighting the people's candles but do so from the side-aisles starting at the back of the church

  • At the chancel gate, the deacon pauses a third time to sing “The Light of Christ.”

  • Then the deacon puts the Pashacl Candle in its stand and waits

  • The altar party enters the chancel, bowing to the altar

  • All move to their seats at in the chancel (except the thurifer who waits near the deacon and the Paschal Candle)

  • The choir proceeds on up to the loft, as usual

Exsultet

Liturgy of the Word

  • The celebrant stands at his chair and introduces the readings, “Let us hear the record ..

  • The MC turns up the lights only slightly during the first reading at “Let there be light…”

  • Then follows the sequence of readings, hymns/canticles, and collects

  • The thurifer should refresh coals during the last reading

Gloria

Lighting of the Lamps - As the Gloria begins, two servers take the fire of the Paschal Candle and quickly light the altar candles and pavement lights

Collect

Epistle - Intoned by the acolyte-epistoler

Alleluia and Gospel - Incense, no candles

Homily

The Blessing of the Font – The celebrant and deacons rise and go to the foot of the altar

Baptismal Liturgy

Litany of Saints

  • All kneel for the Litany

  • Toward the middle the thurifer gets thurible and comes with the boat boy standing ready to process to the font

Procession to the font

  • Toward the end of the Litany, the celebrant rises and the deacon goes to get the Paschal Candle (the cue to move is “St Margaret Clitheroe”)

  • The thurifer leads, followed by the deacon with the Paschal Candle, two servers, MC, the celebrant and other deacon, and then the baptismal candidates and their sponsors (if there are any)

  • Arrived at the font, the celebrant lays on incense and censes the font.

  • As soon as the censing is done, the thurifer leaves by the Martyrs' Chapel door to take the thurible back to the vestry

Blessing of water

  • A deacon holds the book while the celebrant prays over the water as appointed

  • The deacon hands the Paschal Candle to the celebrant, who lowers it into the water (1 or 3 times)

  • He holds the Paschal Candle in the water for the prayer and then takes it out

  • Making the sign of the cross with his hand in the water, the celebrant blesses the water

  • Then the choir and people sing the Sicut Cervus

  • A deacon fills the ewer with blessed water and pours some into the aspersorium

  • Servers take the ewers and go to fill holy water stoups

  • They leave the ewers in the sacristy and return to their places in the chancel

Presentation of the Candidates for Baptism and Renewal of Baptismal Vows

  • The baptismal candidates and their sponsors are bidden to gather around the font

  • The celebrant examines them and they answer, as appointed

  • Then follows the Baptismal Covenant

  • Assisted by the deacon(s) and Acolyte, the celebrant baptizes and anoints each candidate

  • The acolyte assists in washing the celebrant’s fingers

  • Just before the ministers return to the chancel with the newly baptized, the candle bearers take their lit candles out into the nave and begin to relight the people’s hand-candles

  • An MC assists those in the chancel to relight their hand-candles

Rite of Confirmation

  • Following the deacon with the Paschal Candle, the celebrant and sacred ministers return to the chancel, with another deacon carrying the aspersorium, and the acolyte carrying the book

  • The deacon puts the Paschal Candle back in its stand

  • Facing the people, the celebrant addresses the people

  • The confirmation candidates and their sponsors come forward to the chancel step

  • The celebrant addresses the candidates for confirmation

  • He then leads them and the people in the Renewal of Baptismal Vows

  • The candidates profess the faith

  • The celebrant confirms and anoints each candidate

  • The acolyte and deacon assist the celebrant in cleansing his fingers

  • The celebrant says the concluding prayer of this rite

Asperges

  • The choir begins singing of psalm for the Rite of Sprinkling

  • The celebrant, assisted by the deacons, one holding the aspersorium, goes forth to sprinkle the people with holy water.

  • He begins with the altar, then those in the chancel, then goes down the nave sprinkling everyone and then back again

  • There’s no hurry as the psalm is sufficiently long

  • The celebrant does not sprinkle the people's backs

  • The MC puts the aspersorium away in the sacristy

LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

Offertory

Consecration - The Easter forms of the Communicantes and the Hanc Igitur are prayed

Communion - Immediately following the communion of the faithful, the MC takes a taper, touches it to the Epistle-Side mass candle and lights the sanctuary lamp

Dismissal - The deacon says the Easter form of the Dismissal with the double Alleluia

Recessional