The Easter Vigil is the greatest and most solemn liturgy of the year in the Catholic Church. It commemorates Jesus' death and resurrection. The vigil has four main parts: the Service of Light, Liturgy of the Word, Liturgy of Baptism, and Liturgy of the Eucharist. The Service of Light focuses on the lighting of the new fire and Paschal Candle, which symbolizes Christ as the light of the world. The candle is blessed and marked with the year, cross, and Greek letters Alpha and Omega to represent Jesus as the beginning and the end. The lit candles are then processed throughout the church.

1. The Greatest of all Liturgies

2.  I am here to tell you about the Weekend History Of
The World
 If you have been following the last 4 lesson we learn
about the History & symbols of the Holy Week.
◦ Mass of Palm Sunday
◦ The Evening Mass of the Lord Supper (Holy Thursday)
◦ The Celebration of the Lord’s Passion, which took place
GOOD FRIDAY
 This episode we going to discuss the beauty &
symbols found in the greatest of all Liturgies
 and mother of all liturgies: THE EASTER VIGIL
 Easter Vigil is such a incredible Mass that it would
take 2 lessons to only skim the surface.
◦ There are so many rich symbols & Graces found through
all the celebration on this Holy Week
◦ we hope to instill in you a desire to participate in each of
them every year, specially the EASTER VIGIL.

3.  We just learned that Jesus Died for us and rose
from death, so that we may rise with Him in
the Last Day.
 But how can you share in this great event, or
be part of his kingdom if you really not even
know about it?
 How Can you go to heave if you do not know
how?
 For this reason we need to learn about Easter
Vigil
 The Mass in which we commemorated the
greatest event in the History of men kind:
“JESUS RESURRECTION”

4.  The Easter Vigil is so important toward Faith & Salvation
History
 That I will teach you directly from the Roman Missal the
Sacramentary, & even from some missalette.
 Within this books there are some fine print that explain
the difference actions that you would see during the
Mass, specially during the Mass of Holy Week:
 The night of all nights, the Vigil of all vigils!

5.  A Vigil is when we stay prayerfully awake
through the night or part of the night in
anticipation of a great event.
 This Holy night is the most solemn, in the
entire year, for commemorate the central
Mystery of our Redemption:
◦ Christ Saving Death & Glorious Resurrection.
 With Gratitude & Joy we take part in it to the
best of ours
 The Easter Vigil is greatest of all nights in our
Salvation History
 So it would only seem appropriate, for us, to
remain awake & pray together
 and praise & thanks God for the Resurrection
of Jesus Christ.

6.  This Holy night is the mother of all Vigils
that becomes the Queen of all feast.
 Jesus took our flesh, suffered & died on that
flesh,
 and Now rises in that same human body
glorified and immortal
 That befits a New life and Resurrection
 The Church call all the creation to rejoice in
our calling to be sharing in the Glory of the
Lord’s Resurrection.
a) For this we were wash by waters of Baptism.
b) For this we were seal with the Spirit Chrism.
c) For this we feast in the body & blood of the one
who lead us into eternal life.

7.  In according to ancient tradition, this night is one
of Vigil of the Lord
 The Gospel of Luke, it’s a remainder to the
faithful
◦ to have Lamps burning and ready
◦ To be like a men waiting for their master return, so when
He arrive,
◦ He will find them right and awake, and will sit them in
His table.
 The Easter Vigil always takes place after dark,
retaining the ancient character vigilant and of
expectation.
 Through Vigil move 4 stages:
1) Stages of Lights
2) Liturgy of the world
3) Liturgy of Baptism
4) Liturgy of the Eucharist

8.  Let’s beginning learning about the 1st stage:
“The Service Of Light”
 Easter Vigil opens with
1. the Blessing of a New Fire
2. The lighting of the lamps & candles
3. and blessing and lighting of the Pascal Candle
 Some ancient writings mention that this
night was as bright as day
◦ And Constantine the Great, added unprecedented
splendor (never done or known before) to its
brilliant see, by a profusion of lamps and
enormous torches
◦ So only the basilicas, private houses, streets and
even public square were splendored with lights
that were symbolic of the Risen Christ.

9.  the 1st Part of the Easter Vigil: The
Service of Lights, is centered around fire
or light,
 Fire or Light: which is the visible symbol
for Christ our Light
 Because Jesus calls Himself the light of
the world
 During this night, He rose from death—
 resplendent as the Dawn— conquering
forever the darkness of sin, in death.

10.  During the Service of Light there are 4 divisions:
1. Begins with the blessing of the New Fire, which
represents Christ resurrection from death
2. Next, there is the blessing of the Easter Candle
(Pascal candle) representing the Glorious
splendor of Jesus risen presence in our life.
3. There is the carrying & distribution of burning
candles through the church, which represent
our joyful participation in His Victory over death
and sin.
4. Lastly there is the chanting of the Easter Song
exalted, which represent our deep Gratitude for
the great blessing of resurrection

11.  As the first part of the
Service of Lights begins, all
the light of the Church are
put out,
 A large fire is prepared in a
suitable place, usually out
side of the Church
 When the people have
assemble, the priest goes
there with the ministers and
with the Paschal Candle.
 The Pascal candle representing the Light of Christ risen in his
Glory, is the central symbolic object of the Vigil Liturgy.

12.  The Easter Candle represents Our Lord shining
on the light and splendor of his Resurrection,
 That is why is thick, tall and ornamental
decorated
 The candle should reminds us, that Christ is
our Pillar of fire spoken in the Exodus,
 which lead Israelites people our of slavery from
Egypt into the promised land
The pillar of fire provided light to
the Israelites throughout the
darkness
A Pillar of Fire was one of the
manifestations of the presence of
the God

13.  On the Easter Candle is carved the outline
◦ of THE CROSS,
◦ and the numeral PRESENT THE YEAR
 These symbols are present, to teaches us that
Christ is the Lord and King of ages
 He shines in all times and through whole History
 He is King of our lives, and would be with us
throughout this year of Grace

14.  Once the fire is lit with the words that
the priest said:
◦ Make this Fire Holy, and inflames us with
New Hope”
 The 1st part of the Service of Light is
completed at this point.

15.  For the 2nd part of the Service of
Lights,
 The Paschal Candle brought to the
celebrants (that is the priest leading
the Liturgy)
 And He begins to cut ACROSS in the
wax.
 While saying the words and Carving,
he says:
“Christ yesterday and today, the
Beginning and the End”

16.  Next, the priest carve 2 symbols:
◦ THE ALPHA & THE OMEGA
◦ These 2 symbols are 1st & last letters of
the Greek alphabet
◦ And they are in the divine title in
reference of Jesus,
◦ Just as these letters are the 1st and last
of the alphabet,
◦ so Jesus the beginning and the End of
Human History.

17.  After the 2 symbols (ΑΩ) are traced,
 The Numbers for the Year for the Vigil are
traced
 The Priest then prays:
“All times belong to Him and all ages to Him be;
Glory and Power though every age for ever,
Amen.”

18.  When the Cross & other marks are made,
 The Priest may insert 5 grains of incense
in the candle.
 The incense look like ornate nails,

19.  there are 5 of them because they represent
the 5 wounds of Christ
◦ Left & right hand of Christ
◦ 2 feet of Christ
◦ The side of Christ
 While the priest have been inserted the
incense he says
“By his Holy and Glorious love may Christ, Our
Lord, guide us and keep us, Amen.”

20.  Now that the Paschal Candle has
been blessed
and the great symbols traced,
and the nails inserted,
 The priest light the Easter Candle
from newly blessed fire saying:
“With the Life of Christ rise and Glory,
spell the darkness of our heart and
mind”
 Now it begins the 3rd Part of the
Service of light
◦ Which is the procession of the Paschal
Candle

21.  The Procession of the Paschal candle
 The Priest or Deacon takes the Easter
Candle by the Holy fire, lifts it high and
sings along:
“Christ Our Light”
 And this time all respond:
“Thanks be to God”
 Then he enter the Church with everyone,
who was by the fire, lifting the Easter
Candle by the 2nd time and sings
“Christ Our Light”
 We respond to the 2nd time
“Thanks be to God”

22.  For few moments, there would be a pause
for the fire of the Paschal candle
to spread to the entirely church, the little
candles
 It is a beautiful sight see as the Church
gradually illuminates,
by passing of the easter flame from
person to person.
 Beginning with the Pascal Candle, each
individual’s candle is lit, until the church
is literally a flame of light.
 The darkness of the night is cast down
with hundreds of small candles

23.  Each individual candle representing
the light of Christ in all our souls.
 For we are baptize and that’s for
a) Full of God’s Grace
b) Full of God’s life
c) Full of Christ the Light
 After each candle is lit, the priest
stand before the Church (facing the
people) lifts the candle for the 3rd time
and sings:
“Christ Our Light”
 We sing:
“Thanks be to God”
 This ends the 3rd part of the Service of
Light.

24.  At this point the 4th part and last part of the Service of
Light begins.
 It is the great Easter Proclamation;
 the Priest or Deacon places the candle on the stand in
the middle of the Sanctuary or near the lantern
 The Priest then take the incense burner and incenses the
Lectionary, which is the book that contains the readings
 He then incenses the Paschal Candle,
 Following this, he signs the Easter Proclamation from the
Lecture

25.  Everyone stands holding their lights & candles and listen
 The Exalted or Easter Proclamation is an ancient hymn,
 song only at Easter Vigil, during the Service of Light
 The hymn is believe to have been written by St. Ambrose of Milan
 In this prolog, the Easter Proclamation begs all creation: heaven,
earth, and church
to share all the joy that comes from God’s Victory over darkness

26.  After the Prolog, the great hymn of Thanksgiving
begins
 This changes Salvation History, beginning with:
◦ Adam, and going all there to the story of Moses,
◦ Who was leading people out of slavery into the promise land
 The Exulted also sings the God’s tender love for us
◦ When he speaks of God given His Son to ransom us, the
slaves from the sin of Adam & personal sins

27.  Finally the Hymn is directed to the Paschal
candle saying:
◦ May burn and never extinguish; may Christ the
morning start, that never set, finally always lit.
 As the priest sing this song, so too, in our
hearts we pray that morning start,
 Christ Himself will never set, but always shine
brightly within our souls.

28.  This completes the Service of Light, which is
divided into 4 parts including
1. The Blessing in the New Fire
2. Blessed and Light of Easter Candle
3. The Carrying and distribution of burning candles
4. And the Chanting of Easter Proclamation
 We have only discuss the 1st Part of Easter
Vigil.

30. 1) What is Vigil?
 When we stay perfectly awake during
night
 or during part of the night, on
anticipation of a great event
 The Easter Vigil is the greatest of all
nights in our Salvation History.
 So it only seem appropriate for us to
remain awake & pray together,
 and praise & thanks given to God for the
Resurrection of Jesus Christ, who we are
commemorating

31. 3) Why is the Easter Vigil incredibly
important?
 This Holy night is the mother of all
vigils that begins and is the Queen
of all Feast
 Jesus took our flesh suffered and
died for us in that flesh
 And Now rises in the same human
body, glorified and immortal as
befits/begets the New life of
Resurrection

32. 3) What is the Service of Light?
 It is the 1st Part of Easter Vigil
 The Service of Light is centered around fire or light,
which is the visible symbol of Christ our light;
because He called Himself the Light of the World
 During the Service of Light there are 4 divisions:
1. Beginning with the Blessing of the New Fire, which Represents
God’s Resurrection from death
2. Next there is the blessing & lighting of the Easter Candle
(Pascal Candle) which represents the Glory & splendor of
Jesus risen presence in our life.
3. Then there is the carrying & distribution of those burning
candles through Church, which represents our joyful
participation in his victory over death & sin.
4. Last later is the chanting of the Easter song the exalted,
which represent our depth gratitude for the great blessing of
the Resurrection

33. 4) Why must be Easter Vigil take place during the night?
 Remember the entirely Easter Vigil takes place during
the night because Jesus is rose from death during the
night.
5) What does light & flames symbolize in the Easter Vigil?
 Fire and light are the visible symbols of Christ our
light
 Because he called himself the light of the world
 During this night—the vigil— he rose from death
resplendent as the Dawn, there on conquering forever
the darkness of sin and death.

34. 6) What does the Pascal Candle symbolize?
 Pascal Candle represents the light of Christ risen
in His glory.
 It is the central object of the Vigil Liturgy
 The Easter Candle represent our risen Lord
shining in the light and splendor of His
resurrection
◦ That why it is so thick, tall and ornamentally decorated.
 The candle should remain us that Christ is the
Pillar of fire spoken in the Exodus that led the
Israelites people out of Slavery from Egypt into
the promise land
 That pillar prefigures Jesus taking us out of
slavery of sin & eternal death, leading us to
heaven.

35. 7) What symbols are Carved into the Easter
Candle?
 The symbols that are Carved in the Easter
candle are:
a. The Cross
b. The Year of the Easter Vigil
c. The Greek Letters Alpha & Omega

36. 8) What does the Alpha & Omega Symbolize
on the Pascal Candle?
 The Priest traces the Alpha & Omega
symbols into the Pascal Candle,
 this 2 symbols are the first & last letters of
the Greek Alphabet
 And they are used as a Divine title in
reference to Jesus, as the BEGINNING and
END of Human History
 Just as Alpha it the beginning of the
Alphabet and the Omega is the End

37.  9) Why does the priest put 5 nails in the Pascal
Candle?
 When the cross and the other marks are made, the
priest might insert 5 grains of incense in the candle
 The incense look like ordain nails, and there are 5 of
them
 Because they represent the 5 would of Jesus
◦ The right & left hand of Christ
◦ The two feet of Christ
◦ The side of Christ

38.  10) What is the Easter proclamation?
 The Exulted or Easter proclamation is
an ancient hymn song only at Easter
Vigil, during the Service of Light
 The hymn has been believed to be
written by Saint Ambrose of Milan