Saints LightWhat Will Happen at the Easter Vigil?
At the Easter Vigil the Church moves from darkness to light, tells the story of salvation, and then baptizes, confirms and gives First Communion to those entering the Church.
The Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night is the most important liturgy of the Church's year, and the night you have been walking toward. It begins after dark and often lasts two and a half to three hours. Knowing the shape of it helps you pray it instead of worrying through it.
Part 1: The Service of Light. The church is dark. A new fire is lit outside and blessed, and from it the tall Paschal candle is lit, a sign of the risen Christ. The light passes from candle to candle until the whole church glows. Then a long, ancient hymn of praise, the Exsultet, is sung.
Part 2: The Liturgy of the Word. Several readings, sometimes as many as seven from the Old Testament, tell the story of salvation: creation, Abraham, the crossing of the Red Sea, the promises of the prophets. Then the Gloria returns with bells, and the Alleluia, silent through Lent, rings out (CCC 1095, 1217). Romans 6 is read: in Baptism we are buried with Christ and rise with Him.
Part 3: Baptism. The Litany of the Saints is sung, calling the whole Church in heaven to pray for you. The water is blessed. You renounce sin and profess the faith, and then you are baptized, by pouring or immersion. You receive a white garment and a candle lit from the Paschal candle (CCC 1243). Baptized candidates now make their profession of faith and are received into full communion.
Part 4: Confirmation. The priest lays hands on the newly baptized and the candidates and anoints each forehead with sacred chrism, sealing you with the gift of the Holy Spirit. Your sponsor stands behind you with a hand on your shoulder. For adults at the Vigil the priest confirms with the bishop's authority.
Part 5: The Eucharist. Then Mass continues, and for the first time you receive the Body and Blood of Christ (CCC 1244). Everything in the journey has been leading here.
Practical tips: ask whether there will be immersion, and if so bring a change of clothes and a towel. Eat a light meal earlier. Wear something comfortable that you do not mind getting wet. Then let the night carry you.
Key points
- The Easter Vigil begins after dark and is the high point of the Church's year.
- It has four parts: Light, Word, Baptism (with Confirmation), and Eucharist.
- The newly baptized receive a white garment and a candle lit from the Paschal candle.
- All the sacraments of initiation are received in one night, ending with First Communion.
The Word of God
For we are buried together with him by baptism into death; that as Christ is risen from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also may walk in newness of life.
Jesus answered: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
If then any be in Christ a new creature, the old things are passed away, behold all things are made new.
Catechism paragraphs for this lesson
- CCC 1217
- CCC 1243-1244
- CCC 1254
- CCC 1285
CCC means the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Saints Light teaches it in its own words and never quotes it. Look up any paragraph in a printed copy or at vatican.va. See every lesson by paragraph in the Catechism index.
Live it this week
Ask your OCIA leader for a run-through of the Vigil, and ask whether you will be baptized by pouring or immersion so you can plan what to bring.
Check yourself: three questions
1. In what order do the main parts of the Easter Vigil happen?
- Eucharist, Baptism, Word, Light
- Word, Light, Eucharist, Baptism
- Light, Word, Baptism and Confirmation, Eucharist
- Baptism, Light, Eucharist, Word
Show the answer
Light, Word, Baptism and Confirmation, Eucharist. The Vigil moves from the Service of Light to the readings, then the sacraments of initiation, and finally the Eucharist.
2. What does the white garment given after Baptism mean?
- That the person has risen with Christ and put on Christ
- That the person has graduated from OCIA classes
- That the person is now a member of the parish choir
- That the person promises never to sin again
Show the answer
That the person has risen with Christ and put on Christ. The white garment shows that the newly baptized has put on Christ and risen with Him (CCC 1243).
3. Who usually confirms adults at the Easter Vigil?
- Only the Pope or his delegate
- The godparent or sponsor
- No one; Confirmation waits until the bishop visits
- The priest who baptizes or receives them, with the bishop's authority
Show the answer
The priest who baptizes or receives them, with the bishop's authority. For adults initiated or received at the Vigil, the priest confirms during the same celebration so the sacraments stay together.
Words to know
- Paschal candle
- The large candle lit from the new fire at the Easter Vigil, a sign of the risen Christ.
- Chrism
- Olive oil mixed with balsam and consecrated by the bishop, used in Confirmation.
More terms in the Catholic glossary. More passages in the Scripture index.
For catechists: a one hour class plan
Goal. The group should understand the four parts of the Easter Vigil and what they will do in it, so they can pray it with joy rather than worry through it.
Opener. Ask: "What is the most memorable night of your life so far, a wedding, a birth, a homecoming? What made it unforgettable?" Then tell them the Easter Vigil is meant to be that kind of night.
Discussion questions
- Why does the Vigil begin in darkness? [Christ's light breaking into the dark; the Paschal candle. Let people picture it.]
- Why so many readings during the Liturgy of the Word? [They tell the whole story of salvation, from creation to the Resurrection. Warn kindly that it is long, and that is part of the gift.]
- What do the white garment and the candle mean for the newly baptized? [New life in Christ, light received (Romans 6:4, 2 Corinthians 5:17). Candidates may not receive these; explain what they will receive.]
- What practical questions do you have about the night? [Clothes, immersion or pouring, family seating, photos, where to stand. Write down what you cannot answer for the parish team.]
Activity. Church walk (15 minutes): go into the church and walk the path of the Vigil. Start at the back (the fire), process to the sanctuary (the candle), stop at the ambo (the readings), then at the font (Baptism), and finally the altar (First Communion). At each station, say in one sentence what will happen there. If the church is unavailable, sketch the path on paper together.
Closing prayer. Lord Jesus, You are the light that no darkness can put out. As we prepare for the night of Your Resurrection, calm our nerves and fill us with joy. Bless those who will be baptized, confirmed and receive You for the first time, and bless all who will be with them. Amen.
Timing. Opening prayer 5 min, opener 5 min, read the lesson together 12 min, discussion 15 min, activity (church walk) 15 min, closing 5 min, plus a note to bring logistics questions to the team.
Related lessons
- What Happens in the Rite of Baptism, Step by Step? (Baptism, free)
- Baptism in the Bible: From the Flood and the Red Sea to the Jordan and Pentecost (Baptism, free)
- Why Does the Church Baptize Babies, and What Do Parents Promise? (Baptism, free)
- The Renunciation of Sin and the Profession of Faith: What Are You Really Saying I Do To? (Baptism, free)
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