The Easter Vigil is a Christian rite celebrated on the day before Easter Sunday. It includes Bible readings, lighting of the paschal candle, and baptismal services. Different denominations have distinct traditions associated with the service. It is common in Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, and Anglican churches. The service is held after sunset on Holy Saturday and includes an account of Jesus’ resurrection. The lighting of the paschal candle is a common ceremony, and many churches celebrate baptisms, first communion recipients, and confirmation candidates at this service.
The Easter Vigil is a Christian rite that occurs the day before Easter Sunday. The service celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ and is the first service to celebrate the Easter holidays and the culmination of Lent. Each denomination has distinct traditions associated with the service, but some traditions, such as the lighting of the paschal candle and baptismal services, are common to many churches. While not all forms of Christianity celebrate the Easter Vigil, it is common in the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, and Anglican churches.
In most churches, the Easter Vigil is held after sunset on the Saturday just before Easter, a day often known as “Holy Saturday.” The early start of the celebration of Easter dates back to ancient traditions, where religious holidays actually began at sunset on the day before the official celebration date. This tradition is echoed in the Sabbath celebration in Jewish traditions, where the weekly holy day begins at sunset on Friday and continues through Saturday.
Each church can use different Bible readings to celebrate the Easter Vigil. These can be taken from various books of the Bible, including Genesis, Exodus, and the Christian gospels. In many cases, the readings include an account of Jesus’ resurrection, usually described through a story of his followers arriving to find his tomb empty. This event is the basis for Christian Easter celebrations, and resurrection stories are told only at the Easter Vigil and subsequent Easter celebrations.
The Easter Vigil is a significant ceremony not only because of the Bible readings, but because of the unique traditions celebrated in this service alone. A common ceremony is the lighting of the paschal or paschal candle, which is a large candle kept burning throughout the year and replaced annually at Easter. The candle is typically extinguished on Good Friday, as a symbol of Christ’s death, and not re-lit until the Vigil. The new candle is typically lit outside the church, from a fire that has been blessed by the church officiants. Parishioners follow the lighted candle into the darkened church and may carry small candles lit by the same fire. In some churches, the entire service is performed by candlelight only.
Because Easter is a symbol of rebirth and commitment to the church, many denominations also celebrate baptisms, first communion recipients, and confirmation candidates at this service. Since each of these ceremonies serves as a rebirth in the eyes of the church, it is considered appropriate to incorporate them into the Easter Vigil. At other times of the year, these ceremonies may be conducted privately and are not usually integrated into a regular church service.
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