The Easter Vigil

We gather together initially in darkness to listen to some of the stories from the history of salvation in the Old Testament.  We then move outside the church to the New Fire, where the Paschal (Easter) Candle is blessed and lit.  We then follow the Paschal Candle into the dark church, lighting our own individual candles representing the bringing of the light of the world, Jesus Christ, into our lives.  

We hear the great song of the resurrection, the Exsultet, and then sing the Gloria for the first time since the beginning of Lent – during which bells are rung, whistles blown, statues are unveiled and all the candles in the church lit.

After the sermon we move to the font in the baptistery and renew our baptismal vows before returning to the main body of the church to celebrate the Eucharist, the mass of the resurrection.

Vestments are gold in celebration of this extraordinary moment in history, when our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, rose from the dead to save the world from sin and death.