"But at daybreak on the first day of the week they took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.  They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus."

                                                                                      Luke 24:1-3

The Easter Vigil

The Easter Vigil signifies Christ's passage from the dead to the living by this liturgy, which begins in darkness and is enlightened by Fire and the Paschal Candle representing the Light of Christ.  Just as His Church, the Mystical Body of Christ, the community of believers, is led from spiritual darkness to the light of His truth.

Christ's baptism is represented during the liturgy by the blessing of the water of baptism by immersing the Paschal Candle into the font.  During the liturgy we are sprinkled with the blessed water and we repeat our baptismal vows, renouncing Satan and all his works.

We rejoice at Christ's resurrection from the darkness of the tomb and we pray for our passage from darkness into light and from sin into grace.

The Easter Vigil is the most important Mass of the liturgical year as well as the first celebration of the Eucharist during the fifty-day long celebration of Easter.  This Liturgy is also the first official celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus. It is during this service that adult catechumens are received into full communion with the Church.

Click on a Thumbnail to see the great shots taken by Mr. Nuncio Cali !