Service begins at the end of Civil Twilight and includes the New Fire, Proclamation of Easter, Stories from Salvation History, Holy Baptism, & Holy Eucharist.
The kindling of a new fire and service of light, Stories of Salvation, remembering our Holy Baptism, and the first Eucharist Celebration of Easter. Bring your Bells!!
(*End of Civil Twilight)
The Easter Vigil liturgy is intended to be the first (and arguably, the primary) celebration of Easter in the BCP (pp. 284-95). It is also known as the Great Vigil. The service begins in darkness, at a time after civil twilight on Holy Saturday and before sunrise on Easter Sunday, and consists of four parts:
- The Service of Light (kindling of new fire, lighting the Paschal candle, the Exsultet);
- The Service of Lessons from Salvation History (readings from the Hebrew Scriptures interspersed with psalms, canticles, hymns, and prayers);
- Christian Initiation (Holy Baptism) or the Renewal of Baptismal Vows;
- and the Holy Eucharist.
Easter was the primary baptismal occasion for the early church to the practical exclusion of all others. Historically, believers would gather in the hours of darkness ending at dawn on Easter to hear scripture and offer prayer. This night-long service of prayerful watching anticipated the baptisms that would come at first light and the Easter Eucharist. The church recovers the ancient practice of keeping the Easter feast through this liturgy. This practice linked the meanings of Christ’s dying and rising to the understanding of baptism.
