Holy Saturday is a day of patient waiting when we, as Church, prayerfully reflect on the passion and death of Christ and await his resurrection. On this greatest of nights in the life of the Church we keep vigil with the Lord. The Easter Vigil is rich in symbol and ritual action. While we will not experience it in quite the same way this year, still, in the darkness of these days we can dare to rejoice, because, through the resurrection, the risen Lord has conquered all darkness and overcome the power of death.
Something To Do At Home? If you are watching the Vigil online, gather with other members of your household, if you can. On a table or in the sacred space, place an unlit candle in the centre with an individual candle beside it for each person who has gathered. During the broadcast the vigil will start with the lighting of the Easter candle and the three fold acclamation: The Light of Christ. When this is completed light your centre candle and invite people to take up their candle, light it and hold it for the Exsultet, the great Easter proclamation which may be sung. Listen closely to the words of the Exsultet. Having moved from darkness to light, its words and music are used to praise and thank God for what the light represents: God’s saving activity throughout human history, culminating in Christ’s defeat of death and resurrection from the dead. Individual candles may then be extinguished for the readings.
While at this year’s vigil we sadly cannot celebrate baptisms, we can still renew our baptismal promises. As these promises are led by the priest, each light your candle again from the centre candle and renew the promises made for you in baptism – this is our faith, the faith of the Church and we are proud to profess it.
At the end of the Vigil celebration, take your main candle and place it safely in the window of your home as a beacon of Easter hope to the world.
And remember to continue the feast! Be kind to yourself and treat yourself to something special in honour of this great night.