21 Apr

2019

The Easter Vigil at St. Mary’s, Part II: The Christening, The Confirmations, The Mass of Easter

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Continued from Part I


Once inside the baptistery, the celebrant prays over the font, that the Lord will deign to remake those about to die to their old selves in its waters into His spiritual sons and daughters by the grace of His Spirit. The celebrant breathes on the water three times in the shape of a cross
The celebrant plunges the Paschal Candle into the water thrice.
The acolyte removes some of the baptismal water for the aspersory: the celebrant sparges himself and his ministers with the Easter Water. He circles the church to sprinkle the faithful with Easter Water.
The celebrant changes into white vestments.

The celebrant pours the Oil of Catechumens and the Oil of Sacred Chrism into the baptismal water. The consecrated baptismal water will be retained in the font for the baptisms throughout the year.
The catechumen is baptized.
The newly baptized receives his white garment—a symbol of his baptismal innocence—and his baptismal candle, lit from the Paschal candle. It symbolizes the new light of grace which he received.
The procession returns to the sanctuary.
The Confirmation candidates kneel.

The celebrant anoints each by name on the brow with the Chrism consecrated by the bishop on Spy Wednesday.  He strikes the cheek of each, a sign of the hardships and mockery each will endure as a Christian.
The sacred ministers divest and prostrate themselves at the foot of the altar. After a time, they retreat to the sacristy to change into festive vesture. The Litany of the Saints is chanted by cantors. On this night, the entire invocation is repeated after the cantors, not only the response.
The acolytes prepare the altar for the festive Mass of Easter.
Toward the end of the Litany, the celebrant and ministers return.  The Mass of the Easter Vigil, due to its extreme antiquity, has no Introit, but instead the Litany is concluded with the solemn recitation of the Kyrie.
The celebrant intones the Gloria.  The church bells are sounded throughout, the first time they have been heard since Maundy Thursday, and the images of the church are uncovered.
Acolytes assist in lighting the candles of the faithful from the fire of the Paschal Candle.
The Canon of the Mass.
This year, children of the parish received their First Communion at the Easter Vigil
After Communion, Vespers immediately follows. During the Magnificat the celebrant censes the altar and he, his ministers, the clergy and the faithful are censed as well.
Published in Masses, Photos, St. Mary's Holy Week 2019

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