6 Apr

2026

Solemn Easter Vigil at St. Mary’s Church, Part III

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The Mass of Easter

The acolytes prepare the altar for the festive Mass of Easter.
Toward the end of the Litany, the celebrant and ministers return.
The celebrant intones the Gloria. The church bells are sounded.
The images of the church are uncovered.
Acolytes bearing torches approach the altar for the Consecration.
First Communions
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6 Apr

2026

Solemn Easter Vigil at St. Mary’s, Part II

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The blessing of the font, the Baptisms and Confirmation

A procession is formed to the baptistry, led by the Paschal Candle, as the choir sings the Tract “Sicut Cervus,” the soul’s thirsts for the grace of God.
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.
Above and below: The celebrant circles the church to sprinkle the faithful with the baptismal water.
The celebrant pours the Holy Oils into the font.
The celebrant changes into white vestments.
The catechumens are baptized
Each of the newly baptized receives a white garment, a symbol of their baptismal innocence.
The newly baptized receive baptismal candles, symbolizing the new light of grace which they have received.
The procession returns to the sanctuary as the choir concludes with “Veni Creator Spiritus”
The newly baptized return to the pews.
Confirmation.
Above and below: The choir begins the Litany of the Saints. The sacred ministers divest and prostrate themselves at the foot of the altar.
After a time, the sacred ministers retreat to the sacristy to change into festive vesture.
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6 Apr

2026

Solemn Easter Vigil at St. Mary’s Church, Norwalk, Part I

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The blessing of the new fire and lighting the Easter Candle

Note: The captions for our posts were taken from the church program notes by John Pia.

The celebrant and ministers, vested in penitential violet, approach to sanctify the new fire, in anticipation of the light of Easter Day.
The celebrant blesses five grains of incense. These represent the five wounds of Christ and the scented ungents used to prepare His body for burial.
The fire and grains are sprinkled with holy water and incensed.
The deacon changes from his penitential vestments into the white dalmatic of joy.
A procession is formed. The faithful follow the clergy into the church. Three times along the way the procession stops. The deacon sings “Lumen Christi,” while the ministers and faithful kneel.

When the sacred ministers achieve the sanctuary, the deacon hands the reed over and seeks a blessing from the celebrant.
The deacon proceeds to consecrate the Paschal Candle by the great Easter proclamation, the ancient “Exsultet.” The deacon and his retinue face the North towards those dark regions that do not yet know the Light of Christ.
The deacon pauses to pierce the Paschal Candle with the five grans of incense in the form of a cross, symbolizing the five holy wounds of our Lord at His crucifiction.
The deacon lights the Paschal Candle with the flame of the reed, which itself was lighted from the new fire.
The dedication candles and the lamps of the church are now lighted from the Paschal Candle.
Above and below: The Twelve Prophecies are sung to their own tones by a series of lectors.
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4 Apr

2026

Good Friday at St. Mary’s, Norwalk III: The Burial of the Body of Christ

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The bier of the Body of Christ is returned to the Church as the hymn “Vexilla Regis” is sung. It is placed before the high altar, whre is is ritually washed and buried by the clergy, as the choir sings the psalms and the Lamentations of Jeremiah from the first nocturn of the Office of Matins of Holy Saturday (From the program of the service).

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4 Apr

2026

Good Friday at St. Mary’s, Norwalk II: The Procession of the Body of Christ

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BIshop Frank Caggiano of Bridgeport was present. (Incensing prior to the procession.)

(Above) Waiting to begin….

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4 Apr

2026

Good Friday at St. Mary’s, Norwalk I: The Reading of th Passion, the Veneration of the Cross and the Mass of the Presanctified

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Father Richard Cipolla preached: “(The Passion of Christ) cannot be spoken – but only sung.”

(Above and below) The procession of the Blessed Sacrament, accompanied by the Vexilla Regis of Anton Bruckner.

(Above) The concluding Communion service.

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4 Apr

2026

Holy Thursday at St. Mary’s Norwalk III: The Stripping of the Altars

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And now the side altars….

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4 Apr

2026

Holy Thursday Mass at St. Mary’s Norwalk II: The Procession

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3 Apr

2026

Holy Thursday at St. Mary’s, Norwalk

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1 Apr

2026

Office of Tenebrae at St. Mary’s Norwalk

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This evening the Office of Tenebrae was chanted at St. Mary’s Church, Norwalk, CT

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