The Easter Vigil. The Blessing of the Paschal Candle. Introduction. The Blessing of the New Fire. V/ The Lord be with you; R/ And with thy spirit.

Transcription

1 The Easter Vigil The worshippers enter the darkened church, and each person receives a small candle (Easter Vigil taper) upon entering. At the beginning of the service, the Celebrant, vested in alb and purple stole, and server(s) enter the church and proceed to the courtyard, the congregation following. Introduction Dear Friends in Christ, on this most holy night, when our Lord Jesus Christ passed from death unto life, the Church invites her children throughout the world to come together in vigil and prayer. This is the Passover of the Lord. If we honour the memory of his Death and Resurrection, by hearing his word and celebrating his Sacraments, then we may be confident that we shall share his victory over death and live with him for ever in God. The Blessing of the New Fire The fire is lit, and the Celebrant says the following prayer: Let us pray. O Lord our God, Father Almighty, Light unfailing, Creator of every light, graciously hearken to us thy servants, and bl+ess this fire which is hallowed by thy holy benediction: Thou that lightest every one that cometh into the world, enlighten our hearts and consciences with the gleams of thy glory: that we being enkindled with thy fire, and illumined with thy light, and having the darkness of our sins cast out of our souls, may be found worthy through the guidance of thy brightness to attain unto everlasting life, through Christ our Lord. Amen. 1 The Blessing of the Paschal Candle The Celebrant traces the Paschal Candle with his thumb, as below: 1. Christ yesterday and today (tracing the vertical arm of the cross) 2. the beginning and the end (the horizontal arm) 3. Alpha (alpha, above the cross) 4. and Omega (omega, below the cross) 5. all time belongs to him (the first numeral of the current year, in the upper left corner of the cross) 6. and all the ages (the second numeral in the upper right corner) 7. to him be glory and power (the third numeral in the lower left corner) 8. through every age for ever. Amen. (the last numeral in the lower right corner) Let us pray. 2 0 V/ May the light of Christ, rising in glory, R/ Drive away all darkness from our hearts and minds. 2 A Ω We beseech thee, Almighty God, that the abundance of thy bles+sing may come upon this Paschal Candle, that it may be unto us a symbol of the Resurrection of thy Son Jesus Christ. Grant that as light and life overcome darkness and death, so all darkness and sin in our lives may be put to light by the Light of Jesus Christ our Risen Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen. The Celebrant lights a taper from the new fire, and then lights the Paschal Candle, saying:

2 The Procession of the Paschal Candle The Celebrant, removing his purple stole, puts on a white stole. The crucifer (and other servers, if present) lead the procession into the church: the Celebrant follows, carrying the Paschal Candle. The congregation follows the Celebrant and enter the pews. Before the procession, the Celebrant lifts high the Paschal Candle, singing: V/ The light of Christ. R/ Thanks be to God. At the foot of the chancel steps, the Celebrant lifts high the Paschal Candle, singing: V/ The light of Christ. R/ Thanks be to God. Upon arriving before the altar, the Celebrant lifts high the Paschal Candle, singing: V/ The light of Christ. R/ Thanks be to God. The Celebrant places the Paschal Candle in its stand. Fire from the Paschal Candle is then distributed to the congregation. The congregation sits. The Exultet The appointed cantor genuflects before the celebrant, saying: Bid, sir, a blessing. The priest blesses the cantor: May the Lord be on thy heart and on thy lips, that thou mayest worthily and fittingly proclaim His Paschal praise. In the Name of the Father, + and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. The cantor, standing next to the Paschal Candle, sings the Exultet. 3 Rejoice now all ye heavenly hosts of angels: and let the divine mysteries be celebrated: and for the triumph of so great a King, let the trumpet resound Salvation. And let the earth brighten d with such effulgence delight herself, and illumin d by the splendour of the eternal King, perceive the darkness of the universe to be dispersed and done away; and let our mother the Church rejoice, brighten d by the radiance of so great a light: and let these courts resound mightily with the voices of his people. V/ Lift up your hearts; R/ We lift them up unto the Lord. V/ Let us give thanks unto our Lord God; R/ It is meet and right so to do. It is very meet and right that the invisible God Almighty, the Father, and his only begotten Son, and the Holy Spirit, should be proclaim d with desire of heart and mind, and with the ministry of our voices. For he did pay for us the debt of Adam to the eternal Father, and by his holy Blood hath wash d away the witness of our ancient sin. For this is indeed the Paschal Feast wherein that very Lamb is slain, and by his Blood the doorposts are hallow d. The night is come wherein thou didst bring our fathers, the children of Israel, out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and didst make them to pass through its waters dry shod. Wherefore the night is come wherein were driven away the shades of sin by the light of the fiery pillar. O thrice blessed night, in which Egypt is utterly destroyed and the Hebrews come forth in triumph; night in which the heav nly things are joined unto the earthly. The night is come wherein even now the believers in Christ throughout the whole universe, set free from the evil of the world and the darkness of sin, are restored to grace and knit together in holiness. The night is come wherein Christ hath burst the bonds of death, and from the grave is risen again in triumph. For to be born into the world had profited us nothing, except we had been redeemed. O wondrous condescension, thy loving mercy towards us! O inestimable love of thy fatherly compassion: to redeem 4

3 the rebel servant thou didst give thine only Son! O truly blessed night which alone was witness of the hour and season wherein Christ did perfect his Resurrection! The night is come whereof it is written The night is as clear as the day, and, Then shall my night be turned to day in my joy and gladness. Therefore through the sanctifying power of this holy night wickedness fleeth, sin is purged, and innocence restored to the fallen, and joy to the sorrowful; hatred vanisheth, concord reigneth, and low laid is tyranny. Therefore in honour of this night, receive, O holy Father, this illumination as our evening sacrifice, which to thee in this solemn oblation of wax, the work of the bees thy creatures, thy Holy Church here offereth at the hands of her ministers. Full well we know the tidings of this fiery pillar which, for the glory of God, the glowing flame is kindling. Which, though it be dispersed in many quarters, yet by borrow d radiance suffereth no diminution. We therefore pray thee, O Lord, that this candle, consecrated to the honour of thy most holy Name, and abiding steadfast through the darkness of this night, may show forth thy glory. And being acceptable for its sweet smelling savour, let it be join d with the heav nly lights above. Let the morning star find its flame still burning, yea that morning star which knoweth no setting: yea he, who from the grave returning, shone serene upon his humankind. We therefore pray thee, O Lord, that unto us thy servants, all the clergy and most devout people, together with Colin our Archbishop, and Elizabeth our Queen, and likewise Stephen our Bishop, thou wilt grant times of quietness and peace, and that in these Paschal joys thou wilt be pleased to preserve us: Who livest and reignest and art praised, only God, and only Lord most high, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen. Following the singing of the Exultet, the Celebrant removes his white stole and puts on his purple stole. The hand candles are extinguished. 5 The Prophecies Celebrant: Dear Friends in Christ, let us now listen attentively to the word of God, recalling how he saved his people throughout history and in the fullness of time, sent his own Son to be our Redeemer. 1. Genesis a Almighty and eternal God, who hast created all things in a wonderful beauty and order: Grant, we beseech thee, that we may perceive how still more wonderful is the new creation, by which in the fullness of time thou hast redeemed thy people through the sacrifice of our true Paschal Lamb, even Jesus Christ our Lord, who now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen. 2. Exodus ; O God, whose wonderful deeds of old shine forth even to our own day, and who didst deliver by the power of thy mighty arm thy Chosen People from slavery under Pharaoh, making them to pass through the waters of the Red Sea to freedom in the Promised Land, thereby prefiguring the salvation of all nations by the waters of Holy Baptism leading to Eternal Life: Grant that all peoples of the earth may by faith be numbered among the spiritual descendants of Abraham, and may thereby rejoice in the inheritance of Israel; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 3. Ezekiel Almighty and everlasting God, in the death and resurrection of thy Son thou hast instituted a new covenant of reconciliation. Grant that all who are born again by the waters of baptism may show forth in their lives the new life in Christ; grant this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 6

4 4. Zephaniah O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favourably upon thy whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; and by the tranquil operation of thy perpetual providence carry out the work of salvation; that things which were cast down may be raised up, and that all things may return into unity through him by whom all things were made, even thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The Procession to the Font During the Procession to the Font, the first half of the Litany will be sung. The congregation kneels. The Paschal Candle is carried to the font. The Litany (pp. 30 & 31) beginning at Remember not, Lord, our offences until In all times of tribulation. The Blessing of the Font Let us pray. Almighty and everlasting God, be present at these Mysteries of thy great kindness, be present at these Sacraments: and send forth thy Spirit of adoption to regenerate the new people, whom the font of baptism brings forth; that what is to be done by our humble ministry may be accomplished by the effect of thy power. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son, who liveth and reigneth in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen. V/ Lift up your hearts; R/ We lift them up unto the Lord. V/ Let us give thanks unto our Lord God; R/ It is meet and right so to do. 7 It is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto thee, O Lord, Holy Father, Almighty, Everlasting God, for that thy most dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ upon the Cross, for the forgiveness of our sins, did shed out of his most precious side both water and blood; and after his glorious Resurrection gave commandment to his disciples, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Here the Celebrant, with outstretched hand, divides the water in the form of a cross, and wiping his hand with a towel, says: May the Holy Ghost descend upon this water, and by his virtue render it fruitful for regeneration, to the end that a heavenly offspring, conceived by sanctification, may emerge from the immaculate womb of this divine font, reborn a new creature: and may all, however distinguished either by sex in body, or by age in time, be brought forth to the same infancy by grace. Therefore may all unclean spirits, by thy command, O Lord, depart far from hence: may the whole malice of diabolical deceit be entirely banished: may no power of the enemy prevail here: let him not fly about to lay his snares; may he not creep in by stealth: may he not corrupt with his poison. The Celebrant makes the sign of the cross over the water three times: Therefore, I bless thee, O creature of water, by the living + God, by the true + God, by the holy + God: by that God who, in the beginning, separated thee by His Word from the dry land, whose Spirit moved over thee. The Celebrant breathes upon the water in the form of the Cross and says: Do thou with thy mouth bless this clear water: that besides its natural virtue of cleansing the body, it may also prove efficacious for the purifying of the soul. 8

5 The Celebrant lowers the Paschal Candle into the font, and says: May the power of the Holy Ghost descend into all the water of this font, and make it fruitful unto regeneration; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen. The Renewal of Baptism Vows Everyone s hand candles are lighted from the Paschal Candle. The Celebrant leads the renewal of Baptism vows. All stand. On this most holy night, dearly beloved brethren, our holy Mother the Church, calling to mind the death and burial of our Lord Jesus Christ, rendereth unto him love for love, and keepeth vigil; and waiting his glorious resurrection, rejoiceth with great gladness. But since, as the Apostle teacheth us, we are buried with Christ by baptism unto his death, like as Christ was raised up from the dead, even so we should walk in newness of life; knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Let us reckon ourselves, therefore, to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Wherefore, dearly beloved brethren, now that our Lenten exercises are over, let us renew the promises made in Holy Baptism [which are now being made for the first time by/on behalf of N.] whereby we once renounced Satan and all his works, and likewise the world which is the enemy of God, and promised to serve God faithfully in his Holy Catholic Church. Celebrant: I demand therefore: Do you renounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all covetous desires of the same, and the sinful desires of the flesh, so that you will not follow nor be led by them? Answer: I do. 9 Celebrant: Let us recite the Articles of our Belief. I Believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth: And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into hell; The third day he rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; The holy Catholic Church; The Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins; The Resurrection of the body, And the Life everlasting. Amen. Celebrant: Do you believe and profess this faith? Answer: All this we steadfastly believe. If there is to be a baptism, the service continues with the following, the Celebrant removing his purple stole and putting on his white stole: In the case of a child, the Celebrant asks: Name this Child. N., I baptize thee In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. We receive this Child [this person] into the congregation of Christ s flock, and do sign him/her with the sign of the Cross, in token that hereafter he/she shall not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified, and manfully to fight under his banner against sin, the world, and the devil, and to continue Christ s faithful soldier and servant unto his/her life s end. Amen. A candle is lighted from the Paschal Candle and given, the Celebrant saying: Receive the light of Christ, so that when the Bridegroom cometh, thou mayest go forth with all the saints to meet him; and see that thou dost keep the grace of thy Baptism. People: Let your light so shine before others, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 10

6 Celebrant: And now let us pray together as one, just as our Lord Jesus Christ taught us to pray: All: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen. Celebrant: And may God Almighty, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath regenerated us by water and the Holy Ghost, and who hath given us remission of all our sins, may he by his grace keep us in the same Christ Jesus our Lord unto life everlasting. Amen. The hand candles are extinguished. The Celebrant, if he put on his white stole for baptism, now removes it and puts on his purple stole again. The congregation kneels. The Paschal Candle is carried back to its place. The Litany (p. 31) beginning at We sinners do beseech thee until O Christ, hear us on page 34. The celebrant puts on his white stole and chasuble. The Holy Eucharist (Page numbers refer to the Book of Common Prayer) 1. KYRIE Kyrie eleison Christe eleison Kyrie eleison 2. GLORIA IN EXCELSIS PAGE 86 Lord, have mercy upon us Christ, have mercy upon us Lord, have mercy upon us During the Gloria in Excelsis, all of the lights of the church are turned on, and the Sanctus Bells are rung as a sign of joy. 5. THE GRADUAL HYMN 6. THE HOLY GOSPEL PAGE OFFERTORY SENTENCE(S) & HYMN 8. BIDDINGS & THE INTERCESSION PAGE INVITATION, CONFESSION & ABSOLUTION PAGE COMFORTABLE WORDS PAGE SURSUM CORDA PAGE PROPER PREFACE FOR EASTER PAGE SANCTUS & BENEDICTUS PAGE PRAYER OF CONSECRATION PAGE THE PAX & PRAYER OF HUMBLE ACCESS PAGE THE COMMUNION 16. LORD S PRAYER & PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING PAGE ADDITIONAL COLLECT FOR EASTER PAGE THE BLESSING PAGE THE RECESSIONAL HYMN 20. DISMISSAL 3. THE COLLECT PAGE THE EPISTLE PAGE