This Easter Vigil is the foundation of all Sunday liturgy, all Masses are a little Easter, and this is the high point of the Church year. At least two readings, one always from the Gospels, (3 on Sundays and solemnities) make up the Liturgy of the Word.In addition, a psalm or canticle is sung. Easter Vigil Through Octave of Easter. My wife and I are Evangelical Protestant converts and looking to invite a lot of our Evangelical Protestant friends. Easter Vigil (Saturday after sunset) Held after nightfall of Holy Saturday, or before dawn on Easter Day, in anticipation of the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. Rosary – Glorious Mysteries (with Scripture) Novena in preparation for Divine Mercy Sunday. Have a blessed Holy Week. Divine Mercy Reflections. Try our mobile app! Readings from Scripture are part of every Mass. Here are some historical and traditional bits of trivia to share with your friends about the most solemn liturgy of the year. Easter starts on Sunday, but to help hold off on Easter celebrating until the actual Easter season begins, you can try to get your family involved with these Holy Week resources for kids! The Easter Vigil Explained Page 2 RCIA Tools from Catholic Digital Resources: catholicdr.com Reprinted by license. Celebrating the Easter Vigil at the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI spoke of the difficulties in understanding Jesus’ resurrection. Reading for Easter Sunday. Every Sunday counts as one of those special days, and there are seven others. It was the practice of the Church, and one that had been handed down from the earliest ages, that the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass should not be offered up either on Good Friday or Holy Saturday. These readings are typically read from a Lectionary, not a Bible, though the Lectionary is taken from the Bible. You're going to notice that every single year on the Easter vigil, the first reading we read from the Old Testament is the momentous, amazing, really profound account of the creation of the universe. There are some other, minor symbols during the Mass, but in my opinion, the most powerful symbol is demonstrated only during the Vigil: The blessing of the Baptismal Font. Daily Gospel Reflections. Liturgical colors are also symbolic, in the Easter Season they are white, the color of resurrection. Nevertheless, we should not forget why this is the Holiest time of the year. We are unable to celebrate the Easter Triduum in the traditional ways this year. Jesus Christ, our King, is risen!” – from the Easter Vigil Exultet We are now at the Easter Vigil – the night Mass where the catechumens are welcomed into the Church. Ideally it should be the only Easter Mass, although some parishes do provide another Mass on Easter day if the size of the parish necessitates. The Mass Readings Explained: The Easter Vigil Subscribe today to access to The Mass Readings Explained video series. After his collegiate reversion to Catholicism, Dan Gonzalez began an intense study of the liturgy. We always read the first chapter of the first book of the Bible at every Easter vigil. dan. Below is a brief guide to the Easter Vigil, along with reflections by Pope Benedict XVI, who frequently meditated on the liturgy during his Easter Vigil homilies. It is celebrated on Sunday, and marks the end of Holy Week, the end of Lent, the last day of the Easter Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday), and is the beginning of the Easter season of the liturgical year.