The Easter Vigil

No fixed feast day in the calendar

The Easter Vigil: the back of the card, with its short story, lesson and a QR code that opens it in the Catholic Information app. The full text is below.

Flip the card and scan the QR code on the back to open it in the app

On this holy night, the Church lights the Easter candle and joyfully proclaims that Jesus has risen

What is this feast?

The Easter Vigil is a night of watching in prayer that joyfully proclaims that Jesus has risen. It is the most solemn celebration of the liturgical year. Following a tradition going back to Saint Augustine, this night is seen as the mother of all the vigils of the year.

The story

The celebration has four parts. The first part is the Service of Light: outside the church, the priest blesses the new fire and lights the Easter candle. The candle is carried into the dark church, and everyone lights a small candle from its flame. Then the Easter Proclamation (the Exsultet) is sung, praising the night when the Lord conquered death.

The second part is the Liturgy of the Word: many readings tell the great works of God from creation, through the Exodus, to the words of the prophets. Then the bells ring and the Gloria is sung again. After the reading from Saint Paul (cf. Rom 6:3-11), the people sing the Alleluia, and the Gospel proclaims that the Lord has risen (depending on the year: cf. Mt 28:1-10; Mk 16:1-7; Lk 24:1-12).

The third part is the Baptismal Liturgy: many adults are baptized on this night, and everyone renews the promises made at Baptism. The fourth part is the Liturgy of the Eucharist, when the risen Lord is in the midst of his people.

The Easter candle also bears the letters Alpha and Omega and the number of the current year. Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet: Christ is the beginning and the end of all things (cf. Rv 22:13).

Why does the Church celebrate this feast?

Because the Resurrection is the center of the Christian faith. Saint Paul teaches that if Christ has not been raised, our faith is empty (cf. 1 Cor 15:14). Jesus said: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness” (Jn 8:12). On this night, darkness gives way to light.

A lesson for you

Ask your parents to take you to the Easter Vigil, and take good care of your candle.
Remember the promises of your Baptism: to turn away from sin and to believe in God.
Bring the joy of Easter to others with a smile and kind wishes.

Identifying marks

A tall Easter candle with a bright flame: the candle stands for the risen Christ, the light that drives away the darkness of sin and death.
A red cross on the candle: the One who rose is the very One who was crucified; the cross has become glory.
A priest in white vestments trimmed with gold, looking up at the flame: white is the joyful color of Easter.
Parishioners holding small candles in the dark church: everyone’s candle is lit from the Easter candle; the light of Christ spreads to each person.

The text on this page is the card in the Catholic Information app, word for word.