CEREMONY OF THE LIGHT

1. The Blessing of the New Fire

The lights are all turned off .The altar candles are not lighted.
Outside the entrance to the church, the celebrant, vested with gold stole and cope, stands before the table where the Paschal Candle is placed. VVith a flint, he lights a small candle and blesses the new fire, saying:
V/. Dóminus vobíscum.
R/. Et cum spíritu tuo.
Let us pray. O God, who hast brought forth the flame of Thy light for the faithful through Thy Son, the Cornerstone, sanctify this new fire produced from a flint, that it may be profitable for us; and grant that by this Paschal festival we may be so inflamed with heavenly desires, that with pure minds we may come to the feast of perpetual light. Through the same Christ our Lord.
R/. Amen.
The celebrant sprinkles the fire with holy water three times in silence. He places incense in the burner and incenses the fire three times.

2. The Blessing of the Paschal Candle

The celebrant takes a stylus to trace, above the cross, the letters Alpha and Omega, and the year in the following manner.
While tracing the vertical beam of the cross from top to bottom, he says:
Christ, yesterday and today
While tracing the horizontal beam of the cross: The Beginning and the End
While tracing the letters: Alpha... and Omega
While tracing the numbers of the year:
2 - To Him belong time
0 - And eternity
2 - To Him, glory and power
5 - Forever and ever.
R/. Amen.

The celebrant receives the five grains of incense and the nails. He blesses them in silence and incenses them three times, then he places a grain of incense in one of the holes prepared and inserts the nail above it as follows: While placing the incense and nail in the top hole he says:
Through His holy Wounds,
The central hole: most glorious,
The bottom hole : may He guard us
The left hole: and protect us,
The right hole: Christ our Lord. Amen.
The celebrant takes the little candle lighted from the new fire, with which he lights the Paschal Candle, saying:
May the light of Christ, in glory rising again, dispel the darkness of mind and heart.
Then he blesses the Paschal Candle, saying:
V/. Dominus vobíscum.
R/. Et cum spiritu tuo.
Let us pray. May the abundant outpouring of Thy blessing + descend upon this lighted candle, we beseech Thee, Almighty God; and do Thou look down upon it, invisible Creator of new life, as it shines in the night, that the sacrifice offered this night may shine by the secret infusion of Thy light, and that wherever any particle of this mystically blessed object be brought, there the power of Thy majesty may be present, and all the malice of satanic deceit driven out. Through Christ our Lord.
R/. Amen.

SOLEMN ENTRANCE PROCESSION AND PASCHAL PROCLAMATION

The procession stops three times. — First halt: When the deacon has entered the church, he remains standing and sings alone:
V/. Lumen Christi.
The procession turns towards the Blessed Candle and genuflects, and all answer: (genuflection)
R/. Deo gratias.
— Second halt: The procession advances towards the center of the church and there, in the same way; the deacon halts and sings in a higher key:
V/. Lumen Christi.
And as before, the procession turns and genuflects, and all answer: (genuflection)
R/. Deo gratias.
Then, by means of the Blessed Candle, the candles of the clergy are lighted. — Third halt: At the entrance to the sanctuary; the deacon sings in a still higher key:
V/. Lumen Christi.
For the third time also, as before, the procession turns and genuflects, and all answer: : (genuflection)
R/. Deo gratias.
Now, by means of the Blessed Candle, the candles of the faithful and the altar candles are lighted. The deacon then places the Candle on a stand in the center of the sanctuary before the altar. He takes the book and asks for a blessing.
Deacon: Pray, Father, a blessing.
Celebrant: May the Lord be in your heart and on your lips, that you may worthily and fittingly proclaim His Easter message. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Ghost, and of the Mother of God. Amen.
The clergy and faithful hold their lighted candles in their hands.

Invitation to praise the Lord:

Let the angelic choirs of heaven now rejoice; let the divine mysteries be celebrated with joy; and let the trumpet of salvation resound for the victory of so great a King. Let the earth also rejoice, illumined with such splendor; and, enlightened with the brightness of the eternal King, let it know that the darkness of the entire world is dispelled. Let our Mother the Church also rejoice, adorned with the brightness of so great a light; and let this temple resound with the joyful voices of the people. Therefore I beseech you, dearly beloved brethren, here present in the wondrous radiance of this holy light, to invoke with me the mercy of Almighty God, that He who has deigned to number me among the Levites, without any merits of my own, would pour forth the brightness of His light upon me, and enable me to fittingly celebrate this sacred Candle. Through Jesus Christ His Son, our Lord, who, being God, liveth and reigneth with Him in the unity of the Holy Ghost, forever and ever. R/. Amen.

The faithful blow out their candles, and the church lights are turned on.**

FIRST LESSON (Genesis 1:1-31; 2:1-2)

In the beginning God created heaven and earth. And the earth was void and empty, and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God moved over the waters. And God said: "Let there be light," and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and He divided the light from the darkness. And He called the light Day, and the darkness Night; and there was an evening and a morning, one day.
And God said: "Let there be a firmament made amidst the waters; and let it divide the waters from the waters." And God made a firmament, and divided the waters that were under the firmament from those that were above the firmament. And it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven: and there was an evening and a morning, the second day.
God also said: "Let the waters that are under the heavens be gathered together into one place; and let the dry land appear." And it was so done. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good. And He said: "Let the earth bring forth the green growth which bears seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit according to its kind, containing its seed that it may reproduce itself on the earth." And it was so done. And the earth brought forth the green growth which bears its seed according to its kind, and the trees that bear fruit having seed, each one according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And there was an evening and a morning, the third day.
And God said: "Let there be lights made in the firmament of heaven to divide the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark the seasons, the days and the years; let them shine across the heavens and give light upon the earth." And it was so done. And God made two great lights: a greater light to rule the day, and a lesser light to rule the night; and He made the stars. And He set them in the firmament of heaven to shine upon the earth, and to rule the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was an evening and a morning, the fourth day.
Then God said: "Let the waters abound with life, and the birds which fly over the earth under the firmament of heaven." And God created the great whales, and every living and moving creature which the waters brought forth, all according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And He blessed them, saying: "Increase and multiply, and fill the waters of the sea, and let the birds multiply upon the earth." And there was an evening and a morning, the fifth day.
And God said: "Let the earth bring forth the living creatures according to their kinds, domestic animals and creeping things, and the wild beasts of the earth according to their kinds." And it was so done. And God made the wild beasts of the earth according to their kinds, and domestic animals and all reptiles, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. Then He said: "Let us make man to Our image and likeness, and let him have dominion over the fishes of the sea, the birds of the air, the animals, the whole earth and all the creeping creatures which move upon the earth." And God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them. And God blessed them, saying: "Increase and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, and all living creatures that move upon the earth." And God said: "Behold, I have given to you every herb bearing seed upon the earth, and all trees which have in themselves seed of their own kind, to be your food; as also to all animals of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to all that moves upon the earth having life, to be their food." And it was so done. And God saw all the things that He had created, and they were very good. And there was an evening and a morning, the sixth day.
Thus the heavens and the .earth were finished, with all their array. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done; and He rested on the seventh day from all the work which He had done.

(stand) At the end of each lesson, the prayers are recited as follows: all stand, the priest says Oremus and the deacon Flectamus genua, and all genuflect. When the deacon chants Levate all stand, and the priest recites the prayer.

Orémus.
(genuflect) Flectámus génua.
(stand) Leváte.
Prayer. O God, who hast in a wonderful manner created man in his dignity, and still more admirably redeemed him, grant us to stand firm against the allurements of evil with unshakable rectitude of mind, that we may arrive at the joys of eternity. Through Jesus Christ Thy Son, our Lord, who, being God, liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, forever and ever.
R/. Amen.

SECOND LESSON (Exodus 14:24-31; 15:1-2)

The passage through the Red Sea meant freedom for the Hebrews and deliverance from the yoke of the Pharaohs; similarly, the waters of Baptism deliver us from the captivity of the devil and raise us to the dignity of children of God.
In those days it came to pass during the night watch just before dawn, that the Lord, looking upon the Egyptian army through the column of fiery cloud, threw it into a panic. And He so clogged their chariot wheels that they could hardly drive. With that the Egyptians said: "Let us retreat before Israel, because the Lord is fighting for them against us." Then the Lord said to Moses: "Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may flow back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and their charioteers." So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the water flowed back to its place. And while the Egyptians were retreating, the waters came in before them and buried them in nthe midst of the waves. The waters returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen and the entire army of Pharaoh, which in pursuit of Israel had entered into the sea, and not one of them escaped. But the children of Israel passed across the sea on dry land, with the waters like a wall for them to their right and to their left. On that day, the Lord delivered Israel from the hand of the Egyptians. And they saw the Egyptians lying dead on the seashore and observed how the Lord had stretched out His mighty Hand against them. Then the people feared the Lord; and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses. And Moses and the children of Israel sang a hymn to the Lord, saying:
Hymn. Let us sing to the Lord, for He hath manifested His glory: horse and rider He hath cast into the sea. The Lord is my rampart and my protector; He hath been my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him; He is the God of my father, and I will exalt Him. The Lord triumphs in battle; Almighty is His name.

(stand) Orémus.
(genuflect) Flectámus génua.
(stand) Leváte.
Prayer. O God, whose ancient miracle we see shining brightly still today, when by means of the water of Baptism, Thou dost achieve for the salvation of all nations what the power of Thine arm did long ago for one people, in delivering them from the persecution of Egypt, grant that the whole world may be received among the sons of Abraham, and in the dignity of Israel. Through Jesus Christ Thy Son, our Lord, who, being God, liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, forever and ever. R/. Amen.

THIRD LESSON (Isaiah 4:2-6; 5:1-2)

The Church is the chosen vine, planted and cultivated by Christ. Jesus is both the Head and the Spouse of the holy souls redeemed and purified by His Blood, who place all their trust in His Name.
In those days, the offshoot of the Lord shall be in magnificence and glory, and the fruit of the earth shall be raised up in honor; and there will be joy for those of Israel who have been saved. Then everyone who will have remained in Zion and in Jerusalem will be called holy: everyone who will have been written among the living in Jerusalem. Then the Lord shall purify the stains of the daughters of Zion, and He shall wash away from Jerusalem the unclean blood in its midst, by a spirit of justice and a spirit of fire. And over all of Mount Zion and in the place He will have been invoked, the Lord will cause a dense cloud to rise up by day, and the brightness of a flaming fire in the night; for He will protect the place of His glory. And there will be a tent for shade from the heat in the daytime, and for a safe retreat and a cover from storms and rain.
Hymn. My beloved had a vineyard on a fertile hill. He hoed it and removed all the stones, and planted a vine of red grapes. He built a tower in its midst. And He installed a winepress. The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel.

(stand) Orémus.
(genuflect) Flectámus génua.
(stand) Leváte.
Prayer O God, who by the voice of Thy holy Prophets hast proclaimed to all the children of Thy Church that throughout the whole extent of Thy dominion, Thou art the Sower of good seed and the Cultivator of choice plants, grant that Thy people, symbolically designated by Thee as vines and wheatfields, may be rid of the desolation of thorns and briars, and become capable of bearing good fruit in abundance. Through Jesus Christ Thy Son, our Lord, who, being God, liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, forever and ever. R/. Amen.

FOURTH LESSON (Deuteronomy 31 :22-30)

By the mouth of Moses, God threatens with chastisement Christians unfaithful to the promises of their Baptism; on the other hand, those who give glory to God by their fidelity will abound in blessings.
In those days Moses composed a hymn and taught it to the children of Israel. Then the Lord commanded Joshua, son of Nun, saying to him: "Be brave and steadfast, for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land I promised them; and I will be with you." When Moses had entirely finished writing the ordinances of this law in a book, he commanded the Levites who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord: "Take this book and place it beside the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God, that it may serve as a testimony against you. For I know how obstinate, hard and stiff-necked you are. During the entire time that I have lived and acted among you, you have always rebelled and murmured against the Lord; how much more will you do so after I am dead? Assemble all the elders of your tribes and all your teachers; I will pronounce the words of this hymn for them to hear, and I will take as witnesses against them heaven and earth. For I know that after my death, you will act wickedly and will promptly turn away from the way that I have commanded you; and in the end, evil will come upon you for having sinned in the sight of the Lord, even to provoking Him by the works of your hands." Moses then recited all the words of this hymn for all the people of Israel to hear:
Hymn.  Hear, 0 heavens, and I will speak; hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. Let my instruction come down like rain, and my words descend like the dew. As a downpour upon the grass and a shower upon the crops. For I will invoke the Name of the Lord. Give glory to our God! He is the Rock; His works are perfect, for all His ways are justice. God is faithful, in Him there is no deceit; He is just and right.

(stand) Orémus.
(genuflect) Flectámus génua.
(stand) Leváte.
Prayer. O God, grandeur of the humble and strength of the righteous, who didst cause the sacred hymn of Moses to be sung in order to teach Thy people and have them find, in this reminder of the Law, a rule of life, extend Thy power over all the peoples Thou hast redeemed; calming their fear, instill joy; that all of them may see their sins forgiven through Thy mercy, and the foretold chastisement may be changed into a means of salvation. Through Jesus Christ Thy Son, our Lord, who, being God, liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, forever and ever. R/. Amen.

LITANY OF THE SAINTS

FIRST PART

When the lessons are done, two cantors begin the litany, which is continued up to the invocation Propitius esto (Be merciful to us), before which they stop; the congregation answers each invocation.

RENEWAL OF BAPTISMAL PROMISES

Priest: On this most holy night, beloved brethren, Holy Church our mother, remembering Our Lord Jesus Christ dead and reposing in the tomb, keeps watch with love, to celebrate His glorious Resurrection with exceedingly great joy.
Now, according to the teaching of Saint Paul, "We were buried with Christ by means of Baptism into His death, in order that, just as Christ has risen from the dead, so we also must walk in a new life; for we know that the old man which we were before has been crucified with Christ, that henceforth we may no longer be slaves to sin. Let us therefore consider ourselves as dead to sin, and alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:4-11)
Thus, dearly beloved brethren, now that the Lenten exercises have been accomplished, let us renew the promises of holy Baptism by which we formerly renounced Satan and the works he inspires, as well as the world, which is at enmity with God; and let us promise to serve God faithfully in the Holy Church of Jesus Christ.
(kneel)
Priest:  Therefore, do you renounce Satan?
People : We do renounce him.
Priest : And all his works?
People : We do renounce them.
Priest : And all his allurements?
People : We do renounce them.
Priest : Do you believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth?
People : We do believe.
Priest: Do you believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was born and who suffered the Passion?
People : We do believe.
Priest : Do you also believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Church of Jesus Christ, the Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting?
People : We do believe.
Priest : And now, all together, let us pray to God as our Lord Jesus Christ taught us to pray:
People : Our Father... Amen.
Priest : And may Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us a new birth by means of water and the Holy Ghost, and who has granted us the forgiveness of all our sins, preserve us by His grace, through the same Christ Jesus our Lord, unto life everlasting.
People : Amen.

The priest sprinkles the people with holy water.

LITANY OF THE SAINTS

(SECOND PART}

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SOLEMN HIGH MASS OF THE EASTER VIGIL

Collecte

V/. Dóminus vobíscum.
R/. Et cum spíritu tuo.
Orémus. Ô Dieu, qui illuminez cette nuit sacrée de la gloire de la résurrection du Seigneur, conservez dans les nouveaux rejetons de Votre famille l’esprit d’adoption que Vous leur avez donné, afin que renouvelés de corps et d’esprit, ils Vous servent en toute pureté de vie. Par le même Jésus-Christ, Votre Fils, Notre-Seigneur, qui étant Dieu, vit et règne avec Vous, en l’unité du Saint-Esprit, dans tous les siècles des siècles.
R/. Ainsi soit-il.

Épître

Lecture de l’Épître du Bienheureux Apôtre Paul aux Colossiens.  (3, 1-4)
Mes frères, si vous êtes ressuscités avec le Christ, recherchez les choses d’en-haut, où le Christ trône à la droite de Dieu; prenez goût aux choses d’en-haut, non à celles de la terre. Car vous êtes morts, et votre vie est cachée avec le Christ en Dieu. Lorsque le Christ, votre vie, apparaîtra, alors vous paraîtrez aussi avec Lui dans la gloire.
R/. Rendons grâces à Dieu.

À trois reprises, et sur un ton de plus en plus élevé, le célébrant entonne l’Allelúia, qui est repris par tous. (debout)
V/. Célébrez le Seigneur, car Il est bon, car Sa miséricorde dure à jamais.

Trait

Louez le Seigneur, toutes les nations; rendez-Lui gloire, tous les peuples. V/. Car puissante sur nous a été Sa bonté et la fidélité du Seigneur dure à jamais.

Évangile

V/. Dóminus vobíscum.
R/. Et cum spíritu tuo.
V/. † Sequéntia sancti Evangélii secúndum Matthæum. (28, 1-7)
R/. Glória tibi, Dómine.
Après le Sabbat, à l’aube du premier jour de la semaine, Marie-Madeleine et l’autre Marie allèrent voir le tombeau. Et voici qu’il se fit un grand tremblement de terre. Un Ange du Seigneur descendit du ciel et, s’approchant, roula la pierre et s’assit sur elle. Son visage était comme l’éclair et son vêtement comme la neige. Les gardes furent atterrés d’effroi et devinrent comme morts. Mais l’Ange, prenant la parole, dit aux femmes: «Pour vous, ne craignez pas, car je sais que vous cherchez Jésus qui a été crucifié. Il n’est point ici, Il est ressuscité, comme Il l’avait dit. Venez, voyez où Il avait été mis. Hâtez-vous d’aller dire à Ses Disciples qu’Il est ressuscité; et voici qu’Il vous précède en Galilée: c’est là que vous Le verrez. Voici, je vous l’ai prédit.»
R/. Louange à Vous, Seigneur.

Credo

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