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78-787: Among liturgical Western Christian churches including the Roman Catholic Church , the Lutheran Churches and the Anglican Communion , the Easter Vigil is the most important liturgy of public worship and Mass of the liturgical year , marked by the first use since the beginning of Lent of the exclamatory " Alleluia ", a distinctive feature of the Easter season . In the Moravian Church ,

156-589: A procession into the church, as a hymn is sung. The Easter Proclamation is then chanted by a deacon . If there is no deacon, a concelebraing minister does the task. If there is no concelebrating minister, it is entrusted to a lay cantor . The Service of the Word contains readings explicating the following topics: "The Creation", "The Covenant between God and the Earth", "Abraham's Trust in God", "Israel's Deliverance at

234-594: A candle lit from the new fire without any further ceremony. He hands this to the deacon, who lights the Paschal Candle (and two others) from it, and then goes on with the Exultet. The Roman three-part version of the Lumen Christi , with its repetitions in ascending half-steps, is the basis for the dramatic organ work Incantation pour un jour saint ("Incantation for a holy day", 1949) by Jean Langlais ,

312-897: A decline in worship culture in the Lutheran Churches in Germany. The rationalism of the 18th century also brought about a change in worship habits and customs. The liturgical movement that arose in the German Lutheran Churches after World War I rediscovered the Easter Vigil in its reformational form. In an article from 1934 for the Liturgical Conference of Lower Saxony and for the Berneuchen Movement , Wilhelm Stählin appealed to fellow Lutherans for an Easter service on early Easter Sunday or on Holy Saturday night using elements from

390-475: A possible connection between it and the old custom of procuring the new fire on three successive days. But precaution against the light blowing out accounts for several candles. The mystic symbolism of the number three applied, too. Guillaume Durand , in his chapter on the Paschal Candle, does not mention a triple candle. In the Sarum Rite , only one candle was lighted. While it was carried in procession to

468-730: A slight deficiency, or a tendency toward sin yet without collective guilt , referred to as a "sin nature", to something as drastic as total depravity or automatic guilt of all humans through collective guilt. Most Western Christians use a version of the Nicene Creed that states that the Holy Spirit " proceeds from the Father and the Son ", where the original text as adopted by the First Council of Constantinople had "proceeds from

546-682: Is a versicle sung in Catholic , Lutheran and some Anglican churches as part of the Easter Vigil . In Lutheran and Anglican services, it is sung in the local language. It is chanted by the deacon on Holy Saturday as he lights the candle. In the English Sarum Rite , one candle is lit. In the Catholic service, after the new fire has been blessed outside the church, a light is taken from it by an acolyte. The procession moves up

624-560: Is celebrated: a combination of Psalm 42 and Psalm 43 ; 7. when Baptism is not celebrated: Isaiah 12:2-6 or Psalm 51 ) sung responsorially and followed by a prayer that relates what has been read in the Old Testament to the mystery of Christ. After these readings conclude, the altar candles are lit. The Gloria in excelsis Deo is sung for the first time since before Lent, with the exception of Holy Thursday or any solemnities or feasts that occurred during Lent. The church bells and

702-655: Is characterized by a number of Gregorian chants , medieval and reformational hymns which have been in use in German worship services for centuries. In North America the Lutherans , similarly to the Anglicans, have in many places returned to the observance of the Easter Vigil [including the restoration of the blessing of the new fire]. The recent service books of both the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod and

780-595: Is composed of the Latin Church and Western Protestantism , together with their offshoots such as the Old Catholic Church , Independent Catholicism and Restorationism . The large majority of the world's 2.3 billion Christians are Western Christians (about 2 billion: 1.2 billion Latin Catholic and 1.17 billion Protestant). One major component, the Latin Church, developed under

858-545: Is during these readings that catechumens may be baptized and chrismated, the order of which is given in the Book of Needs ( Ευχολόγιον ; Требникъ ) and is performed while most of the faithful and clergy remain in the church for the readings, the newly baptised being led back into the church during the singing of "As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (sung in place of the Trisagion ). This liturgy recounts

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936-533: Is not followed by a prayer with kneeling, but is immediately followed by the prokeimenon of the Eucharistic liturgy. Thomas Talley stresses the importance of this series of reading as representing the oldest known series and the one evidently having the very greatest influence on the development of all subsequent series of readings. According to Byzantine historian Andrew Ekonomou, the Easter Vespers

1014-710: Is permitted to reduce this number for pastoral reasons to at least three, or for very pressing pastoral reasons two. The account of the Israelites' crossing of the Red Sea may never be omitted, since this event is at the centre of the Jewish Passover , of which Christians believe Christ's death and resurrection is the fulfillment. Each reading is followed by a psalm or biblical canticle (i.e., 1. Psalm 104 or Psalm 33 ; 2. Psalm 16 ; 3. Exodus 15:1-18; 4. Psalm 30 ; 5. Isaiah 12:2-6; 6. Psalm 19 ; 7. when Baptism

1092-570: Is retained, though in the TEC rite the service of baptism may follow immediately after the readings from the Old Testament. The service normally consists of four parts: Some of the other particular differences from the Roman Catholic observance include: Confirmations occur only when the bishop is present, because, in the Anglican tradition, only a bishop may administer confirmation. In

1170-459: Is solemnly blessed, and any catechumens and candidates for full communion are initiated into the church by baptism or confirmation . After the celebration of these sacraments of initiation, the congregation renews their baptismal vows and receive the sprinkling of baptismal water . The prayer of the faithful, of whom the newly baptised are now part, follow. After the prayers, the Liturgy of

1248-741: Is to be only one celebration in each church. It is arranged, moreover, in such a way that after the Lucernarium and the "Exsultet", The Easter Proclamation (which constitutes the first part of this Vigil), Holy Church meditates on the wonders the Lord God has done for his people from the beginning, trusting in his word and promise (the second part, that is, the Liturgy of the Word) until, as day approaches, with new members reborn in Baptism (the third part),

1326-604: Is used as a collective term for all these. Today, the geographical distinction between Western and Eastern Christianity is not nearly as absolute as in Antiquity or the Middle Ages, due to the spread of Christian missionaries , migrations , and globalisation . As such, the adjectives "Western Christianity" and "Eastern Christianity" are typically used to refer to historical origins and differences in theology and liturgy rather than present geographical locations. While

1404-803: The Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America (TEC), the Book of Alternative Services of the Anglican Church of Canada and the Times and Seasons volume of the Church of England 's Common Worship , follows more or less the same form as the Roman Catholic liturgy described above, with some variations in texts and ritual. The four-part structure of the Vigil

1482-723: The Christmas Vigil , remained a popular festive worship service in the Lutheran churches during and after the Reformation . It was often celebrated in the early morning hours of Easter Sunday. As in all Lutheran services of this period, vernacular language was used in combination with traditional liturgical texts in Latin, such as the Exsultet . Elements which were considered unbiblical and superstitious were eliminated, such as

1560-656: The Council of Chalcedon (451), and then from Eastern Orthodoxy with the East-West Schism of 1054. With the last-named form of Eastern Christianity, reunion agreements were signed at the Second Council of Lyon (1274) and the Council of Florence (1439), but these proved ineffective. Historian Paul Legutko of Stanford University said the Catholic Church is "at the center of the development of

1638-778: The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America assume the service as normative. In the Lutheran Service Book , the Altar Book, the Vigil comprises the Service of Light with the Exsultet ; the Service or Readings with up to 12 readings; the Service of Holy Baptism at which candidates may be baptized, the baptized confirmed, and the congregation remember its Baptism into Jesus ; the Service of Prayer, featuring an Easter litany ; and concluding with

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1716-552: The Harrowing of Hell , at which time, according to Orthodox theology, the righteous dead were raised from Hades and entered into Paradise . This Good News of Christ's triumph over death, the Church teaches, was at that time revealed only to the departed. The revelation to the living occurred when his tomb was found empty "very early in the morning, on the first day of the week" ( Mark 16:2 ) and this vigil recounts that discovery of

1794-666: The Julian calendar and Gregorian calendar respectively. However, before the Council of Nicea, various dates including Jewish Passover were observed. Nicea "Romanized" the date for Easter and anathematized a "Judaized" (i.e. Passover date for) Easter. The date of observance of Easter has only differed in modern times since the promulgation of the Gregorian calendar in 1582; and further, the Western Church did not universally adopt

1872-652: The Missal , the Orthodox tradition and from reformational service orders. An order for the Easter Vigil was published in 1936. Several Lutheran congregations in Hannover observed the Easter Vigil in 1937. Since then, the Easter Vigil has experienced a revival in many parishes throughout Germany. This movement within the German Lutheran Churches contributed to a revival and revision of the Roman Catholic order for

1950-566: The Reformed Church , the Easter Vigil follows the pattern of Service of Light, Service of the Word, Service of Baptism, and Service of Communion. It can either start on the night of Holy Saturday or is held as a sunrise service on Easter Sunday. In Methodist congregations that observe it, the Easter Vigil is the first service of Eastertide . The liturgy contained in The United Methodist Book of Worship divides

2028-860: The Roman province of Africa . There is evidence of a Latin translation of the Bible as early as the 2nd century (see also Vetus Latina ). With the decline of the Roman Empire , distinctions appeared also in organization, since the bishops in the West were not dependent on the Emperor in Constantinople and did not come under the influence of the Caesaropapism in the Eastern Church . While

2106-505: The apostles and other early preachers of the religion. In Western Christianity's original area, Latin was the principal language. Christian writers in Latin had more influence there than those who wrote in Greek , Syriac , or other languages. Although the first Christians in the West used Greek (such as Clement of Rome ), by the fourth century Latin had superseded it even in the cosmopolitan city of Rome , as well as in southern Gaul and

2184-566: The bishop of Rome . Out of the Latin Church emerged a wide variety of independent Protestant denominations , including Lutheranism and Anglicanism , starting from the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, as did Independent Catholicism in the 19th century. Thus, the term "Western Christianity" does not describe a single communion or religious denomination but is applied to distinguish all these denominations collectively from Eastern Christianity. The establishment of

2262-605: The see of Constantinople became dominant throughout the Emperor's lands, the West looked exclusively to the see of Rome , which in the East was seen as that of one of the five patriarchs of the Pentarchy , "the proposed government of universal Christendom by five patriarchal sees under the auspices of a single universal empire. Formulated in the legislation of the emperor Justinian I (527–565), especially in his Novella 131,

2340-541: The sunrise service starts before dawn on Easter Sunday. Congregations of the Reformed tradition and the Methodist tradition may observe the Easter Vigil or hold a sunrise service. In Eastern Orthodox churches , Oriental Orthodox churches , and other traditions of Eastern Christianity , the extremely festive ceremonies and Divine Liturgy which are celebrated during the Easter Vigil are unique to that night and are

2418-401: The Americas (especially South America), Africa, Asia, Australia and the Pacific. Protestantism, including Anglicanism, came to North America, Australia-Pacific and some African locales. Today, the geographical distinction between Western and Eastern Christianity is much less absolute, due to the great migrations of Europeans across the globe, as well as the work of missionaries worldwide over

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2496-424: The Baptismal Covenant follows with the baptism of catechumens and then their confirmation , as well as that of those who are being received into the United Methodist Church. The Service of the Table includes the celebration of Holy Communion . It is concluded by a benediction and recessional hymn . In popular culture and for most believers, the Paschal vigil is the liturgy that commences at midnight; however,

2574-529: The Catholic Church accounting for over half and various Protestant denominations making up another 40%. Hussite movements of 15th century Bohemia preceded the main Protestant uprising by 100 years and evolved into several small Protestant churches, such as the Moravian Church . Waldensians survived also, but blended into the Reformed tradition . Relevant figures: Relevant figures: Relevant figures: Relevant figures: Relevant figures: Lumen Christi Lumen Christi (Latin for "Light of Christ")

2652-427: The Christian church has been culturally divided between the Latin-speaking West, whose centre was Rome , and the Greek-speaking East, whose centre was Constantinople . Cultural differences and political rivalry created tensions between the two churches, leading to disagreement over doctrine and ecclesiology and ultimately to schism . Like Eastern Christianity , Western Christianity traces its roots directly to

2730-459: The Church is called to the table the Lord has prepared for his people, the memorial of his Death and Resurrection until he comes again (the fourth part)." In the Roman Rite liturgy, the Easter Vigil consists of five parts: The vigil begins between sunset on Holy Saturday and sunrise on Easter Sunday outside the church, where an Easter fire is kindled and the Paschal candle is blessed and then lit. This Paschal candle will be used throughout

2808-421: The Easter Vigil by Pope Pius XII in 1951. The "Agende II" for the Evangelical Lutheran Churches and Parishes in Germany from 1960 gave the "Osternacht", German for "Easter Vigil", a normative form. The most recent agenda for the Easter Vigil was published by the "Vereinigte Evangelisch-lutherische Kirche" in 2008. The order for the Easter Vigil is comparable to the order of service used by American Lutherans. It

2886-407: The Easter Vigil into four parts: The Service of Light begins in silence outside of the church building in the nighttime. There, a new fire is kindled and each member of the congregation is given a candle. A greeting, opening prayer and lighting of the Paschal Candle from the new fire then solemnly occurs. The clergy and congregation receive the new light from the Paschal candle and then take part in

2964-416: The Easter Vigil was held on Holy Saturday morning. He changed the hour of the celebration to after sunset. Pope Pius XII made the changes obligatory in 1956. Outside the church the Easter fire was lit and blessed, and five grains of incense were blessed. All lamps and candles within the church were quenched, so as to be relit later with the new fire. The rubrics did not envisage electricity or gas lighting. At

3042-544: The Eastern Orthodox Church, has traditionally held a distinction between God's essence, or that which He is, with God's energies, or that which He does. They hold that while God is unknowable in His essence, He can be known (i.e. experienced) in His energies. This is an extension of Eastern Christianity's apophatic theology , while Western Christians tend to prefer a view of divine simplicity , and claim that God's essence can be known by its attributes. Today, Western Christianity makes up close to 90% of Christians worldwide with

3120-411: The Eucharist continues as usual. This is the first Mass of Easter Day. During the Eucharist, the newly baptized receive Holy Communion for the first time. According to the rubrics of the Roman Missal , the Eucharist should finish before dawn. On 9 February 1951, Pope Pius XII issued decree Dominicae Resurrectionis , instituting several changes to the Easter Vigil in an experimental basis. Previously,

3198-429: The Exsultet. The priest, unless acting as deacon, wore a violet cope for the blessing of the Paschal Candle, after which the priest wore a violet chasuble. After the blessing of the Baptismal Font and the Litany of the Saints, white Mass vestments were put on, and Mass followed. The Mass was in the then normal form, including the prayers at the foot of the altar, but without Introit, Agnus Dei, and Postcommunion. Its Epistle

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3276-412: The Father" without the addition of either "and the Son" or "alone". This Western version also has the additional phrase "God from God" ( Latin : Deum de Deo ), which was in the Creed as adopted by the First Council of Nicaea , but which was dropped by the First Council of Constantinople. The date of Easter usually differs between Eastern and Western Christianity, because the calculations are based on

3354-496: The Gospel according to Matthew. In the earliest Jerusalem usage the vigil began with Psalm 117 [118] sung with the response, "This is the day which the Lord has made." Then followed twelve Old Testament readings, all but the last being followed by a prayer with kneeling. (1) Genesis 1:1–3:24 (the story of creation); (2) Genesis 22:1–18 (the binding of Isaac); (3) Exodus 12:1–24 (the Passover charter narrative); (4) Jonah 1:1–4:11 (the story of Jonah); (5) Exodus 14:24–15:21 (crossing of

3432-482: The Gregorian calendar at once, so that for some time the dates of Easter differed between the Eastern Church and the Roman Catholic Church, but not necessarily as between the Eastern Church and the Western Protestant churches. For example, the Church of England continued to observe Easter on the same date as the Eastern Church until 1753. Even the dates of other Christian holidays often differ between Eastern and Western Christianity. Eastern Christianity, and particularly

3510-416: The Latin Church maintains the use of the Latin liturgical rites , Protestant denominations and Independent Catholicism use various liturgical practices. The earliest concept of Europe as a cultural sphere (instead of simply a geographic term) appeared during the Carolingian Renaissance of the 9th century, which included territories that practiced Western Christianity at the time. For much of its history,

3588-407: The Paschal Candle, a hymn, Inventor rutili dux bone luminis , was sung by two cantors , the choir answering the first verse after each of the others. In the Mozarabic Rite , the bishop lights and blesses one candle; while it is brought to the altar an antiphon , Lumen verum illuminans omnem hominem , etc., is sung. In Milan , in the middle of the Exultet, a subdeacon goes out and brings back

3666-400: The Red Sea", "Salvation Offered Freely to All", "A New Heart and a New Spirit", "New Life for God's People", and "Buried and Raised with Christ in Baptism". After each reading, a canticle is sung and then a prayer is offered. Following the hearing of the "record of God's saving deeds in history", the Gospel lesson is proclaimed by the minister. Then he/she gives the sermon . The Service of

3744-417: The Red Sea); (6) Isaiah 60:1–13 (the promise to Jerusalem); (7) Job 38:2–28 (the Lord's answer to Job); (8) 2 Kings 2:1–22 (the assumption of Elijah); (9) Jeremiah 31:31–34 (the New Covenant ); (10) Joshua 1:1–9 (entry into the Promised Land); (11) Ezekiel 37:1–14 (the valley of dry bones); (12) Daniel 3:1–29 (the story of the three youths). The twelfth reading leads into the Song of the Three Children and

3822-403: The Romans (Romans 6:3-11) is proclaimed, followed by the chanting of Psalm 118 . The Alleluia is sung for the first time since before Lent and with special solemnity. The Gospel of the Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-10, Mark 16:1-8, or Luke 24:1-12 depending on the liturgical year ) follows, along with a homily . After the conclusion of the Liturgy of the Word, the water of the baptismal font

3900-407: The Service of the Sacrament, at which the Holy Eucharist is celebrated. Although the Easter Vigil is not universal in the Anglican Communion , its use has become far more common in recent decades. Formerly it was only common in parishes in the Anglo-Catholic tradition, having been recovered by the 19th-century Tractarian movement . The service, as provided for example in the current version of

3978-418: The altar, the deacon begins the blessing of the Paschal Candle ( Exsultet ). From time to time, a light must be brought from the new fire to the Paschal candle. The ceremony grew from this practical need and later acquired symbolic meaning. At first, a triple candle was likely a precaution against the light blowing out on the way. At one time there were only two lights. The Sarum Consuetudinary (about

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4056-429: The blessing of the new fire, the consecration of the candles or of water. Emphasis was placed on the scriptural readings, congregational singing and on the Easter sermon. In Wittenberg the Easter Gospel (Matthew 28. 1 - 10; 16 - 20) was sung in the German language in a tone similar to the tone of the Exsultet - a gospel tone only used for this worship service. The devastation caused by the Thirty Years' War led to

4134-428: The candle proceeds through the church, the small candles held by those present are gradually lit from the Paschal candle. As this symbolic "Light of Christ" spreads, darkness is decreased. The deacon, priest, or a cantor now chants the Exsultet (also called the "Easter Proclamation" or "Paschal Praeconium"), after which the people sit for the Liturgy of the Word. Once the paschal candle has been placed on its stand in

4212-401: The church are quickly and dramatically changed from black to white. Another feature unique to this Liturgy is that the usual Cherubic Hymn is replaced by that from the Liturgy of St. James , " Let all mortal flesh keep silence ". Western Christianity Western Christianity is one of two subdivisions of Christianity ( Eastern Christianity being the other). Western Christianity

4290-404: The church entrance, in the center of the church, and then at the altar, each of the candles on a triple candlestick was lit from a candle that had been lit from the new fire. On each occasion, this was followed by a genuflection and the chanting of "Lumen Christi". During the singing of the Exsultet, which then followed, the five grains of incense were placed in the paschal candle. The paschal candle

4368-433: The church toward the altar, the deacon in a white Dalmatic carrying the candle. Three times the procession stops, the deacon lights one of the candles from the taper and sings, Lumen Christi , on one note (fa, in the Solfege system), dropping a minor third (to re) on the last syllable. The choir answers, Deo gratias to the same tone. Each time it is sung at a higher pitch. As it is sung, all genuflect. Having arrived at

4446-438: The cultural divide between the Hellenistic East and Latin West and the political divide between the Western and Eastern Roman empires . During the Middle Ages , adherents of the Latin Church, irrespective of ethnicity, commonly referred to themselves as "Latins" to distinguish themselves from Eastern Christians ("Greeks"). Western Christianity has played a prominent role in the shaping of Western civilization . With

4524-576: The distinct Latin Church, a particular church sui iuris of the Catholic Church , coincided with the consolidation of the Holy See in Rome , which claimed primacy since Antiquity. The Latin Church is distinct from the Eastern Catholic Churches , also in full communion with the Pope in Rome , and from the Eastern Orthodox Church and Oriental Orthodox Churches , which are not in communion with Rome. These other churches are part of Eastern Christianity . The terms "Western" and "Eastern" in this regard originated with geographical divisions mirroring

4602-427: The empty tomb. Also commemorated is the Passover of the Law, which according to the Gospel of John, was on the Sabbath when Christ lay in the tomb, and among the Old Testament readings is the story of the Exodus out of Egypt, that reading ending with the antiphonal singing of the Song of Moses ( Exodus 15:1–19 ). Although this vespers liturgy begins Sunday in the usual manner, including the resurrectional stichera of

4680-432: The expansion of European colonialism from the Early Modern era , the Latin Church, in time along with its Protestant secessions, spread throughout the Americas , much of the Philippines , Southern Africa , pockets of West Africa , and throughout Australia and New Zealand . Thus, when used for historical periods after the 16th century, the term "Western Christianity" does not refer to a particular geographical area but

4758-410: The first tone , the feast of Pascha begins in the middle of the night, at the time Christ rose from the dead, while the text of and rubrics for Saturday's liturgy are found in the Triodion , the Lenten liturgical book. Before the Gospel reading, in place of the "Alleluia" sung at every other Liturgy of the year, is a prokeimenon during which, in the Russian tradition, all vestments and decorations of

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4836-414: The first), the fourth (parting of the Red Sea; now the third), the eighth (from Isaiah; now the second) and the eleventh (from Deuteronomy; now the fourth). Then followed the first part of the Litany of the Saints (only the names of the saints), the blessing of the font, possible baptisms, renewal of baptismal promises, a novelty with respect to the past and the first inclusion of the vernacular language in

4914-411: The general Roman liturgy, and the second part of the litany. After this came Mass, without prayers at the foot of the altar. This was followed by Easter Lauds , no longer Holy Saturday Vespers. In virtue of the 2007 motu proprio Summorum Pontificum , this form may, under certain conditions, still be used because of its inclusion in the 1962 Roman Missal of Pope John XXIII . The Easter Vigil, like

4992-401: The most elaborate and important of the liturgical year . The original twelve Old Testament readings for the Easter Vigil survive in an ancient manuscript belonging to the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem . The Armenian Easter Vigil also preserves what is believed to be the original length of the traditional gospel reading of the Easter Vigil, i.e., from the Last Supper account to the end of

5070-400: The organ, silent, since that point on Holy Thursday, are sounded again. It is customary in some churches to have no organ playing during Lent at all, except when accompanying hymns. In some regions, the statues, which have been covered during Passiontide , are unveiled at this time. After Gloria in Excelsis Deo, the collect is sung or recited by the celebrant. The reading from the Epistle to

5148-535: The past five centuries. Original sin , also called ancestral sin , is a Christian belief in a state of sin in which humanity has existed since the fall of man , stemming from Adam and Eve 's rebellion in the Garden of Eden , namely the sin of disobedience in consuming the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil . Theologians have characterized this condition in many ways, seeing it as ranging from something as insignificant as

5226-429: The previous sections, seemingly representing development from a common tradition. The Old Testament readings are: 1. Genesis 1:1-13; 2. Isaiah 60:1-16; 3. Exodus 12:1-11; 4. Jonah 1:1-4:11; 5. Joshua 5:10-15; 6. Exodus 13:20-15:19; 7. Zephaniah 3:8-15; 8. 3 Kings 17:8-24; 9. Isaiah 61:10-62:5; 10. Genesis 22:1-18; 11. Isaiah 61:1-9; 12. 4 Kings 4:8-37; 13. Isaiah 63:11-64:5; 14. Jeremiah 31:31-34; 15. Daniel 3:1-68. It

5304-408: The priest would light his own candle at the Paschal candle. For the second, the rest of the clergy plus altar servers would. For the third, the entire congregation. The Exsultet's function was turned, without change in the text, into a jubilant praise of the Paschal candle already blessed and lit. Of the Old Testament readings, only four were kept: what had been the first (story of Creation; now still

5382-412: The readings were preceded by Flectamus genua and a genuflection, except for the last. After the Old Testament readings the baptismal font was blessed, and the conferral of baptism was envisaged, though rarely performed. The Litany of the Saints followed. Violet vestments were worn except for the deacon, or the priest performing the deacon's functions, who wore a white dalmatic in the procession and at

5460-478: The sanctuary, the lights in the church are switched on and the congregation extinguish their candles (although in some churches, the custom is to continue the liturgy by candlelight or without any lights until the Gloria). The Liturgy of the Word consists of seven readings from the Old Testament (i.e., 1. Genesis 1:1-2:2; 2. Genesis 22:1-18; 3. Exodus 14:15-15:1; 4. Isaiah 54:5-14; 5. Isaiah 55:1-11; 6. Baruch 3:9-15,32-4:4; 7. Ezekiel 36:16-17a, 18–28), although it

5538-460: The season of Easter, remaining in the sanctuary of the church or near the lectern, and throughout the coming year at baptisms and funerals, reminding all that Christ is "light and life". Once the candle has been lit, it is carried by a deacon through the nave of the church, itself in complete darkness, stopping three times to chant the acclamation 'Light of Christ' ( Lumen Christi ), to which the assembly responds 'Thanks be to God' or 'Deo Gratias'. As

5616-463: The theory received formal ecclesiastical sanction at the Council in Trullo (692), which ranked the five sees as Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem." Over the centuries, disagreements separated Western Christianity from the various forms of Eastern Christianity: first from East Syriac Christianity after the Council of Ephesus (431) , then from that of Oriental Orthodoxy after

5694-696: The values, ideas, science, laws, and institutions which constitute what we call Western civilization ". The rise of Protestantism led to major divisions within Western Christianity, which still persist, and wars—for example, the Anglo-Spanish War of 1585–1604 had religious as well as economic causes. In and after the Age of Discovery , Europeans spread Western Christianity to the New World and elsewhere. Roman Catholicism came to

5772-541: The vigil proper commences with vespers Saturday afternoon. Commencing two hours before sundown according to the written rubrics, although generally in the late morning in actual practice, is great vespers with the Divine Liturgy. It is during this liturgy that catechumens are baptized and that fact, together with the lengthy Old Testament readings, shows that this liturgy is analogous to the Easter vigil described in

5850-431: The year 1210) says: "Let the candle upon the reed be lighted, and let another candle be lighted at the same time, so that the candle upon the reed can be rekindled if it should chance to be blown out". A miniature of the eleventh century shows the Paschal Candle being lighted from a double taper. Triple candles appeared first in the twelfth and fourteenth Ordines Romani , about the twelfth century. Father Thurston suggests

5928-636: Was Colossians 3:1-4, and the Gospel was Matthew 28:1-7. Mass was followed immediately by abbreviated Vespers . Under Pope Pius XII, the Easter Vigil was restructured. He separated the blessing and lighting of the Candle from the Exsultet to the beginning, the present position. The triple candlestick was no longer used. It was from the Paschal candle that, at the chanting of "Lumen Christi", without genuflection,

6006-575: Was lit from one of the candles on the triple candlestick. The Liturgy of the Word consisted of twelve readings, for the most part without responsory chants: the seven mentioned above except the fourth and seventh, plus the account of the Flood (Gen 5–8) as the second; followed by a different one from Ezekiel (37:1-14), plus Isaiah 4:1-6, Exodus 12:1-11 (the introduction of the Paschal rites, also read then on Good Friday but now on Holy Thursday), Jonah 3:1-10, Deuteronomy 31:22-30, Daniel 3:1-24. The prayers after

6084-538: Was unknown in Rome prior to its introduction in the mid-7th century, and solemnization by Pope Vitalian during the period when Rome was part of the Byzantine Empire. The Paschal vespers was long celebrated in Constantinople prior to this and the liturgy itself has details that appear eastern in origin. The Roman Missal states: "Of this night’s Vigil, which is the greatest and most noble of all solemnities, there

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