Saturday’s Easter Vigil for 2016 at Sacred Heart Church Hove

The Easter Vigil is probably my favourite liturgical celebration, combining the drama of fire, light and explosive sounds with anticipation of the imminent arrival of the holiest day of the year.

Normally the Vigil begins with the blessing and lighting of the paschal candle in the church car park. A new paschal candle is blessed and lit every year at Easter and then used throughout the year during special occasions such as baptisms and funerals.         

(Previously, passers-by who have seen the flaming brazier in the church's car park have innocently enquired whether we are ‘having a barbeque?’)

However Saturday’s weather forecast was for torrential rain and, sure enough, by 7pm it was bucketing down.  Fortunately, altar server Georges was prepared and had set up a fire in the church porch – with a bucket of water nearby and a fire extinguisher.

 

On schedule at 8pm all the lights in the church were extinguished and Fr Kevin and the other altar servers processed to the porch bearing the paschal candle. After blessing the fire, Fr Kevin cut the shape of a cross in the candle, then the Greek signs for Alpha and Omega, signifying God is the beginning and the end, and finally the numbers 2016. Five grains of incense were then inserted into the candle representing the five wounds of Christ - a tricky operation at the best of times but doubly difficult when the priest has to hold a small torch in his other hand!

 

Finally the large candle was lit from the fire and triumphantly borne into the dark church with the cry ‘The Light of Christ’ to which the response was ‘Thanks be to God.’ The refrain was said three times while the congregation lit their own small candles from the paschal one, passing the light to each other until a warm glow suffused the entire church, walls and all.

Fr Kevin then sang the Easter proclamation (Exsultet) which glories in the goodness of God who created all and His son who ‘broke the prison-bars of death.’   The congregation's candles were snuffed out so that the church was again in darkness, lit only by the faint glow of the paschal candle, now placed in a candlestand next to the altar.

There followed a series of readings from the Old and New Testaments, interspersed with prayers and psalms sung by the congregation – led by our magnificent choir (seemingly turbo-charged for the occasion) under Jane and our nimble-fingered organist.

After the last reading from the Old Testament there was a moment’s pause – before an explosion of noise and light as bells rang out, clappers sounded and all the lights were switched on. Servers scurried round ensuring that all the candles in the church were lit, even the ones ten feet up on the side walls that are only lit once a year.

 

Following the reading of the Gospel and the homily, we segued smoothly into the baptismal liturgy. Three individuals were to be baptised and four more were to be confirmed during the night’s celebrations. This part of the Vigil is particularly eagerly anticipated as the congregation seems to sense – and warmly welcomes - the catechumens’ desire to publicly acknowledge the faith that had led them on their journey to the altar at Sacred Heart.

 

Fortunately, our parish priest has a well-modulated singing voice and sufficient stamina, both of which are needed for the Vigil. After the Litany of the Saints was sung, the baptismal water was blessed, lowering the paschal candle into it several times as required by the Vigil rite.

 

 

Then the prescribed questions were put, the Oil of Catechumens was applied and, one by one, the individuals were baptised, a jug of –presumably warm or at least tepid – water was poured over the head three times while the words of baptism were pronounced.

 

 

Following this the three were clad in white garments and lit their own baptismal candles from the paschal one. Then, bearing their lit candles, they went into the body of the church, passing their light from person to person until the candles of the entire congregation were lit. The entire congregation was then invited to hold up their lit candles and renew their baptismal promises, renouncing Satan and all his works and promising to serve God in the holy Catholic church, following which the priest walked around the church sprinkling holy water on everyone – and, when he had returned to the altar, giving the altar servers and himself a good sprinkling.     

Then the newly-baptised three were joined on the sanctuary by the four persons to be confirmed in the faith, all seven standing facing the congregation, their sponsors standing behind them, one hand on the candidate's shoulder to indicate their support and sponsorship. Again, the prescribed questions were put and the candidates were anointed, this time with a different oil, the Oil of Chrism, the Holy Oil used to anoint prophets and kings. Several were visibly moved as Fr Kevin moved down the line, blessing and praying for each one.

 

 

The evening’s Vigil was concluded with Mass, more specifically the liturgy of the Eucharist, when the newly-baptised for the first time participated with the rest of the congregation.  

After Mass there were more than the usual amount of smiles, handshakes, hugs and arm squeezes as ‘Happy Easter’ greetings were exchanged.

One of the things that I find particularly moving about the Easter Vigil – apart from the drama of the occasion itself – was the way it attracts many people, visitors and locals, who do not regularly attend the church. Reaching across the pews to shake a stranger’s hand while wishing him or her a friendly ‘Peace’ or ‘Happy Easter’ often gets a fulsome response, particularly from the elderly. It’s a way of sharing the paschal candle’s light and warmth.   

As we left the church servers offered us a choice of wine gums or jelly babies from their baskets.

Eh…can we go back to chocolates next year, Fr Kevin?