04/04/2026
Join us for our Easter Vigil In the Holy Night — 7:30 PM, April 4
The Easter Vigil Mass is the first celebration of Jesus Christ’s Resurrection from the dead. It is the greatest and most holy of all solemnities in the Catholic Church; it begins at sunset.
The character of this Mass is unique: On this holy night, the Church keeps watch, celebrating the Resurrection of Christ in the sacraments and awaiting his return in glory. It is the turning point of the Sacred Paschal Triduum, the Passover of the new covenant, which marks Christ's passage from death to life. There are four parts:
LITURGY OF LIGHT: The Easter fire is blessed, the Paschal candle is prepared, and the beautiful Easter Proclamation, the Exsultet, is chanted. We proclaim that Christ is the Light.
LITURY OF THE WORD: We hear important moments in salvation history through Old Testament readings; each is followed by a special prayer. Then an Epistle is proclaimed from the New Testament, another Psalm and then the Gospel is proclaimed.
BAPTISMAL LITURGY: We will welcome new Christians to the Church through Baptism. They will then be received into full communion with the Church. The baptized will renew their baptismal vows.
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST: Enhanced, it is “on this night above all [we] laud [God] yet more gloriously, overcome with Paschal joy [at] celebrating the most sacred night of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ in the flesh.”
