The Great Vigil is the first service of Easter. It is held sometime between sunset on Holy Saturday and dawn on Easter Day. The service consists of four parts:
The Service of Light
The Liturgy of the Word
Baptisms and Confirmations, including the renewal of our baptismal vows
The Holy Eucharist – the first Communion of Easter.
The Service of Light commences with the blessing of the New Fire and the preparation of the Paschal candle.
The Paschal candle (Pascha being the Greek word for the Jewish Passover), entering the church, represents the light of the resurrected Christ re-entering the darkened world. When it is set up in the sanctuary, the exsultet is sung. The exsultet is the ancient Easter Proclamation, a hymn of praise sung by the Deacon on behalf of the church and the whole of creation. This hymn recounts the origins of the Passover and God’s mercies to the Jews in bringing them safely to the Promised Land and connects this event of freedom with the ultimate gift from sin and death we have received in the resurrection of Christ Jesus. The Paschal candle burns at all services through the Great Fifty Days from Easter through the Day of Pentecost. It also burns at baptisms and funerals throughout the year.