Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday 2017

Easter Triduum 2017

 

Holy Saturday – Easter Vigil at the Croatian Catholic Church of St Augustine, Farrer, ACT, 15 April 2017

ALLELUIA, Alleluia, Christ is risen, Alleluia! This Christian joy is being felt right throughout the world following the forty days and forty nights fasting of Lent ending and the Easter joy permeating from the resurrected Lord to his people.

Experiencing this Christian joy most profoundly were the 49 Catechumenates in the Archdiocese who were officially received into Church over the Easter weekend.

The Catechumenates who have been taking part in the Rite Christian Initiation Adults in their respective parishes throughout the Lenten season all received the sacraments of initiation – Baptism, Holy Communion and Confirmation.

At St Christopher’s Archbishop Christopher Prowse spoke before a packed cathedral in his Easter Sunday homily highlighting the innate Christian hope that accompanies each person despite the fact that the world is full of darkness.

He talked about the Eucharist and the blood and water which gushed out from the side of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins.

He encouraged the faithful to work on their weaknesses even when their life seems messed up and to let God begin the Easter work in each of them.

“Let the risen Lord start in us,” he said.

Earlier in the Mass, Archbishop Prowse sprinkled Holy Water on the congregation as they recited the creed.

In the Easter Vigils the service of light began outside with a new fire being lit and blessed.

The Paschal / Easter Candle symbolizing the ‘Light of Christ’ was blessed and lit with the words:

“May the light of Christ, rising in glory, dispel the darkness of our hearts and minds”.

Gathered around the fire the priest proceeded to mark the candle with the following words:

  • Christ yesterday and today(vertical arm of the cross) 
  • the Beginning and the End(horizontal arm of the cross) 
  • the Alpha(alpha above the cross) 
  • and the Omega(omega below the cross) 
  • All time belongs to him(numeral 2 in upper left corner of cross) 
  • and all the ages(numeral 1 in upper right corner of cross) 
  • To him be glory and power(numeral 4 in lower left corner) 
  • through every age and for ever. Amen(numeral 0 in lower right corner)

The priest then inserted five grains of incense into the candle in the form of a cross saying:

1. By his holy
2. and glorious wounds,
3. may Christ the Lord
4. guard us
5. and protect us. Amen.

Parishioners then lit their candles from the Easter candle or from one another before pressing into the dark churches at which three times the priest or deacon proclaimed – “The light of Christ” and the people responded with – “Thanks be to God”.

Following this the Exultet was sung by the priest or the deacon and the renewal of baptismal promises reaffirmed.

The liturgical season of Easter lasts for 50 days until Pentecost Sunday which this year is on June 4.