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THE EASTER VIGIL IN THE HOLY

NIGHT

1. By most ancient tradition, this is the night of keeping vigil for the Lord (Ex
12: 42), in which, fo owing the Gospel admonition (Lk 12: 35-37), the faithful,
carrying lighted lamps in their hands, should be like those looking for the Lord
when he returns, so that at his coming he may nd them awake and have them
sit at his table.

2. Of this night’s Vigil, which is the greatest and most noble of a solemnities,
there is to be only one celebration in each church. It is arranged, moreover, in
such a way that a er the Lucernarium and Easter Proclamation (which
constitutes the rst part of this Vigil), holy Church meditates on the wonders
the Lord God has done for his people om 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), the
Church is ca ed to the table the Lord has prepared for his people, the
memorial of his Death and Resurrection until he comes again (the fourth
part).

3. The entire celebration of the Easter Vigil must take place during the night,
so that it begins a er nightfa and ends before daybreak on the Sunday.

4. The Mass of the Vigil, even if it is celebrated before midnight, is a paschal

Mass of the Sunday of the Resurrection.

5. Anyone who participates in the Mass of the night may receive Communion
again at Mass during the day. A Priest who celebrates or concelebrates the
Mass of the night may again celebrate or concelebrate Mass during the day.

The Easter Vigil takes the place of the O ce of Readings.

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6. The Priest is usua y assisted by a Deacon. If, however, there is no Deacon,
the duties of his Order, except those indicated below, are assumed by the Priest
Celebrant or by a concelebrant.

The Priest and Deacon vest as at Mass, in white vestments.

7. Candles should be prepared for a who participate in the Vigil. The lights of
the church are extinguished.

FIRST PART: THE SOLEMN BEGINNING OF THE

VIGIL OR LUCERNARIUM

THE BLESSING OF THE FIRE AND PREPARATION OF THE

CANDLE

8. A blazing re is prepared in a suitable place outside the church. When the

people are gathered there, the Priest approaches with the ministers, one of
whom carries the paschal candle. The processional cross and candles are not
carried.

Where, however, a re cannot be lit outside the church, the rite is carried out
as in no. 13, below.

9. The Priest and faithful sign themselves while the Priest says: In the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and then he greets
the assembled people in the usual way and brie y instructs them about the
night vigil in these or similar words:

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 D
ear brethren (brothers and sisters),
on this most sacred night,
in which our Lord Jesus Christ
passed over from death to life,
the Church calls upon her sons and daughters,
scattered throughout the world,
to come together to watch and pray.
-If we keep the memorial
of the Lord's paschal solemnity in this way,
listening to his word and celebrating his mysteries,
then we shall have the sure hope
of sharing his triumph over death
and living with him in God.

10. Then the Priest blesses the re, saying with hands extended:

Let us pray.

O
God, who through your Son
bestowed upon the faithful the re of your glory,
sanctify ✠ this new re, we pray,
and grant that,
by these paschal celebrations,
we may be so in amed with heavenly desires,
that with minds made pure
we may attain festivities of unending splendour.
Through Christ our Lord.
℟. Amen.

11. A er the blessing of the new re, one of the ministers brings the paschal
candle to the Priest, who cuts a cross into the candle with a stylus. Then he
makes the Greek letter Alpha above the cross, the letter Omega below, and the
four numerals of the current year between the arms of the cross, saying
meanwhile:

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 1. Christ yesterday and today (he cuts a vertical
line);
2. the Beginning and the End (he cuts a horizontal
line);
3. the Alpha (he cuts the letter Alpha above the
vertical line);
4. and the Omega (he cuts the letter Omega below
the vertical line).
5. All time belongs to him (he cuts the rst numeral
of the current year in the upper
le corner of the cross);
6. and all the ages (he cuts the second numeral of the
current year in the upper right
corner of the cross).
7. To him be glory and power (he cuts the third
numeral of the current year in the
lower le corner of the cross);
8. through every age and for ever. Amen (he cuts
the fourth numeral of the
current year in the lower right corner of the cross).

12. When the cutting of the cross and of the other signs has been completed, the
Priest may insert ve grains of incense into the candle in the form of a cross,
meanwhile saying:

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

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 13. Where, because of di culties that may occur, a re is not lit, the blessing of
re is adapted to the circumstances. When the people are gathered in the
church as on other occasions, the Priest comes to the door of the church, along
with the ministers carrying the paschal candle. The people, insofar as is
possible, turn to face the Priest. The greeting and address take place as in no. 9
above; then the re is blessed and the candle is prepared, as above in nos. 10-12.

14. The Priest lights the paschal candle om the new re, saying:

May the light of Christ rising in glory

dispel the darkness of our hearts and minds.

As regards the preceding elements, Conferences of Bishops may also establish

other forms more adapted to the culture of the di erent peoples.

PROCESSION

15. When the candle has been lit, one of the ministers takes burning coals om
the re and places them in the thurible, and the Priest puts incense into it in
the usual way. The Deacon or, if there is no Deacon, another suitable minister,
takes the paschal candle and a procession forms. The thurifer with the smoking
thurible precedes the Deacon or other minister who carries the paschal candle.
A er them fo ows the Priest with the ministers and the people, a holding in
their hands unlit candles.

At the door of the church the Deacon, standing and raising up the candle,
sings:

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 The Light of Christ. Or: Lumen Christi.
And a reply: Thanks be to God. Or: Deo grátias.

The Priest lights his candle om the ame of the paschal candle.

16. Then the Deacon moves forward to the middle of the church and, standing
and raising up the candle, sings a second time:

The Light of Christ. Or: Lumen Christi.

And a reply: Thanks be to God. Or: Deo grátias.

A light their candles om the ame of the paschal candle and continue in
procession.

17. When the Deacon arrives before the altar, he stands facing the people, raises
up the candle and sings a third time:

The Light of Christ. Or: Lumen Christi.

And a reply: Thanks be to God. Or: Deo grátias.

Then the Deacon places the paschal candle on a large candlestand prepared
next to the ambo or in the middle of the sanctuary. And lights are lit
throughout the church, except for the altar candles.

THE EASTER PROCLAMATION (EXSÚLTET)

18. Arriving at the altar, the Priest goes to his chair, gives his candle to a
minister, puts incense into the thurible and blesses the incense as at the Gospel
at Mass. The Deacon goes to the Priest and saying, Your blessing, Father, asks
for and receives a blessing om the Priest, who says in a low voice:

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 May the Lord be in your heart and on your lips,
that you may proclaim his paschal praise worthily and well,
in the name of the Father and of the Son, ✠ and of the Holy Spirit.

The Deacon replies: Amen.

This blessing is omitted if the Proclamation is made by someone who is not a

Deacon.

19. The Deacon, a er incensing the book and the candle, proclaims the Easter
Proclamation (Exsultet) at the ambo or at a lectern, with a standing and
holding lighted candles in their hands.

The Easter Proclamation may be made, in the absence of a Deacon, by the

Priest himself or by another concelebrating Priest. If, however, because of
necessity, a lay cantor sings the Proclamation, the words Therefore, dearest
iends up to the end of the invitation are omitted, along with the greeting The
Lord be with you.

SHORTER FORM OF THE EASTER PROCLAMATION

E
xult, let them exult, the hosts of heaven,
exult, let Angel ministers of God exult,
let the trumpet of salvation
sound aloud our mighty King’s triumph!
Be glad, let earth be glad, as glory oods her,
ablaze with light from her eternal King,
let all corners of the earth be glad,
knowing an end to gloom and darkness.
Rejoice, let Mother Church also rejoice,
arrayed with the lightning of his glory,
let this holy building shake with joy,

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 lled with the mighty voices of the peoples.

(℣. The Lord be with you.

℟. And with your spirit.)
℣. Lift up your hearts.
℟. We lift them up to the Lord.
℣. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
℟. It is right and just.

I
t is truly right and just,
with ardent love of mind and heart
and with devoted service of our voice,
to acclaim our God invisible, the almighty Father,
and Jesus Christ, our Lord, his Son, his Only Begotten.

Who for our sake paid Adam’s debt to the eternal Father,
and, pouring out his own dear Blood,
wiped clean the record of our ancient sinfulness.

These then are the feasts of Passover,

in which is slain the Lamb, the one true Lamb,
whose Blood anoints the doorposts of believers.

This is the night,

when once you led our forebears, Israel’s children,
from slavery in Egypt
and made them pass dryshod through the Red Sea.

This is the night

that with a pillar of re
banished the darkness of sin.

This is the night

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in which even now, throughout the world,
sets Christian believers apart from worldly vices
and from the gloom of sin,
leading them to grace
and joining them to his holy ones.

This is the night,

when Christ broke the prison-bars of death
and rose victorious from the underworld.

O wonder of your humble care for us!

O love, O charity beyond all telling,
to ransom a slave you gave away your Son!

O truly necessary sin of Adam,

destroyed completely by the Death of Christ!

O happy fault
that earned so great, so glorious a Redeemer!
The sanctifying power of this night
dispels wickedness, washes faults away,
restores innocence to the fallen, and joy to mourners.

O truly blessed night,

when things of heaven are wedded to those of earth
and divine to the human.

On this, your night of grace, O holy Father,

accept this candle, a solemn o ering,
the work of bees and of your servants’ hands,
an evening sacri ce of praise,
this gift from your most holy Church

Therefore, O Lord,
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 we pray you that this candle,
hallowed to the honor of your name,
may persevere undimmed,
to overcome the darkness of this night.
Receive it as a pleasing fragrance,
and let it mingle with the lights of heaven.
May this ame be found still burning
by the Morning Star:
the one Morning Star who never sets,
Christ your Son,
who, coming back from death’s domain,
has shed his peaceful light on humanity,
and lives and reigns for ever and ever.

℟. Amen.

SECOND PART: THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

20. In this Vigil, the mother of a Vigils, nine readings are provided, namely
seven om the Old Testament and two om the New (the Epistle and Gospel),
a of which should be read whenever this can be done, so that the character of
the Vigil, which demands an extended period of time, may be preserved.

21. Nevertheless, where more serious pastoral circumstances demand it, the
number of readings om the Old Testament may be reduced, always bearing in
mind that the reading of the Word of God is a fundamental part of this Easter
Vigil. At least three readings should be read om the Old Testament, both
om the Law and om the Prophets, and their respective Responsorial Psalms
should be sung. Never, moreover, should the reading of chapter 14 of Exodus
with its canticle be omitted.

22. After setting aside their candles, all sit. Before the readings begin,
the Priest instructs the people in these or similar words:
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ear brethren (brothers and sisters),
now that we have begun our solemn Vigil,
let us listen with quiet hearts to the Word of God.
Let us meditate on how God in times past saved his people
and in these, the last days, has sent us his Son as our Redeemer.
Let us pray that our God may complete this paschal work of
salvation
by the fullness of redemption.

23. Then the readings fo ow. A reader goes to the ambo and proclaims the
reading. A erwards a psalmist or a cantor sings or says the Psalm with the
people making the response. Then a rise, the Priest says, Let us pray and, a er
a have prayed for a while in silence, he says the prayer corresponding to the
reading. In place of the Responsorial Psalm a period of sacred silence may be
observed, in which case the pause a er Let us pray is omitted.

SHORTEST FORM OF THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

READING I (Short Form)         1:1, 26-31a

I
n the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth,
God said: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.
Let them have dominion over the sh of the sea,
the birds of the air, and the cattle,
and over all the wild animals
and all the creatures that crawl on the ground."
God created man in his image;
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
God blessed them, saying:
"Be fertile and multiply;
ll the earth and subdue it.
Have dominion over the sh of the sea, the birds of the air,
and all the living things that move on the earth."
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God also said:
"See, I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth
and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food;
and to all the animals of the land, all the birds of the air,
and all the living creatures that crawl on the ground,
I give all the green plants for food."
And so it happened.
God looked at everything he had made, and found it very good.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM       33:4-5, 6-7, 12-13, 20 and 22

Misericórdia Dómini plena est terra.

℟. (5b) The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
℟. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made;
by the breath of his mouth all their host.
He gathers the waters of the sea as in a ask;
in cellars he con nes the deep.
℟. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.
From heaven the LORD looks down;
he sees all mankind.
℟. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.

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 ℟. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

PRAYER
24. A er the rst reading (On creation: Gn 1:1—2:2 or 1:1, 26-31a) and the
Psalm (104[103] or 33[32].
Let us pray.

O
God, who wonderfully created human nature
and still more wonderfully redeemed it,
grant us, we pray,
to set our minds against the enticements of sin,
that we may merit to attain eternal joys.
Through Christ our Lord.
℟. Amen.

READING II (Short Form)      Genesis 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18

G
od put Abraham to the test.
He called to him, "Abraham!"
"Here I am, " he replied.
Then God said:
"Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love,
and go to the land of Moriah.
There you shall o er him up as a holocaust
on a height that I will point out to you."

When they came to the place of which God had told him,
Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it.
Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.
But the LORD's messenger called to him from heaven,
"Abraham, Abraham!"
"Here I am, " he answered.
"Do not lay your hand on the boy," said the messenger.
"Do not do the least thing to him.
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 I know now how devoted you are to God,
since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son."
As Abraham looked about,
he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket.
So he went and took the ram
and o ered it up as a holocaust in place of his son.

Again the LORD's messenger called to Abraham from heaven and

said:
"I swear by myself, declares the LORD,

that because you acted as you did

in not withholding from me your beloved son,
I will bless you abundantly
and make your descendants as countless
as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore;
your descendants shall take possession
of the gates of their enemies,
and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall nd
blessing
all this because you obeyed my command."

RESPONSORIAL PSALM          16:5, 8, 9-10, 11

Consérva me, Deus, quóniam sperávi in te.

℟. (1) You are my inheritance, O Lord.

O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
I set the LORD ever before me;
℟. You are my inheritance, O Lord.
Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,
my body, too, abides in con dence;

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 because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld,
nor will you su er your faithful one to undergo corruption.
℟. You are my inheritance, O Lord.
You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
℟. You are my inheritance, O Lord.

PRAYER
24. A er the second reading (On Abraham's sacri ce: Genesis 22:1-18 or
22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18) and the Psalm (16[15].
Let us pray.

O
God, supreme Father of the faithful,
who increase the children of your promise
by pouring out the grace of adoption
throughout the whole world
and who through the Paschal Mystery
make your servant Abraham father of nations,
as once you swore,
grant, we pray,
that your peoples may enter worthily
into the grace to which you call them.
Through Christ our Lord.
℟. Amen.

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READING III          Ex 14:15—15:1

T
he LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me?
Tell the Israelites to go forward.
And you, lift up your sta and, with hand outstretched over
the sea,
split the sea in two,
that the Israelites may pass through it on dry land.
But I will make the Egyptians so obstinate
that they will go in after them.
Then I will receive glory through Pharaoh and all his army,
his chariots and charioteers.
The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD,
when I receive glory through Pharaoh
and his chariots and charioteers."

The angel of God, who had been leading Israel's camp,

now moved and went around behind them.
The column of cloud also, leaving the front,
took up its place behind them,
so that it came between the camp of the Egyptians
and that of Israel.
But the cloud now became dark, and thus the night passed
without the rival camps coming any closer together
all night long.
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea,
and the LORD swept the sea
with a strong east wind throughout the night
and so turned it into dry land.
When the water was thus divided,
the Israelites marched into the midst of the sea on dry land,
with the water like a wall to their right and to their left.

The Egyptians followed in pursuit;

all Pharaoh's horses and chariots and charioteers went after them
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right into the midst of the sea.
In the night watch just before dawn
the LORD cast through the column of the ery cloud
upon the Egyptian force a glance that threw it into a panic;
and he so clogged their chariot wheels
that they could hardly drive.
With that the Egyptians sounded the retreat before Israel,
because the LORD was ghting for them against the Egyptians.

Then the LORD told Moses, (Stretch out your hand over the sea,
that the water may ow back upon the Egyptians,
upon their chariots and their charioteers."
So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea,
and at dawn the sea owed back to its normal depth.
The Egyptians were eeing head on toward the sea,
when the LORD hurled them into its midst.
As the water owed back,
it covered the chariots and the charioteers of Pharaoh's whole army
which had followed the Israelites into the sea.
Not a single one of them escaped.
But the Israelites had marched on dry land

through the midst of the sea,

with the water like a wall to their right and to their left.
Thus the LORD saved Israel on that day
from the power of the Egyptians.
When Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the seashore
and beheld the great power that the LORD
had shown against the Egyptians,
they feared the LORD and believed in him and in his servant Moses.

Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD:
I will sing to the LORD, for he is gloriously triumphant;
horse and chariot he has cast into the sea.
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 RESPONSORIAL PSALM         Ex 15:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 17-18
Cantémus Dómino: glorióse enim magni cátus est.

℟. (1b) Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.

I will sing to the LORD, for he is gloriously triumphant;
horse and chariot he has cast into the sea.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
He is my God, I praise him;
the God of my father, I extol him.
℟. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
The LORD is a warrior,
LORD is his name!
Pharaoh's chariots and army he hurled into the sea;
the elite of his o cers were submerged in the Red Sea.
℟. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
The ood waters covered them,
they sank into the depths like a stone.
Your right hand, O LORD, magni cent in power,
℟. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.
You brought in the people you redeemed
and planted them on the mountain of your inheritance
the place where you made your seat, O LORD,
the sanctuary, LORD, which your hands established.
The LORD shall reign forever and ever.
℟. Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.

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 PRAYER
26. A er the third reading (On the passage through the Red Sea: Ex 14: 15-15:
1) and its canticle (Ex 15).
Let us pray.

O
God, whose ancient wonders
remain undimmed in splendour even in our day,
for what you once bestowed on a single people,
freeing them from Pharaoh’s persecution
by the power of your right hand
now you bring about as the salvation of the nations
through the waters of rebirth,
grant, we pray, that the whole world
may become children of Abraham
and inherit the dignity of Israel’s birthright.
Through Christ our Lord.
℟. Amen.

GLORIA

31. A er the last reading om the Old Testament with its Responsorial Psalm
and its prayer, the altar candles are lit, and the Priest intones the hymn Gloria
in excelsis Deo (Glory to God in the highest), which is taken up by a ,
while be s are rung, according to local custom.

32. When the hymn is concluded, the Priest says the Co ect in the usual way.

COLLECT
Let us pray.

O
God, who make this most sacred night radiant
with the glory of the Lord’s Resurrection,
stir up in your Church a spirit of adoption,
so that, renewed in body and mind,
we may render you undivided service.
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Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever

33. Then the reader proclaims the reading om the Apostle.

EPISTLE          
Romans 6:3-11

B
rothers and sisters:
Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his death?

We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death,

so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead
by the glory of the Father,
we too might live in newness of life.

For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his,
we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.
We know that our old self was cruci ed with him,
so that our sinful body might be done away with,
that we might no longer be in slavery to sin.
For a dead person has been absolved from sin.
If, then, we have died with Christ,
we believe that we shall also live with him.
We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more;
death no longer has power over him.
As to his death, he died to sin once and for all;
as to his life, he lives for God.
Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as being dead to sin
and living for God in Christ Jesus.

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 34. A er the Epistle has been read, a rise, then the Priest solemnly intones the
Alleluia three times, raising his voice by a step each time, with a repeating it.
If necessary, the psalmist intones the A eluia.

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Then the psalmist or cantor proclaims Psalm 118 (117) with the people
responding Alleluia.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM          
118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23
℟. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
"His mercy endures forever."
℟. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
The right hand of the LORD has struck with power;
the right hand of the LORD is exalted. I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the LORD.
℟. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
℟. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

35. The Priest, in the usual way, puts incense in the thurible and blesses the
Deacon. At the Gospel lights are not carried, but only incense.

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 Year A
GOSPEL          Matthew 28:1-10

A
fter the sabbath, as the rst day of the week was dawning,
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.
And behold, there was a great earthquake;
for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven,
approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it.
His appearance was like lightning
and his clothing was white as snow.
The guards were shaken with fear of him
and became like dead men.
Then the angel said to the women in reply,
"Do not be afraid!
I know that you are seeking Jesus the cruci ed.
He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said.
Come and see the place where he lay.
Then go quickly and tell his disciples,
'He has been raised from the dead,
and he is going before you to Galilee;
there you will see him.'
Behold, I have told you."
Then they went away quickly from the tomb,
fearful yet overjoyed,
and ran to announce this to his disciples.
And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them.
They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage.
Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid.
Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee,
and there they will see me."

The Gospel of the Lord.

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 Year B
GOSPEL           Mark 16:1-7

W
hen the sabbath was over,
Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and
Salome
bought spices so that they might go and anoint him.
Very early when the sun had risen,
on the rst day of the week, they came to the tomb.
They were saying to one another,
"Who will roll back the stone for us
from the entrance to the tomb?"
When they looked up,
they saw that the stone had been rolled back;
it was very large.
On entering the tomb they saw a young man
sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe,
and they were utterly amazed.
He said to them, "Do not be amazed!
You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the cruci ed.
He has been raised; he is not here.
Behold the place where they laid him.
But go and tell his disciples and Peter,
'He is going before you to Galilee;
there you will see him, as he told you.'"

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 Year C
GOSPEL           Luke 24:1-12

A
t daybreak on the rst day of the week
the women who had come from Galilee with Jesus
took the spices they had prepared
and went to the tomb.
They found the stone rolled away from the tomb;
but when they entered,
they did not nd the body of the Lord Jesus.
While they were puzzling over this, behold,
two men in dazzling garments appeared to them.
They were terri ed and bowed their faces to the ground.
They said to them,
"Why do you seek the living one among the dead?
He is not here, but he has been raised.
Remember what he said to you while he was still in Galilee,
that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners
and be cruci ed, and rise on the third day."
And they remembered his words.
Then they returned from the tomb
and announced all these things to the eleven
and to all the others.
The women were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of
James;
the others who accompanied them also told this to the apostles,
but their story seemed like nonsense
and they did not believe them.
But Peter got up and ran to the tomb,
bent down, and saw the burial cloths alone;
then he went home amazed at what had happened.

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 36. A er the Gospel, the Homily, even if brief, is not to be omitted.

THIRD PART: BAPTISMAL LITURGY

37. A er the Homily the Baptismal Liturgy begins. The Priest goes with the
ministers to the baptismal font, if this can be seen by the faithful. Otherwise a
vessel with water is placed in the sanctuary.

38. Catechumens, if there are any, are ca ed forward and presented by their
godparents in ont of the assembled Church or, if they are sma children, are
carried by their parents and godparents.
39. Then, if there is to be a procession to the baptistery or to the font, it forms
immediately. A minister with the paschal candle leads o , and those to be
baptized fo ow him with their godparents, then the ministers, the Deacon,
and the Priest. During the procession, the Litany (no. 43) is sung. When the
Litany is completed, the Priest gives the address (no. 40).
40. If, however, the Baptismal Liturgy takes place in the sanctuary, the Priest
immediately makes an introductory statement in these or similar words.

If there are candidates to be baptized:

Dearly beloved,
with one heart and one soul, let us by our prayers
come to the aid of these our brothers and sisters in their blessed
hope,
so that, as they approach the font of rebirth,
the almighty Father may bestow on them
all his merciful help.

If the font is to be blessed, but no one is to be baptized:

Dearly beloved,
let us humbly invoke upon this font

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 the grace of God the almighty Father,
that those who from it are born anew
may be numbered among the children of adoption in Christ.

LITANY

41. The Litany is sung by two cantors, with a standing (because it is Easter
Time) and responding. If, however, there is to be a procession of some length to
the baptistery, the Litany is sung during the procession; in this case, those to be
baptized are ca ed forward before the procession begins, and the procession
takes place led by the paschal candle, fo owed by the catechumens with their
godparents, then the ministers, the Deacon, and the Priest. The address should
occur before the Blessing of Water.

42. If no one is to be baptized and the font is not to be blessed, the Litany is
omitted, and the Blessing of Water (no. 54) takes place at once.

43. In the Litany the names of some Saints may be added, especia y the
Titular Saint of the church and the Patron Saints of the place and of those to
be baptized.

Lord, have mercy Holy angels of God

     Lord, have mercy      Pray for us.
Christ, have mercy Saint John the Baptist
     Christ, have mercy      Pray for us.
Lord, have mercy Saint Joseph
     Lord, have mercy      Pray for us.
Saint Peter and Saint Paul
Holy Mary, Mother of God      Pray for us.
     Pray for us. Saint Andrew
Saint Michael      Pray for us.
     Pray for us.
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Saint John Saint Catherine
     Pray for us.      Pray for us.
Saint Mary Magdalene Saint Teresa
     Pray for us.      Pray for us.
Saint Stephen All holy men and women
     Pray for us.      Pray for us.
Saint Ignatius
     Pray for us. Lord, be merciful
Saint Lawrence      Lord, we ask you, hear
     Pray for us. our prayer.
Saint Perpetua and Saint Felicity From all evil
     Pray for us.      Lord, we ask you, hear
Saint Agnes our prayer.
     Pray for us. From every sin
Saint Gregory      Lord, we ask you, hear
     Pray for us. our prayer.
Saint Augustine From everlasting death
     Pray for us.      Lord, we ask you, hear
Saint Athanasius our prayer.
     Pray for us. By your Incarnation
Saint Basil      Lord, we ask you, hear
     Pray for us. our prayer.
Saint Martin By your Death and Resurrection
     Pray for us.      Lord, we ask you, hear
Saint Benedict our prayer.
     Pray for us. By your outpouring of the Holy
Saint Francis and Saint Dominic Spirit
     Pray for us.      Lord, we ask you, hear
Saint Francis Xavier our prayer.
     Pray for us. Be merciful to us sinners.
St John Vianney      Lord, we ask you, hear
     Pray for us. our prayer.

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 If there are candidates to be baptized
Bring these chosen ones to new Jesus, Son of the living God.
birth, through the grace of      Lord, we ask you, hear
baptism. our prayer.
     Lord, we ask you, hear our prayer.
Christ , hear us.
If there is no one to be baptized:      Christ, hear us.
Make this font holy by your
grace for the new birth of your Christ, graciously hear us.
children.      Christ, graciously hear us.
 Lord, we ask you, hear our prayer.

If there are candidates to be baptized, the Priest, with hands extended, says the
fo owing prayer:

A
lmighty ever-living God,
be present by the mysteries of your great love
and send forth the spirit of adoption
to create the new peoples
brought to birth for you in the font of Baptism,
so that what is to be carried out by our humble service
may be brought to ful lment by your mighty power.
Through Christ our Lord.
℟. Amen.

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 BLESSING OF BAPTISMAL WATER

46. The Priest then blesses the baptismal water, saying the fo owing prayer
with hands extended:

O
God, who by invisible power
accomplish a wondrous e ect
through sacramental signs
and who in many ways have prepared water, your creation,
to show forth the grace of Baptism;

O God, whose Spirit

in the rst moments of the world’s creation
hovered over the waters,
so that the very substance of water
would even then take to itself the power to sanctify;

O God, who by the outpouring of the ood

foreshadowed regeneration,
so that from the mystery of one and the same element of water
would come an end to vice and a beginning of virtue;

O God, who caused the children of Abraham

to pass dry-shod through the Red Sea,
so that the chosen people,
set free from slavery to Pharaoh,
would pre gure the people of the baptized;

O God, whose Son,

baptized by John in the waters of the Jordan,
was anointed with the Holy Spirit,
and, as he hung upon the Cross,
gave forth water from his side along with blood,
and after his Resurrection, commanded his disciples:
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“Go forth, teach all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”
look now, we pray, upon the face of your Church
and graciously unseal for her the fountain of Baptism.
May this water receive by the Holy Spirit
the grace of your Only Begotten Son,
so that human nature, created in your image
and washed clean through the Sacrament of Baptism
from all the squalor of the life of old,
may be found worthy to rise to the life of newborn children
through water and the Holy Spirit.

And, if appropriate, lowering the paschal candle into the water either once or
three times, he continues:

M
ay the power of the Holy Spirit,
O Lord, we pray,
come down through your Son
into the fullness of this font,

and, holding the candle in the water, he continues:

so that all who have been buried with Christ

by Baptism into death
may rise again to life with him.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever
℟. Amen.

47. Then the candle is li ed out of the water, as the people acclaim:

Springs of water, bless the Lord;

praise and exalt him above all for ever.

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 48. A er the blessing of baptismal water and the acclamation of the people,
the Priest, standing, puts the prescribed questions to the adults and the parents
or godparents of the children, as is set out in the respective Rites of the Roman
Ritual, in order for them to make the required renunciation. If the anointing
of the adults with the Oil of Catechumens has not taken place beforehand, as
part of the immediately preparatory rites, it occurs at this moment.

49. Then the Priest questions the adults individua y about the faith and, if
there are children to be baptized, he requests the triple profession of faith om
a the parents and godparents together, as is indicated in the respective Rites.
Where many are to be baptized on this night, it is possible to arrange the rite so
that, immediately a er the response of those to be baptized and of the
godparents and the parents, the Celebrant asks for and receives the renewal of
baptismal promises of a present.
50. When the interrogation is concluded, the Priest baptizes the adult elect and
the children.
51. A er the Baptism, the Priest anoints the infants with chrism. A white
garment is given to each, whether adults or children. Then the Priest or
Deacon receives the paschal candle om the hand of the minister, and the
candles of the newly baptized are lighted. For infants the rite of Ephphetha is
omitted.
52. A erwards, unless the baptismal washing and the other explanatory rites
have occurred in the sanctuary, a procession returns to the sanctuary, formed
as before, with the newly baptized or the godparents or parents carrying
lighted candles. During this procession, the baptismal canticle Vidi aquam (I
saw water) or another appropriate chant is sung (no. 56).
53. If adults have been baptized, the Bishop or, in his absence, the Priest who
has conferred Baptism, should at once administer the Sacrament of
Con rmation to them in the sanctuary, as is indicated in the Roman Ponti cal
or Roman Ritual.

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 THE BLESSING OF WATER

54. If no one present is to be baptized and the font is not to be blessed, the Priest
introduces the faithful to the blessing of water, saying:

D
ear brothers and sisters,
let us humbly beseech the Lord our God
to bless this water he has created,
which will be sprinkled upon us
as a memorial of our Baptism.
May he graciously renew us,
that we may remain faithful to the Spirit
whom we have received.

And a er a brief pause in silence, he proclaims the fo owing prayer, with

hands extended:

L
ord our God,
in your mercy be present to your people
who keep vigil on this most sacred night,
and, for us who recall the wondrous work of our creation
and the still greater work of our redemption,
graciously bless this water.
For you created water to make the elds fruitful
and to refresh and cleanse our bodies.
You also made water the instrument of your mercy:
for through water you freed your people from slavery
and quenched their thirst in the desert;
through water the Prophets proclaimed the new covenant
you were to enter upon with the human race;
and last of all,
through water, which Christ made holy in the Jordan,
you have renewed our corrupted nature
in the bath of regeneration.
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 Therefore, may this water be for us
a memorial of the Baptism we have received,
and grant that we may share
in the gladness of our brothers and sisters,
who at Easter have received their Baptism.
Through Christ our Lord.
℟. Amen.

RENEWAL OF BAPTISMAL PROMISES

55. When the Rite of Baptism (and Con rmation) has been completed or, if
this has not taken place, a er the blessing of water, a stand, holding lighted
candles in their hands, and renew the promise of baptismal faith, unless this
has already been done together with those to be baptized (cf. no. 49).

The Priest addresses the faithful in these or similar words:

Dear brethren (brothers and sisters), through the Paschal Mystery

we have been buried with Christ in Baptism,
so that we may walk with him in newness of life.
And so, now that our Lenten observance is concluded,
let us renew the promises of Holy Baptism,
by which we once renounced Satan and his works
and promised to serve God in the holy Catholic Church.
And so I ask you:

Priest: Do you renounce Satan?

A : I do.

Priest: And all his works?

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 A : I do.

Priest: And all his empty show?

A : I do.

Or:

Priest: Do you renounce sin, so as to live in the freedom of the

children of God?

A : I do.

Priest: Do you renounce the lure of evil, so that sin may have no
mastery over you?

A : I do.

Priest: Do you renounce Satan, the author and prince of sin?

A : I do.

If the situation warrants, this second formula may be adapted by Conferences

of Bishops according to local needs.

Then the Priest continues:

Priest: Do you believe in God,

the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth?

A : I do.

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 Priest: Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was born of the Virgin Mary,
su ered death and was buried,
rose again from the dead
and is seated at the right hand of the Father?

A : I do.

Priest: Do you believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy Catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting?

A : I do.

And the Priest concludes:

And may almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has given us new birth by water and the Holy Spirit
and bestowed on us forgiveness of our sins,
keep us by his grace,
in Christ Jesus our Lord,
for eternal life.

A : Amen.

56. The Priest sprinkles the people with the blessed water, while a sing:

ANTIPHON
Vidi aquam egrediéntem de templo, a látere, a elúia; et omnes, ad quos pervénit a
qua ista, salvi facti sunt et dicent: A elúia, a elúia.

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 Ant. I saw water owing from the Temple,
from its right-hand side, alleluia;
and all to whom this water came were saved
and shall say: Alleluia, alleluia.

Another chant that is baptismal in character may also be sung.

57. Meanwhile the newly baptized are led to their place among the faithful.

If the blessing of baptismal water has not taken place in the baptistery, the
Deacon and the ministers reverently carry the vessel of water to the font.

If the blessing of the font has not occurred, the blessed water is put aside in an
appropriate place.

58. A er the sprinkling, the Priest returns to the chair where, omitting the
Creed, he directs the Universal Prayer, in which the newly baptized
participate for the rst time.

FOURTH PART: THE LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

59. The Priest goes to the altar and begins the Liturgy of the Eucharist in the
usual way.

60. It is desirable that the bread and wine be brought forward by the newly
baptized or, if they are children, by their parents or godparents.

61. PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGS

Accept, we ask, O Lord,
the prayers of your people
with the sacri cial o erings,
that what has begun in the paschal mysteries

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may, by the working of your power,
bring us to the healing of eternity.
Through Christ our Lord.

62. PREFACE I OF EASTER         The Paschal Mystery

T
he Lord be with you.
℟. And with your spirit.
℣. Lift up your hearts.
℟. We lift them up to the Lord.
℣. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
℟. It is right and just.

I
t is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
at all times to acclaim you, O Lord,
but on this night above all
to laud you yet more gloriously,
when Christ our Passover has been sacri ced.
For he is the true Lamb
who has taken away the sins of the world;
by dying he has destroyed our death,
and by rising, restored our life.
Therefore, overcome with paschal joy,
every land, every people exults in your praise
and even the heavenly Powers, with the angelic hosts,
sing together the unending hymn of your glory,
as they acclaim:

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts . . .

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 63. In the Eucharistic Prayer, a commemoration is made of the baptized and
their godparents in accord with the formulas which are found in the Roman
Missal and Roman Ritual for each of the Eucharistic Prayers.

64. Before the Ecce Agnus Dei (Behold the Lamb of God), the Priest
may brie y address the newly baptized about receiving their rst Communion
and about the exce ence of this great mystery, which is the climax of Initiation
and the center of the whole of Christian life.

65. It is desirable that the newly baptized receive Holy Communion under
both kinds, together with their godfathers, godmothers, and Catholic parents
and spouses, as we as their lay catechists. It is even appropriate that, with the
consent of the Diocesan Bishop, where the occasion su ests this, a the
faithful be admitted to Holy Communion under both kinds.

66. COMMUNION ANTIPHON          1 Cor 5: 7-8

Pascha nostrum immolátus est Christus; ítaque epulémir in ázymis sinceritátisei
veritátis, a eluia.

Christ our Passover has been sacri ced;

therefore let as keep the feast
with the unleavened bread of purity and truth, alleluia.

Psalm 118 (117) may appropriately be sung.

67. PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

Pour out on us, O Lord, the Spirit of your love,
and in your kindness make those you have nourished
by this paschal Sacrament
one in mind and heart.
Through Christ our Lord.

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 68. SOLEMN BLESSING
May almighty God bless you
through today’s Easter Solemnity
and, in his compassion,
defend you from every assault of sin.

℟. Amen.

And may he, who restores you to eternal life

in the Resurrection of his Only Begotten,
endow you with the prize of immortality.

℟. Amen.

Now that the days of the Lord’s Passion have drawn to a close,
may you who celebrate the gladness of the Paschal Feast
come with Christ’s help, and exulting in spirit,
to those feasts that are celebrated in eternal joy.

℟. Amen.

And may the blessing of almighty God,

the Father, and the Son, † and the Holy Spirit,
come down on you and remain with you for ever.

℟. Amen.

The nal blessing formula om the Rite of Baptism of Adults or of Children

may also be used, according to circumstances.
69. To dismiss the people the Deacon or, if there is no Deacon, the Priest
himself sings or says:

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 Go forth, the Mass is ended, alleluia, alleluia.

Or:

Go in peace, alleluia, alleluia.

A reply:

Thanks be to God, allelluia, alleluia.

This practice is observed throughout the Octave of Easter.

70. The paschal candle is lit in a the more solemn liturgical celebrations of
this period.

The English translation of Psalm Responses, Alleluia Verses, Gospel

Verses from Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, International
Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL); the English
translation of Antiphons, Invitatories, Responsories, Intercessions, Psalm
95, the Canticle of the Lamb, Psalm Prayers, Non-Biblical Readings from
The Liturgy of the Hours © 1973, 1974, 1975, ICEL; excerpts from the
English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010, ICEL. All rights
reserved. Used with permission.

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