Holy Saturday/Easter Vigil

Authority level: Authoritative doctrine
Disciplinary status: Church discipline
Theological status: Theological synthesis
GuideThe entry combines Catholic doctrine about worship with approved liturgical discipline and theological explanation; the labels do not make every ceremonial norm irreformable.
Contents

Holy Saturday/Easter Vigil is a celebration of the Paschal Triduum in the Roman Rite on which the Church keeps vigil at the Lord's tomb and then celebrates his Resurrection through the service of light, the extended Liturgy of the Word, baptismal liturgy, and Eucharist.[1]

Mystery celebrated

The Church keeps vigil at the Lord's tomb and then celebrates his Resurrection through the service of light, the extended Liturgy of the Word, baptismal liturgy, and Eucharist.

The celebration belongs to the Church's objective liturgical worship; its doctrine is expressed in the proper prayers, readings, chants, and ritual observance appointed by the liturgical books.[2]

Date and calendar

Holy Saturday remains without Mass until the Easter Vigil begins after nightfall as the principal celebration of the Lord's Resurrection.

Its actual observance in a given year follows the universal table of liturgical days, including the rules for concurrence, occurrence, omission, and transfer.[3]

Celebration

The Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours use the propers assigned to the day. The rank determines whether the celebration begins with First Vespers, includes the Gloria or Creed, and supersedes another observance.

References

  1. 1.General Instruction of the Roman Missal — Universal norms for celebrating Mass in the Roman Rite
  2. 2.Lectionary for Mass — The Roman Rite cycle of readings for Sundays, solemnities, feasts, and weekdays
  3. 3.Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year and the Calendar — Universal norms governing seasons, Sundays, ranks, precedence, and the calendar