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Holy Saturday
March 31, 2018 @ 10:00 am - 7:30 pm
The Resurrection stained glass window at St Mary’s Cathedral
Saturday Evening Service of Light and Easter Vigil – although celebrated on the night of Holy Saturday, it is the dramatic Easter liturgy that marks the official celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus and beginning of Easter. It is the most important Mass of the liturgical year as well as the first celebration of the Eucharist during the fifty-day long celebrations of Easter, and is marked by the first use since the beginning of Lent of the acclamation “Alleluia”. Before the Easter Vigil, the holy water fonts are drained, all the lights are extinguished, and the tabernacle is empty. The service begins outside the church, where a new fire is lit and blessed and a new Paschal candle is prepared. The Archbishop lights the candle from the new fire and this processes into the church, lifting it three different times. Everyone lights their smaller candle from the Easter candle and continues in procession until the whole church is alight. The Paschal candle symbolises Christ, the Light of the world. The Exsultet, the Easter Proclamation, is sung at the commencement of Mass, proclaiming the Lord’s Resurrection. During the Mass the Easter water is blessed, new members are brought into the Church through baptism and the faithful are blessed with water and renew their baptismal promises.
Schedule
10am – Tenebrae: The Office of Readings
11:30am – 12:30pm – Sacrament of Confessions (3 priests hearing confessions)
4:30pm – 5:30pm – Sacrament of Confessions (3 priests hearing confessions)
7:30pm – Easter Vigil – Principal Celebrant: Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP