The foremost event in every Parish Calendar is the

Every Catholic should attend, where possible, this most important and wonderful event of the Church's Year.

The night of Holy Saturday is a night of Vigil for the Lord.

Holy Saturday

The Triduum reaches its high point in the Easter Vigil, celebrated on Holy Saturday night. We proclaim with fire and water and song that Christ is risen. We listen to the Scripture stories of how God has made Himself present to mankind from the time of creation to the resurrection.

The Easter Vigil is begun by lighting a fire to remind us that Jesus is our light in the darkness. We prepare the Paschal Candle and light it from this new fire. This candle is brought into the darkened church as the celebrant sings: "Light of Christ." We answer joyfully: "Thanks be to God!" The tiny candles we hold our hands are in turn lit from the Easter Candle and by the time the procession reaches the sanctuary, the entire church is lit with the new Light of the Risen Lord. Easter begins with the light of Christ extinguishing all darkness.

The Easter Proclamation, or the Exultet, (10Mb Download) is then sung. This ancient prayer recalls God's saving action in our lives. Jesus is the new Paschal lamb whose blood leads us to freedom from sin and death. "This is our Passover feast, when Christ - the True Lamb - is slain, whose blood consecrates the homes of believers… what good what life have been for us, had Christ not come as our Redeemer?" This is the night "when heaven is wedded to earth and man is reconciled with God!"

During the Easter Vigil we also act as witnesses to all those receiving the Easter Sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation, as they complete their full initiation into the Body of Christ, the Church. We, too, renew our baptismal promises and rejoice that the power of sin and death can never overcome those washed in the waters of baptism that flow from Christ. And as the Liturgy continues we together are strengthened with the spiritual food of Christ's body and blood.

The celebration of the Easter Vigil is not just another Mass, surrounded with mystery and ritual. It is very different from the usual way we celebrate the Eucharist. What makes this night different from all other nights? Tonight, Christ is Risen!

The events of the Triduum are events which embody the whole of our Christian life. The signs and symbols, the Scriptures, the special activities - all serve to remind us of who we are in and through Christ and how wonderful is God's care for us. All of this we bring to the Triduum. Because we cannot separate the death of Jesus from his resurrection, the Easter Triduum is a single celebration that lasts for three days. As feet are washed, we remember our call to be servants for one another; we honor the cross as the means of our new life. We remember that life is given us, we break bread together and share the cup of salvation.

And we see the Light of Christ shine brightly within the darkness that will never overpower it.