Time for the Celebration of the Easter Vigil:
March 22, 2008

This year the Easter Vigil will be celebrated after sundown on Saturday, March 22, 2008. Sundown will occur at 7:19 pm. Since nightfall does not happen until approximately forty-five minutes after sundown, the Easter Vigil can begin no earlier than 8:00pm.

The celebration of “the Easter Triduum of the passion and resurrection of Christ is the culmination of the entire liturgical year.” (General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar, 18) During the Easter Vigil, the Church awaits Christ’s resurrection and celebrates it in the sacraments. Accordingly, the entire celebration of this vigil should take place at night, that is, it should either begin after nightfall or end before the dawn of Sunday.” (21) In its 1988 Circular Letter Concerning the Preparation and Celebration of the Easter Feasts, the Congregation for Divine Worship stated:

This rule [concerning the time of the Vigil] is to be taken according to its strictest sense. Reprehensible are those abuses and practices which have crept into many places in violation of this ruling, whereby the Easter Vigil is celebrated at the time of day that it is customary to celebrate anticipated Sunday Masses. (Paschales Solemnitatis, 78)

While this time may seem late or inconvenient to some, it is important to remember that the seasons and times of the liturgical year are to form us; we should not endeavor to conform the Church’s cycle of prayer to our parish schedules or personal desires.

For additional information, please contact Virginia Meagher, Office for Worship, at (209) 466–0636 x637 or vmeagher@stocktondiocese.org.

 Last Update January 7, 2008