Easter 2024GREAT VIGIL
MARCH 30 * 6:30 AM begins outside with lighting the new fire EASTER DAY/ FEAST OF THE RESURRECTION MARCH 31 * 10 AM Holy Eucharist with Baptisms EASTER BREAKFAST * 8 AM after the Great Vigil EASTER EGG HUNT * 9:15 AM in the Garden View our 2024 HOLY WEEK schedule here. |
Easter
Easter Day is the Feast of the Resurrection. It is the pinnacle of the Church's year and the apex of its celebration! It is the heart of a Christian faith that recalls the victory of God through Jesus Christ over death itself and God's offer thereafter of eternal life for all. The name (after the Anglo-Saxon goddess of the spring, Oestre), sets the experience of springtime next to the ancient stories of deliverance and the proclamation of the risen Christ.
In western Christendom, Easter Day occurs on the first Sunday after the full moon on or after the vernal equinox (March 21). For western Christendom, therefore, Easter always falls between March 22 and April 25 (inclusive). THE GREAT VIGIL
The Great Vigil is one of the oldest known rites in the Christian tradition, with roots dating to the 2nd century CE. It is packed with mystery and rich with symbolism, bringing worshippers (literally and symbolically) from darkness into light. The service is comprised of four parts:
THE FEAST OF THE RESURRECTION (EASTER DAY) & THE GREAT FIFTY DAYS The Feast of the Resurrection (Easter Day) is, in reality, a continuation of the Great Vigil - a celebration of new life in Christ's victory over death and the profound hope of the empty tomb. On the Feast of the Resurrection (Easter Day), worshippers will note the pronounced use of "Alleluias" (which had gone missing during Lent) and the change to white or gold paraments and vestments. For the next fifty days - "The Great Fifty Days" - the Paschal Candle will remain lit as the church continues its celebration of Resurrection. While Easter Day might be the day, Easter is a season that lasts until and including the Day of Pentecost - a total of fifty days. |