Easter Vigil has a special place in my heart and soul, even though it isn’t very common in this area. All of the Holy Week services are special, and yet this one – carefully moving from death to new life – makes all of the emotions of the week feel even more real. The joy of salvation at the end of the service is palpable.
When I was in high school, my home congregation had a different type of vigil. We took turns praying in the sanctuary throughout the night, from our Saturday night service until the Easter sunrise service. My dad and I would go together in the early morning. In our usual pew, we would discuss scripture and faith. We had deep conversations about how Jesus’ death and resurrection has changed our lives. By the time our praying time slot ended, families were arriving to start making breakfast. There was a quiet hum of energy buzzing through the air.
When I was at Gettysburg Seminary, I had the honor of serving as sacristan for two years, which meant I had a role in creating the Easter Vigil services. The Dean of the Chapel gave me an entire page of notes detailing what items to set out and where. Setting up the spaces for worship was its own form of quiet, anticipatory energy. I loved how the service was designed to be a sensory experience and a journey.
Worship began outside the sanctuary at a firepit. The assisting minister held the brand-new wax paschal candle while the presiding minister started the liturgy and lit the fire. The minister had incense nails that he gently pressed into the candle while reciting the ritual. He lit the fire in the firepit and lit the candle from that fire.
Then, we processed across the street to the refectory while we chanted, “The light of Christ! Thanks be to God!” In the gentle dimness as we gathered in seats near the fireplace, the paschal candle was set in its stand. When the minister made the Easter proclamation, we proclaimed, “This is the night!” Then, we retold the beloved stories of faith. Through these stories and their accompanying prayers, we remembered how God has been present with God’s people throughout history. We took our time hearing so many beloved stories.
After celebrating the arc of God’s presence throughout the Hebrew Testament, it was time to move to the next location. So, with the paschal candle going ahead of us, we chanted, “The light of Christ! Thanks be to God!” We processed across the street again to the chapel steps. The baptismal font and some evergreen branches were there waiting for us. There, we professed our faith and affirmed our baptism. The ministers splashed us with baptismal waters. We lit individual candles off the paschal candle. Finally, it was time to enter the sanctuary.
The sanctuary still looked as empty and dark as it was when we left on Good Friday. Again, we chanted while we processed down the center aisle and took our pews. Once everyone was in place, the presiding minister proclaimed from the chancel steps, “Christ is risen! Alleluia!” Of course, we responded, “He is risen indeed. Alleluia!” We had a variety of bells and noise makers in the pews. So, in that moment and every following time we sang or said, “Alleluia!” we made a lot of noise.
Then, the organ boomed with the hymn of praise, and it was time to bring the church to life! The presiding minister put on a gaudy gold and red sequined chasuble, and he even had glittery gold shoes. The other sacristan, I, and a few other volunteers threw on the lights and brought out all the items that we had put away during the stripping of the altar on Maundy Thursday. We brought out the paraments, banners, missal stand, processional cross, additional candles, and so much more. Now, the altar was set for communion.
Then, finally, we heard the good news of the resurrection and listened to the sermon. Worship continued with communion. By the time we said, “Go in peace. Christ is risen. Alleluia!” we really could feel that Jesus was alive and that the world was better for it.
So, throughout the service, we worshiped in four different locations. We experienced the service through all of our senses – the scent of the fire, the light of the candles, the touch of the water, the sound of the bells, and the taste of the bread and wine. Going from the quiet hum of the stories of faith to the loud, boisterous celebration of the resurrection was quite a journey in just two short hours. Jesus is clearly alive among us, and our lives are changed forever because of it. Christ is risen! Alleluia!
