| 14 Saturday | |
| | violet | HOLY SATURDAY | | | The Paschal Fast is observed if possible. [CR 20] Celebration of the Mass and the sacraments is strictly prohibited, except for Penance and Anointing of the Sick. Communion may be given only as viaticum. | | | Hours of the day. The Office of Readings and Morning Prayer in public is recommended.
Night Prayer is celebrated only by those not present at the Vigil. | | | | Preparation for the Vigil includes: preparation of the bonfire; candles for all the faithful present; water for the liturgy of Baptism; flowers and decorations for the altar. | | | |
| white | The Easter Vigil. | | | The celebration should truly have the character of a Vigil. It must take place at night. It should not begin before nightfall and should end before dawn. To start earlier (e.g. at the customary time for a Sunday vigil Mass) is a "reprehensible abuse". [PS 78]
The Vigil has four parts:
I. Service of Light : Bonfire, Procession with Candle, Exsultet.
II. Liturgy of the Word : Readings, psalms, prayers, Gloria, homily.
III. Liturgy of Baptism : Litany, Blessing of Water, Baptism and/or Confirmation,
Renewal of Promises, Prayer of the Faithful.
IV. Liturgy of the Eucharist : Preface of Easter I ("on this night"), special
Communicantes and Hanc igitur; double alleluia at dismissal.
This liturgical order must not be changed by anyone on his own initiative. [PS 81]
| | | Wherever possible, all the readings should be read so that the character of the Easter Vigil, which demands that it be somewhat prolonged, be respected at all costs. Where pastoral conditions require that the number of readings be reduced, there should be at least three readings from the Old Testament, taken from the law and the prophets; and the reading from Exodus (ch. 14) with its canticle, must never be omitted. | | | The Readings [41]: | |
- Gen 1:1-2:2 or 1:1, 26-31a with Ps 104:1-2, 5-6, 10+12, 13-14, 24+35 or Ps 33:4-5, 6-7, 12-13, 20-22
- Gen 22:1-18 or 22:1-2, 9a,10-13, 15-18 with Ps 16:5+8, 9-10, 11
- Exod 14:15-15:1 with Exod 15:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 17-18 This reading and psalm are obligatory.
- Isa 54:5-14 with Ps 30:2+4, 5-6, 11-12a+13b
- Isa 55:1-11 with Isa 12:2-3, 4, 5-6
- Bar 3:9-15, 32-4:4 with Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11
- Ezek 36:16-17a, 18-28 with Ps 42:3, 5; 43:3, 4 (when baptisms occur) or (when no baptisms) Isa 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6 or Ps 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19
- Epistle: Rom 6:3-11
- Alleluia Psalm: Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23
- Gospel: Mark 16:1-7
| | | Bells are to be rung during the Gloria, and the altar candles lit. |
| The celebrant -- or, in case of necessity, a cantor -- intones the triple alleluia before the Gospel. The gospel is honored with incense, but candles are not carried.
For the texts of the rites of Baptism and Confirmation, see the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.
The dismissal with double alleluia is used tonight and throughout the octave. |
| Anniversary: | 116th anniversary of the death of P. Daniel Meagher (69) d. 1980 at Nairobi, Kenya.  | | Anniversary: | 95th anniversary of the death of P. Raymond Lawler (HIB) (80) d. 2001 at Clongowes, Ireland. | | Anniversary: | 93rd anniversary of the death of P. Gregory Croft (83) d. 2003 at Harare, Zimbabwe. | | Birthday: | 160th birthday of P. Peter HENRIOT (born this day in 1936). | | Birthday: | 123rd birthday of P. Afonso Inácio MUCANE (born this day in 1973). |
On this day in our Jesuit history...
| | 1618 | St. John Berchman's father is ordained a priest; John himself was still a Novice. | | 1792 | The death of Maximilian Hell at Vienna. He was an astronomer who directed the royal observatory for 36 years. | | 1931 | Professed House in Madrid is set on fire, including the relics of St.Francis Borgia. Persecution against the Society. | | 1984 | Joseph E. O'Neill, S.J. dies. For 20 years, he edited Thought magazine. | | 1989 | Dominic Pandolfo, S.J. dies Brother, doorkeeper at St. Andrew-on-Hudson novitiate for many years. | | 1992 | The death of Marshall Moran, S.J., aged 85. He was the first Catholic priest allowed into Nepal in modern times. He founded St. Xavier School for Boys. | | 2015 | Death of Cardinal Roberto Tucci, age 93. Communications expert, With Vatican Radio, etc. | | | | |
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