| 23 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: Matt 28:1-10
| | | 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: | 157th anniversary of the death of P. Philip Stapleton (64) d. 1938 at Harrismith, RSA.  | | Anniversary: | 110th anniversary of the death of P. Franciszek Kovanda (65) d. 1985 at Montreal, Canada. | | Birthday: | 104th birthday of S. Tsepo MOSITO (born this day in 1991). |
On this day in our Jesuit history...
| | 1527 | Ignatius was imprisoned for the first time, in Alcala, Spain, where he was studying and conversing with people on spiritual topics. | | 1541 | In St. Paul's Basilica, Rome, the solemn Profession of St. Ignatius and his first companions: Ignatius, Lainez, Salmeron, Codure, Broet, Jay. | | 1548 | At Naples died William Elphinston, a scholastic novice and scion of the royal house of Scotland, his mother being a Stuart. | | 1565 | In Peru Fr. Gaspar de Azevedos died while serving the poor. Reputedly he spent six hours every day in prayer, kneeling without support. | | 1579 | At Rome, the appointment of Fr. Alphonsus Agazzari, the first Jesuit rector of the English College which had been founded by Pope Gregory XIII. | | 1637 | Henry Morse pronounces his final vows in prison. Later he is freed, but then re-arrested, and martyred. | | 1878 | The first phone line in the Philippines is established between the Ateneo and the Normal School in Manila. | | 1888 | Daniel Lord, S.J. is born. | | 1956 | Miguel Selga dies in Manila. He was a famed scientist and the first director of the Manila Observatory. | | 1973 | Fr. Arrupe makes the cover of Time magazine., with a feature story on the Jesuits. | | 1982 | Michael Walsh, S.J. dies New England Province, educator. He had been President of Boston College and of Fordham. | | 2001 | The death of Paul Beauchamp, French biblical, Old Testament scholar. | | | | |
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