| 5 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: | 119th anniversary of the death of F. Thomas Morley (44) d. 1923 at Kutama, S. Rhodesia.  | | Anniversary: | 92nd anniversary of the death of F. Stephen Buran (49) d. 1950 at Kabwe, N. Rhodesia. | | Anniversary: | 59th anniversary of the death of P. Bernard Latchford (77) d. 1983 at London, England. | | Anniversary: | 30th anniversary of the death of P. Bernard Parkin (90) d. 2012 at London, England. | | Birthday: | 61st birthday of P. Edson HAMBAYI (born this day in 1981). |
On this day in our Jesuit history...
| | 1635 | Louis Lallemant, S.J. dies influential writer and spiritual teacher. 1737. Pope Clement XII adds Regis to the list of saints. | | 1737 | The canonization of St. John Francis Regis by Pope Clement XII. | | 1850 | The first edition of Jesuit newspaper, Civilta Cattolica appears 1904. George Pettit, S.J. is appointed novice director of the New York-Maryland Province, and serves until 1917. | | 1945 | Augustin Merk, S.J. dies New Testament editor. N.T. Graece et Latine. He was also confessor to Pius XII. | | 1990 | Virgil Blum, S.J. dies age 77. Strong advocate of government aid to education. | | | | |
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