Sat, 4/19/25:
Today is Holy Saturday under the 1954 (double of the I class) and 1962 (I class) rubrics.
Office: The Office is recited in the same manner as for the rest of the Triduum. The liturgical color for the Office is violet. Under 1954, Matins and Lauds of Holy Saturday were sung in choir last night at the Tenebrae service; under the 1962 rubrics, Tenebrae must be sung on the morning of Holy Saturday, as Lauds may no longer be anticipated. Matins of 3 nocturns begun with the first antiphon. Omit Gloria Patri, absolutions, benedictions, and Tu autem. Omit Te Deum. At Lauds, psalms of the feria (schema II) with proper antiphons. Omit chapter, hymn, etc. Antiphon Christie factus. Pater Noster said silently. Collect (without Oremus), with conclusion said in silence. At all hours, the hymns, chapters, preces, and suffrages are omitted, a living relic of the earliest form of the Office. No fourth psalm is added at Prime under 1954. Commemorations are not permitted in the Office or at Mass throughout the Triduum.
Vespers: Under 1954, Vespers is I Vespers of Easter Sunday; in private recitation, it is textually the same as the short version sung at the Vigil (see below). Under 1954, Compline of Sunday with all normal practices (since it is festal).
Under 1962, since the vigil service has been moved to night, Vespers is of Saturday and recited as on the past two days with some alternate antiphons and collect. As mentioned above, this leaves Easter as the only I class feast without I Vespers. Compline is recited as on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday under 1962 (before the vigil begins). Since the 1962 vigil concludes with a short form of Lauds, those bound to the Office are not required to recite Matins and Lauds of Easter if present at the vigil.
Vigil: Under 1954, after None has been recited in choir in the morning, the altar is decorated with flowers and the candles prepared for the vigil Mass. When the altar has been prepared, the celebrant, vested in violet cope, with deacon and subdeacon, vested in folded violet chasubles, gather outside the church. A fire is struck from flint. After thrice blessing the fire, the priest blesses the grains of incense that will be inserted in the paschal candle. The deacon changes into white dalmatic and holds the triple candlestick (unique in the Roman rite to this ceremony). All enter the church in procession. One of the candles is then lit from the fire.
The deacon thrice chants Lumen Christi. All respond Deo gratias. Each time, another candle on the candlestick is lit. Upon reaching the altar, the deacon receives the blessing and goes to the Gospel side, near the paschal candle. He then chants the Exsultet. When he reaches the text curvat imperia, he stops and places the grains on incense into the paschal candle. After ignis ascendit, he lights the paschal candle from the triple candlestick. All the lights in the church are now lit.
After the chant, the deacon goes to the sedilia and changes into his folded chasuble once more; the celebrant removes his cope and puts on violet chasuble. All three ministers wear maniples. Twelve prophecies are now chanted, each followed by Flecatmus/Levate and a collect; some are also followed by a Tract. When the last prophecy has been chanted, the clerics process to the baptismal font while the choir chants Sicut cervus (As the hart panteth) from Psalm 41. The waters of the font are now blessed in an elaborate ritual including a Preface, the dividing of the waters to the four corners of the earth, and the addition of blessed oil and chrism. If there are catechumens to be baptized, the rite found in the Rituale Romanum is used to baptize them. All then process to the sanctuary.
The celebrant and ministers remove their vestments and, clad only in alb and stole, prostrate themselves before the altar. The choir chants the Litany of the Saints, repeating each line. In the middle of the Litany, they rise and go to the sacristy. They vest in white for the Mass while the altar is prepared; any flowers and decorations not placed before the Vigil are arranged now by the servers. There is no Introit; the Kyrie is sung while the prayers at the foot of the altar are said.
After incensing the altar and quietly saying the Kyrie, the priest intones the Gloria. At this time, the organ is finally played in full once more. While the Gloria is sung, all images covered in violet cloths in the church are unveiled. After the Epistle, the priest chants Alleluia, not said or sung since I Vespers of Septuagesima, thrice, each time in a higher tone, repeated by the choir. A Gradual and Tract precede the Gospel. The Credo is not sung; there is no Offertory chant.
Mass continues as usual. Preface of Easter (in hac potissimum nocte). Proper Communicantes and Hanc Igitur for Easter in the Canon. In place of the Communion chant, a short form of Vespers is chanted. At the dismissal, the deacon adds a double Alleluia to Ite. All respond Deo Gratias, alleluia, alleluia. This form continues throughout the Easter octave. Mass concludes as usual; the Last Gospel is said.
(In churches where a sufficient number of clergy are not available to perform the rites of the vigil as described in the Missal, the simplified form as found in the Memoriale rituum is followed.) (Source LB236 on Twitter/X.)
℣. The Lord be with you.
℟. And with thy spirit.Let us pray.
O God, Who hast bestowed on the faithful the fire of Thy brightness by Thy Son, Who is the Corner-stone, hallow ✠ this new fire produced from a flint that it may be profitable to us: and grant that during this Paschal festival we may be so inflamed with heavenly desires, that with pure minds we may come to the solemnity of perpetual light. Through the same Christ our Lord.
℟. Amen.
O Lord God, almighty Father, never-failing Light, Who art the Creator of all lights, bless this light that is blessed ✠ and sanctified by Thee, Who hast enlightened the whole world: that we may be inflamed with that light and englithened by the fire of Thy brightness: and as Thou didst give light to Moses when he went out of Egypt, so nlighten our hearts and senses, that we may be found worthy to arrive at light and life everlasting. Through Christ our Lord.
℟. Amen.
O holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God: vouchsafe to co-operate with us, who bless this fire in Thy Name, and in that of Thine only-begotten Son Jesus Christ our Lord and God, and of the Holy Ghost: help us against the fiery darts of the enemy, and illumine us with Thy heavenly grace. Who livest and reignest with the same Thine only-begotten Son and the Holy Ghost, one God, for ever and ever.
℟. Amen.
Matt 28:1-7
And in the end of the Sabbath, when it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalen and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And behold there was a great earthquake. For an Angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and coming, rolled back the stone and sat upon it: and his countenance was as lightening and his raiment as snow. And for fear of him the guards were struck with terror and became as dead men. And the Angel answering, said to the women: Fear not you: for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified: He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come and see the place where the Lord was laid. And going quickly, tell ye His disciples that He is risen: and behold He will go before you into Galilee: there you shall see Him. Lo, I have foretold it to you.
℟. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
Pour forth, O Lord, we beseech thee, the Spirit of thy love into our hearts, and by thy mercy make all them to be of one mind to whom Thou hast given to eat of thy mystic Passover.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
℟. Amen.
