It is six a.m. today, Saturday 22nd March 2008. The streets in the Old City are almost empty. Only a few pilgrims are making their way towards the Holy Sepulchre like so many myrrhbearers. They are going to the Tomb of Christ.
They had left the day before, whilst the doors were closed, after the celebration of the funeral. But, like the women bearing myrrh, they now find the doors of the Tomb open and with the Franciscans of the Custody of the Holy Land and the seminarians of the Patriarchate they will experience the Easter Vigil which announces the Resurrection of Christ.
The liturgy of the Holy Sepulchre does not have the profound silence of Holy Saturday. The time of the celebration is an inheritance of the liturgy of St. Pius V, who wanted all the celebrations to be over by 1.00 p.m. It was Pope Pius XII who in 1951 authorized the Pascal Vigil and made it compulsory in 1955; but in the meantime the Status Quo, which governs the Holy Places, had paralysed the times in Jerusalem. In advance of the Universal City, the Holy City is ready to recognize that Christ has truly risen before the empty Tomb.
Preceded by the Kawas, Mons. Fouad Twal, coadjutor bishop of His Beatitude Mons. Sabbah, presides the celebration. This begins at the doors of the church, with the ceremony of the new fire. Then it takes place like all the Easter Vigils in all the parishes of the world. After the liturgy of the light, there comes that of the Word, which is like a vast fresco of all sacred history, from the origins to the Easter of the Lord. Seated or standing, all the faithful listen carefully.
The Holy Sepulchre is so silent, that at the sides of the Edicule everybody can follow the rite. As the readings are in Latin, there are also many pilgrims plunged in the booklet of the celebration, that allows them to take part, if not in their own language, at least in a language of which they have a little command. After reading the Book of Ezekiel, the time of silence is concluded, when at the organ Friar Armando Pierucci seems to bring to life, with his notes, the very second of the Resurrection. Everybody then intones a vibrant Gloria, whilst the bells ring.
The Liturgy of Easter continues; before the Hallelujah the deacon has come before Mons. Twal, before the liturgy of water, the sign of life, starts. All the faithful now renew their profession of faith.
The Eucharistic liturgy and the mission after Holy Communion end the celebration. It has lasted about three hours. The joy of the faithful as they leave contrasts with the apparent indifference of the city.
It will not be exactly the same thing this evening, when the faithful of the Latin parish of St. Saviour will disperse in the streets. They will take some time to go their separate ways. And during the week, every time they meet in the street, they will wish each other Happy Easter.
The celebration will continue in Jerusalem beyond the time of Easter, because this year the Orthodox will be celebrating Easter in five weeks’ time. A sign, like many others, to recall that, for 2000 years, the Easter of Christ has been eternal.
Mab
They had left the day before, whilst the doors were closed, after the celebration of the funeral. But, like the women bearing myrrh, they now find the doors of the Tomb open and with the Franciscans of the Custody of the Holy Land and the seminarians of the Patriarchate they will experience the Easter Vigil which announces the Resurrection of Christ.
The liturgy of the Holy Sepulchre does not have the profound silence of Holy Saturday. The time of the celebration is an inheritance of the liturgy of St. Pius V, who wanted all the celebrations to be over by 1.00 p.m. It was Pope Pius XII who in 1951 authorized the Pascal Vigil and made it compulsory in 1955; but in the meantime the Status Quo, which governs the Holy Places, had paralysed the times in Jerusalem. In advance of the Universal City, the Holy City is ready to recognize that Christ has truly risen before the empty Tomb.
Preceded by the Kawas, Mons. Fouad Twal, coadjutor bishop of His Beatitude Mons. Sabbah, presides the celebration. This begins at the doors of the church, with the ceremony of the new fire. Then it takes place like all the Easter Vigils in all the parishes of the world. After the liturgy of the light, there comes that of the Word, which is like a vast fresco of all sacred history, from the origins to the Easter of the Lord. Seated or standing, all the faithful listen carefully.
The Holy Sepulchre is so silent, that at the sides of the Edicule everybody can follow the rite. As the readings are in Latin, there are also many pilgrims plunged in the booklet of the celebration, that allows them to take part, if not in their own language, at least in a language of which they have a little command. After reading the Book of Ezekiel, the time of silence is concluded, when at the organ Friar Armando Pierucci seems to bring to life, with his notes, the very second of the Resurrection. Everybody then intones a vibrant Gloria, whilst the bells ring.
The Liturgy of Easter continues; before the Hallelujah the deacon has come before Mons. Twal, before the liturgy of water, the sign of life, starts. All the faithful now renew their profession of faith.
The Eucharistic liturgy and the mission after Holy Communion end the celebration. It has lasted about three hours. The joy of the faithful as they leave contrasts with the apparent indifference of the city.
It will not be exactly the same thing this evening, when the faithful of the Latin parish of St. Saviour will disperse in the streets. They will take some time to go their separate ways. And during the week, every time they meet in the street, they will wish each other Happy Easter.
The celebration will continue in Jerusalem beyond the time of Easter, because this year the Orthodox will be celebrating Easter in five weeks’ time. A sign, like many others, to recall that, for 2000 years, the Easter of Christ has been eternal.
Mab