The Easter Vigil, at the Holy Sepulchre, starts at dawn on Easter Saturday. Before ten a.m., the resurrection of the Lord has already been celebrated, it is time for exchanging wishes, greetings and smiles.
The Christians, in Jerusalem, wake up early this morning. Many are pilgrims and have travelled from far away; they throng the streets of the Old City even before the sun rises, because the way to the Basilica today is interrupted by many checkpoints which try to guarantee security. After the Vigil of the Latins, the Greek Orthodox will have their own rite – the ceremony of the “Holy Fire” – and the Sepulchre, for everyone, is the destination to rush to.
The “mother of all the vigils” is celebrated on the place of the Anastasis, the announcement of the Resurrection takes place opposite the edicule which leads inside that tomb, on top of that stone which received the body of Jesus, in that sepulchre which on Easter morning was found empty: “Do not be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here. He has risen, as he had said”.
The organ plays, the bells ring and the people sing. It may seem strange to celebrate a vigil in the early hours of the morning a vigil which elsewhere is for the evening of Easter Saturday, to end in the night which leads to Sunday. It is because of the requirements of this place, where rites and times are strictly regulated and on Saturday morning it is already Easter.
The Vigil is presided by the Patriarch, His Beatitude Mons. Fouad Twal. This morning too, as usual, the friars of the Custody of the Holy land accompanied him and introduced him into the basilica in a procession from St. Saviour to the Latin Patriarchate and from there to the Sepulchre. The pilgrims follow them, some can enter with them but unfortunately many remain outside. The celebration starts on the door, when Mons.
Twal blesses the “new fire”. It is the living flame of the glory of God, that He has communicated to man through His Son. The lights of the candles, in the hands of the celebrants and the faithful, twinkle in the semi-darkness of the Sepulchre, whilst the Patriarch reaches the altar to light the Easter candle: “May the light of Christ that rises gloriously illuminate all things.”
The Vigil continues with the long Liturgy of the Word, in which the marvels that the Lord has done for his people, from the six days of the Creation, are meditated on and the account of the Resurrection according to Matthew is proclaimed in front of the door of the Edicule. “He is not here. He has risen, as he had said.” In Jerusalem it is already Easter.
By Serena Picariello Photos by Marie Armelle Beaulieu
The Christians, in Jerusalem, wake up early this morning. Many are pilgrims and have travelled from far away; they throng the streets of the Old City even before the sun rises, because the way to the Basilica today is interrupted by many checkpoints which try to guarantee security. After the Vigil of the Latins, the Greek Orthodox will have their own rite – the ceremony of the “Holy Fire” – and the Sepulchre, for everyone, is the destination to rush to.
The “mother of all the vigils” is celebrated on the place of the Anastasis, the announcement of the Resurrection takes place opposite the edicule which leads inside that tomb, on top of that stone which received the body of Jesus, in that sepulchre which on Easter morning was found empty: “Do not be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here. He has risen, as he had said”.
The organ plays, the bells ring and the people sing. It may seem strange to celebrate a vigil in the early hours of the morning a vigil which elsewhere is for the evening of Easter Saturday, to end in the night which leads to Sunday. It is because of the requirements of this place, where rites and times are strictly regulated and on Saturday morning it is already Easter.
The Vigil is presided by the Patriarch, His Beatitude Mons. Fouad Twal. This morning too, as usual, the friars of the Custody of the Holy land accompanied him and introduced him into the basilica in a procession from St. Saviour to the Latin Patriarchate and from there to the Sepulchre. The pilgrims follow them, some can enter with them but unfortunately many remain outside. The celebration starts on the door, when Mons.
Twal blesses the “new fire”. It is the living flame of the glory of God, that He has communicated to man through His Son. The lights of the candles, in the hands of the celebrants and the faithful, twinkle in the semi-darkness of the Sepulchre, whilst the Patriarch reaches the altar to light the Easter candle: “May the light of Christ that rises gloriously illuminate all things.”
The Vigil continues with the long Liturgy of the Word, in which the marvels that the Lord has done for his people, from the six days of the Creation, are meditated on and the account of the Resurrection according to Matthew is proclaimed in front of the door of the Edicule. “He is not here. He has risen, as he had said.” In Jerusalem it is already Easter.
By Serena Picariello Photos by Marie Armelle Beaulieu