Posted on 04/15/2006 4:37:51 PM PDT by NYer
Pope Benedict XVI ushered in Easter services late Saturday with a dramatic, candlelit vigil in St. Peter's Basilica, saying Christ's resurrection was "the most crucial leap" in the history of mankind.
The bells of St. Peter's tolled across Rome as midnight approached to herald in Easter, when the faithful celebrate the resurrection of Jesus after his crucifixion on Good Friday.
This year, Easter Sunday also coincides with Benedict's 79th birthday.
At the start of Saturday night's lengthy vigil, Benedict entered the darkened basilica in silence, holding in front of him a single white candle. Its flame was then shared with others until slowly the whole basilica began to twinkle with candles held by the thousands of faithful gathered for the chant-filled service.
During his homily, a tired-looking Benedict said some people wrongly believe that the miracle of Jesus' resurrection did not concern ordinary men.
"If we may borrow the language of the theory of evolution, it is the greatest 'mutation,' absolutely the most crucial leap into a totally new dimension that there has ever been in the long history of life and its development: a leap into a completely new order which does concern us, and concerns the whole of history," he said in response.
Benedict had just a few hours to rest before he celebrates Easter Mass in St. Peter's Square on Sunday.
After the Mass, he will move to the central balcony of the basilica to deliver the traditional "Urbi et Orbi" speech — Latin for "to the city and to the world" — and give a blessing and greetings.
Benedict led a Good Friday Way of the Cross evening procession at Rome's Colosseum in which he denounced "threats" to the institution of the family and lamented the divide between the world's rich and poor.
The busy Holy Week ceremonies were Benedict's first since being elected pope a few weeks after Easter in 2005. After they end, he planned to take a few days rest at the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, in the hills south of Rome.
Last year, the ailing John Paul was forced to sit out Easter ceremonies for the first time in his papacy, which began in 1978. John Paul tried to speak but failed from his window overlooking the square on Easter, 2005. In one of his last public gestures, he blessed the faithful with his hand but was unable to utter a word.
Nuns hold candles as pope Pope Benedict XVI arrives to celebrate the Easter vigil mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican.(AFP/Alberto Pizzoli)
Pope Benedict XVI lights a candle as he leads the celebration of the Easter Vigil service at Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican April 16, 2006. REUTERS/Danilo Schiavella/Pool
This was beautiful. I watched the whole thing and I was completely impressed from start to finish. No theatrics, just the Easter liturgy (including the entire Exsultet). The Pope's sermon was excellent, a real connection between baptism and the Resurrection. There was nothing vague or gnostic or New Agey about it. It was precise and real.
Felices Pascuas a todos, by the way!
This was a Midnight Mass! That's how I recall it as a child. How many parishes still celebrate the Vigil at Midnight? My daughter and I will be attending Midnight Mass at St. Ann's this evening. He is Risen! Truly Risen!
The newly baptized neophytes were given white 'garments' to wear - the women wore white veils while the men wore white shawls.
Did you notice that the entire Mass was in Latin, with the exception of the announcements? Even the choir sang some of those beautiful Latin hymns I have not heard since childhood. Just awesome!
Yes, I did notice that. We shall see ... supposedly there is a letter soon to be released (dated Holy Thursday) in connection with the liturgy that might result in some changes. But in any case I thought tonight's Latin was definitely significant!
**At the start of Saturday night's lengthy vigil, Benedict entered the darkened basilica in silence, holding in front of him a single white candle. Its flame was then shared with others until slowly the whole basilica began to twinkle with candles held by the thousands of faithful gathered for the chant-filled service.**
This I would like to see someday! (At the Basilica of St. Peter, that is!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, after I saw the broadcast, I thought to myself that I'd like to be there some Easter, too! I have only seen St. Peter's once, a few years ago when I was there at the Feast of Sts Peter and Paul (JPII presided, although he was very frail even then). It was stunning and it's hard to get an idea of how huge and imposing and beautiful it is from the TV shots. Being there for Easter must be really overwhelming, especially now with these beautiful liturgies. Happy Easter, in any case, and I hope your parish does itself proud!
Al Masiah Qaam! Haqqan Qaam!
May this Holy Week be for you all that it was for me. I was most privileged to attend the 'Signing of the Chalice' liturgy on Friday morning. Just awesome!
Watching the Easter Vigil now (tape-delayed so it happens at 12:00 am local time)
At age 6 I begged my family to take me to the Vigil Mass at Midnight. To this day I can still recall the aroma of incense and watching it waft upwards as the entire congregation responded to the chanted Litany of the Saints with the words - 'Ora pro nobis'.
Many of the Eastern Catholic Churches retain this tradition. At our Maronite Catholic Church, last night's liturgy included opening the tomb, adoration of the Crucifix, and procession of the triumphal Cross. Afterwards, we all gathered for refreshments, beautifully arrayed, sharing lots of hugs, kisses and Easter wishes. As a community, we had journeyed together throughout Lent and it was now time to celebrate the Resurrection of our Crucified Lord. We didn't arrive home until 2am.
Our associate pastor chanted the Exsultet beautifully last night. Very simple. We even managed to remember how to chant the responses. Musically, it was the best thing we did last night.
Ps. 140:2: "Let my prayer be set before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice."
Do you mean you were there, or you watched it via television? If the latter, may I ask what station? EWTN? Thanks and Happy Easter.
It's a gorgeous prayer. I changed to the Byzantine rite decades ago because I couldn't stand what had been done to the Latin Rite, and attended various Orthodox churches for years because in many cases there was not a Byzantine rite parish near me. Now I attend Latin Rite services because, as usual, there is no Byzantine Rite parish near me.
But, getting back to the prayer, this is part of the Eastern vespers service and is stunning. Sing it in the evening or at night with the light setting through the windows and you will be completely wiped out by it.
This year, I read more about the Exsultet and found that the evening sacrifice was offered about the time of Christ's death and was a sacrifice of light (flame) and oil (a lamp), and that the Exsultet was an enormously important part of Christian liturgy in early times. The ceremony where the flame is lit is still called the Lucerniam, the time when the lights are lit, and this was what the evening sacrifice was called in the first days of the Church.
Let me guess ...
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!
The chant you refer to is used during Presanctified Liturgies on Wednesday nights during Great Lent:
"Deacon: Bless, Master, the incense.
Priest: + We offer You incense, O Christ our God, for a perfume of spiritual fragrance. Receive it upon Your heavenly Altar, and send down upon us in turn the grace of Your all-Holy Spirit.
Deacon: Amen.
Lord, I Call
Psalm 140 (141):1-2
People: Lord, I call upon You, hear me.
Hear me, O Lord.
Lord, I call upon You, hear me.
Receive the voice of my prayer, when I call upon You.
Hear me, O Lord.
The Deacon then censes the Priest two times and begins the Great Censing.
Let my prayer arise,
in Your sight as incense,
and let the lifting up of my hands
be an evening sacrifice.
Hear me, O Lord.
10. Bring my soul out of prison
that I may confess Your name,
9. The righteous are waiting for me
until You reward me.
8. Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;
O Lord, hear my voice.
7. Let Your ears be attentive
to the cry of my prayer.
6. If You, O Lord, should take note of our sins,
O Lord, who would survive?
But with You there is forgiveness.
5. For Your name’s sake, O Lord, I wait for You,
my soul waits for Your word,
my soul hopes for the Lord,
4. from the morning watch until night.
From the morning watch
let Israel hope for the Lord.
3. For with the Lord there is mercy
and with Him there is great redemption.
And He will redeem Israel
from all his sins.
2. Praise the Lord, all you nations,
praise Him, all you peoples!
1. For great is His mercy to us,
and the truth of the Lord continues forever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, ...now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
"Al Masiah Qaam! Haqqan Qaam!
Let me guess ...
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!"
Bravo, C!
Remembering singing "Let my prayer arise" (we sang it in English) has just brought tears to my eyes! And has renewed my fervent prayers for unity, so I can go back to singing it...
Well this one will get you...the 9th Ode from the Irmos of the Great Canon of Pascha:
"Shine, shine, O New Jerusalem, for the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. Dance now and be glad, O Sion, and you too rejoice, pure Mother of God, at the arising of him to whom you gave birth."
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