The Great Vigil of Easter is a service in the Book of Common Prayer that is meant to be the first Easter service of the season. It consists of four distinct sections:
Lighting of the new fire and singing the Exsultet (Easter proclamation)
Vigil of readings, psalms, and prayers
Baptism and/or renewal of baptismal vows
The first Eucharist of Easter
Instead of combining all four parts together and cutting many of the readings like we have done in the past, we will spread the vigil portion “through the hours of the night with large blocks of silence for prayer and meditation. The church through these hours is always keeping vigil, but not everyone is there all the time.” (Bishop Neil Alexander in “Celebrating Liturgical Time,” p. 135)
Time Liturgy/Readings
8:00 p.m. Lighting of the new fire and singing the Exsultet
8:30 p.m. The Vigil begins. Each section contains a Scripture reading, a Psalm, and a spoken prayer, followed by time for silent prayer and meditation.
1st Reading: The story of Creation
9:00 p.m. 2nd Reading: The Flood
9:30 p.m. 3rd Reading: Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac
10:00 p.m. 4th Reading: Israel’s deliverance at the Red Sea
5:00 a.m. 5th Reading: God’s Presence in a renewed Israel
5:30 a.m. 6th Reading: Salvation offered freely to all
6:00 a.m. 7th Reading: A new heart and a new spirit
6:30 a.m. 8th Reading: The valley of dry bones
7:00 a.m. 9th Reading: The gathering of God’s people
7:30 a.m. The Renewal of Baptismal Vows and the First Eucharist of Easter