The service will be at 8:00pm.
Download the liturgy (including the sermon texts) here.
The Vigil of Easter is celebrated at the end of Holy Saturday as the conclusion to the sacred Triduum (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday). It ushers in the celebration of the Resurrection of Our Lord on Easter Sunday, since in the Jewish mindset Sunday begins on Saturday evening after sunset. The Vigil of Easter connects the days of Holy Week (especially Holy Thursday and Good Friday) with the culminating celebration of the resurrection of Christ from the Dead.
In some places throughout the early centuries of the Church’s life, the people of God would hold vigil (which means “keep watch”) through the night in expectation of Christ’s return. A vigil in expectation of Christ’s return at Easter became a common feature of the celebration of His crucifixion and resurrection. The ancient vigil consisted of prayer, psalms and hymns, and readings, especially from the Old Testament, culminating in the celebration of the resurrection at dawn with the Lord’s Supper.
Traditionally, Easter Vigil was the service in which adult catechumens who had prepared throughout Lent to be joined to Christ were baptized. At the dawn of the new day at Easter sunrise, the newly baptized joined the entire Church in the chorus of alleluias at Christ’s resurrection from the dead and in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.