Et erit Jonas in ventre ceti
Consurgens, apprehendit ambas
tribus diebus & trib. noc. Mt. 12
portæ fores cum postibus. Jud.16
The Paschal Vigil of the Resurrection
of Our Lord Jesus Christ
MUSIC PROGRAM
The holiest night of the year begins with the blessing of the new Easter fire, the
lighting of the Paschal candle, and the solemn Paschal proclamation, the Exsultet,
in which the Resurrection of the Lord is declared. It is the Feast of Feasts, the Holiest
of Holies, a night of sacred joy and anticipation in which we await the hour of
Resurrection. By the holy light of Easter fire, we meditate on salvation history and
the love of God for His people through all of time, listening to lessons and canticles
from the Old Testament. Please refer to a hand missal, or the Sacred Triduum
booklets in the vestibule of the church, for the full texts.
Finally, the entire heavenly court is invoked with the Litany of the Saints, as we
prepare, by the solemn blessing of Easter water, to receive new Christians into the
Church through the regeneration of Baptism. The holy water is brought to the font,
where the Sacrament is to take place.
Sicut cervus / Sitivit anima mea
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c.1525–1594)
Psalm 41:2–4; please refer to a Missal to to the Sacred Triduum booklet for the text.
If there are catechumens to be baptized into the Church at this time, or
candidates to be confirmed, those Sacraments are administered now. Otherwise, the
faithful proceed to solemnly renew the promises they made at their baptism: to
renounce the devil and his works, and to commit to living a life of faith in God and
in His holy Church.
The Litanies are resumed as the sacred ministers prepare for the Mass of the
Resurrection. The most sacred hour is upon us, when the glorious light of Christ
rising from the dead shall dispel all the darkness of death, and all our mourning
shall be changed to joy. When all is ready, the cantors solemnly intone the Kyrie,
which begins the Mass.
THE MASS OF THE RESURRECTION
Kyrie VI ad libitum (Te Christe Rex supplices)
Gloria, from Mass I (Lux et origo) — Tempore paschali
Offertory Motet: Surrexit Christus hodie
Erhard Bodenschatz (1576–1636)
Easter carol, Bohemia, 14th c.
Surrexit Christus hodie, alleluia!
Humano pro solamine, alleluia!
In hoc paschali gaudio, alleluia!
BENEDICAMUS DOMINO, alleluia!
Mortem qui passus pridie, alleluia!
Miserrimo pro homine, alleluia!
Laudetur Sancta Trinitas, alleluia!
DEO dicamus GRATIAS, alleluia!
Christ is risen today, alleluia!
For the comfort of the human race,
alleluia!
In this Easter joy, alleluia!
Let us bless the Lord, alleluia!
The death that He suffered yesterday,
alleluia! Was for the sake of man most
wretched, alleluia!
Praised be the Holy Trinity, alleluia!
Let us say, Thanks be to God, alleluia!
2nd Offertory Motet: Regina cæli
Lodovico Grossi da Viadana (c.1560–1627)
Marian Antiphon for Paschaltide
Regina cæli, lætare, alleluia!
Quia quem meruisti portare,
alleluia!
Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia!
Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia!
O Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia!
For He Whom thou didst merit to bear,
alleluia!
Hath risen as He said, alleluia!
O pray to God for us, alleluia!
Sanctus, from Mass I (Lux et origo) — Tempore paschali
Communion Motet: Dum transisset Sabbatum
John Taverner (c.1490–1545)
cf. 2nd Responsory of Matins for Easter Sunday (pre-1955); Mark 16:1–2
Dum transisset Sabbatum, Maria
Magdalene, et Maria Jacobi, et Salome emerunt aromata: † ut venientes
ungerent Jesum. * Alleluia, alleluia.
Et valde mane una Sabbatorum,
veniunt ad monumentum, orto jam
sole. † Ut venientes ungerent Jesum.
* Alleluia, alleluia.
Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui
Sancto. * Alleluia, alleluia.
When the Sabbath was over, Mary
Magdalene, Mary the mother of James,
and Salome had bought sweet spices,
that they might come and anoint Jesus.
Alleluia, alleluia.
And very early in the morning on the
first day of the week, they came unto
the sepulchre at the rising of the sun,
that they might come and anoing Jesus.
Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory be to the Father, and to the
Son, and to the Holy Ghost. Alleluia,
alleluia.
For Lauds of Easter Sunday, please refer to a Missal or to the Triduum booklet.
Recessional Hymn: THE STRIFE IS O’ER
Text: Finita jam sunt prœlia, 12th c. Latin carol; transl. by Francis Pott, 1861, alt.
Tune: VICTORY, based on Magnificat IIIi toni¸ Palestrina, 1561; ad. by W. H. Monk, 1861
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
1. The strife is o’er, the battle done!
Now is the Victor’s triumph won;
O, let the song of praise be sung: Alleluia!
2. The pow’rs of death have done their worst,
But Christ their legions hath dispersed;
Let shouts of holy joy outburst: Alleluia!
3. On the third morn He rose again,
Glorious in majesty to reign;
O let us swell the joyful strain: Alleluia!
4. He closed the yawning gates of hell;
The bars from heav’n’s high portals fell;
Let hymns of praise His triumph tell: Alleluia!
5. Lord, by the stripes which wounded Thee,
From death’s dread sting Thy servants free,
That we may live, and sing to Thee: Alleluia!
Choral Postlude: Christus resurgens a5
Peter Philips (1561–1628)
Ancient responsory for Easter Sunday; cf. Romans 6:9–10; 4:25
Christus resurgens ex mortuis
jam non moritur, mors illi ultra non
dominabitur. Quod enim mortuus est
peccato, mortuus est semel: quod
autem vivit, vivit Deo. Mortuus est
semel propter delicta nostra, et
resurrexit propter justificationem
nostram. Quod autem vivit Deo.
Alleluia, alleluia.
Christ, rising from the dead, now
dieth no more; death shall no longer
have dominion over Him. For inasmuch
as He died to sin, He died but once; but
in that He now liveth, He liveth unto
God. Truly He died for our offenses; but
He hath risen from the dead for our
justification. And insofar as He now
liveth, He liveth unto God. Alleluia,
alleluia. -