The Easter Vigil represents for Catholics the central axis in the Christian faith, the resurrection of Jesus who has conquered death. For this reason, the Catholic community gathered on Saturday night at 9:00 p.m.
This celebration is the most important in the Christian liturgical calendar, because it marks the end of Lent and the beginning of Easter. For most Christians it represents that death is not the end, but that life continues after it. The resurrection of Jesus is proof that life is stronger than death and that God gives us hope for eternal life.
The Easter Vigil is a ceremony full of symbolism and traditions, the first of which is the blessing of the fire from which the 'Easter Candle' is lit, and which represents the light of the risen Christ, continuing with the Liturgy of the Word, reviewing several biblical passages framed in the Old and New Testaments, readings to which the corresponding psalms are also added. And it ends with the proclamation of the Holy Gospel, continuing with the 'Baptismal Liturgy', a special rite for this night in which the 'Litany of the Saints' is sung.
On this night of 'Easter Vigil', baptism is renewed with the sprinkling of holy water on the entire assembly, thus renewing their baptismal promises, taking the light of the 'Easter Candle' again, as their godparents did on their baptism day. The songs were enlivened by the 'Parish Choir'.
Finally, the altar is prepared to celebrate the central part of the night, the 'Eucharistic Liturgy', with bread and wine, a solemn moment where the celebrating priest Juan Carlos Medina carries out the consecration that will be distributed among the faithful.
The day ends with the Eucharist with the 'Solemn Blessing', thus officially concluding the 'Easter Triduum', corresponding to this Holy Week 2024.
