The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1956-03-09


tomsriIy taken with meals. For
those going 10 the Midnight
Mass on Holy Saturday, fast
ing and absfsinins from ell food
and liquids, save water, begins
only at midnight.
AS in previous years the cere-
mony for the Holy Saturday Wig
il begins either outside the
church or in the church vestibule,
where the new fire is lighted by
sparks struck from a flint. From
this fire the charcoals for the
thurible, or censer, are lighted.
The celebrant blesses both the
fire and the lighted Goals with
holy water.
The Paschal candle, with all its
impressive symbols is t h e n
brought before the celebrant to
be blessed. With stylus or knife,
he cuts cross of moderate di.
mensions in the candle. Then he
carves the letter Alpha above
the cross and the letter Omega be-
low the cross. These two letters,
the first and last letters of the
Greek alphabet, symbolic the be.
| ginning and the end of all time
Between the arms of the cross
he caryes the numerals of the
current year. Impressive pray
ers accompany this ceremony.
He next blesses the five wax
nails dipped in grains of incense
and, as each is set in place, the
priest recites: Through his holy
wounds, glorious. may He keep
and save us, Christ the Lord.
! Amen"
AS he lights the Psschal can
die from a taper whose light is
taken from the new fire, he says:
May the light of the gloriously
risen Christ scatter the darkness
of minds and hearts"
The procession then starts into
the unlighted church. Not even
the candles on the plain covered
altar are lighted.
The Paschal candle Is carried
in procession TO the altar either
by the deacon or the celebrant of
the services. Shortly after the
procession has entered the
church, the candle is raised
slightly and "Lumen Christi" -
Light of Christ" - is intoned.
At this time every one in the
church kneels and answers: 'Deo
Gratias Thanks Be TO God"
The celebrant then lights his
own personal candle from the
Paschal candle. The ceremony is
repeated half way down the aisle.
After this pause the clergy and
servers light their candles from
the paschal candle. The ceremony
is repeated again, and the can
dies given earlier to all the faith.
full are lighted as are all the
lights in the church. The 'Lumen
Christi and the response are
sung at each pause. After the
last pause the Paschal candle is
set in its proper stand in the
middle OF the sanctuary. The "Ex-
sultet," or Paschal proclamation,
is now sung.
When this is finished the les
sons are chanted. The former
Holy Saturday liturgy had II
prophecies. The readings are now
reduced TO four. All are taken
from the Old Testament, one each
from the Books of Genesis, Elk.
odus, IsaiaS, and Deuteronomy.
Each reading is followed by a
prayer sung by the celebrant.
The first prophecy relates the
story of creation. The second tells
of the liberation of the children
of Israel from the bondage of the
Egyptians. The third prophecy is
an allegorical statement of the
| joyful coming of Christ TO the
Apostles and the disciples. The
final lesson tells how Moses,
knowing he had not too long 10
live, called the lsraelite people
together and gave them a sol
emn warning about the danger of
unfaithfulness to Gods laws.
Two cantors, or singers. then
sing the Litany of the Saints to
which the faithful respond. The
litany is interrupted Immediately
after the petition; "All We holy
men and women, Saints of God,
intercede for us" Then every.
thing is made ready for the bless.
ing of the water.
The revised 0rdo calls for the
blessing of the baptismal water
TO take place in the sanctuary, 50
that the faithful will be able Ia
observe this ceremony. On two
distinct occasions during this Ger,
emony the celebrant breatheS
three times over the water, the
first occasion in the form of a
cross, and the second in the form
of the Greek letter Psi. Three
times he dips the Paschal candle
into the water and each time he
immerses it a little deeper. Al
he removes il the third time ht
says: "Here may the stains of al
sins be washed away; here ma.
human nature. created in thy i'm
age and reformed to the honor o
its origin, be cleansed from al