Liturgical Music for the Easter Vigil
Much marvelous music is taking place at Easter Vigils. What often gets neglected, however, are the seven responsorial psalms. It seem advisable either 1) to think musically of a suite with movements of carefully calibrated consistency, though not oppressive sameness; or: 2) to think of each psalm or canticle as a very distinct musical event in which the genius of each text is presented in a significantly different way – one that is characteristic of that text. This can be done even if you are reserving your instruments for the Gloria.
If different cantors put their all into their own psalm or canticles. There is an assembly riveted with something like terror as a suave “Keep me safe, O God, You are my hope” was succeeded by a strong female cantor’s warlike singing of the furious Canticle of Moses. The assembly completely joined in the spirit as they responded with a fierce “Let us sing to the Lord in His glorious triumph.” Such singing of texts seemed to put us in the very skins of our ancestors in the faith.
If the accompaniment is wanted for these responsories without stealing the thunder of organ or brass and tympani (or whatever will make your Gloria blaze), why not try a gently strumming Spanish guitar, harp (either orchestral or Celtic), zither, harpscichord, or something else equally out of the ordinary.
Those parts unique to the Vigil should always be sung are:
- the acclamations during the procession with the Paschal Candle (Christ our Light and Thanks be to God)
- the Easter Proclamation or the Exultet
- the Responsorial Alleluia (Psalm 118)
- the Litany of Saints
- Acclamation after the Blessing of Water
PROCESSION
Then the deacon or, if there is no deacon, the priest takes the Easter candle, lifts it high, and sings alone:
Priest: Christ our light.
All: Thanks be to God.
The conference of bishops may determine a richer acclamation.
Salamat po, Poong banal,
sa ilaw na Iyong bigay,
upang kami ay tanglawan.
Si Jesu-Cristo’y nabuhay
Siya’y ating kaliwanagan.
The Sacramentary/Roman Missal notes that another acclamation or another tone than the one given maybe used in the procession. What is needed is an acclamation in this call-and-response format. Because the singing of all is vital to an acclamation, ministers should make every effort to encourage this. Before the second and third acclamations, the procession should stop and the minister with the candle turn to the assembly and raise the candle high, then wait for the movement to cease and some silence. Sometimes the response (Thanks be to God” or other) is best sung first by a cantor, then by everyone.
Then all enter the church, led by the deacon with the Easter candle. If incense is used, the thurifer goes before the deacon.
The procession enters the church (incense first, then candle, acolytes, the assembly, other ministers coming last). The rubrics suggest that the candles of all the people be lighted after the second “Light of Christ” and that all the church lights be turned on after the third “Light of Christ.” It already had been suggested that the church lights not be turned on at all. If the candles of the assembly are to be lighted, then this can happen as people are entering the church, even beginning outside. There is nothing gained from dividing people up into those who light first, second and third. Or: Why light candles at all at this time? This may be the right question. The time for the lighting and holding of candles comes with the baptisms and the renewal of baptismal promises. Here the candles may be useful for finding one’s place in the worship place, but that is all. They have to be extinguished during the whole Liturgy of the Word, then relighted. If the parish holds off on lighting the candles until the baptisms, candles can be distributed later (unless, as mentioned previously, parishioners bring their own new candles for the Vigil).
At the church door the deacon lifts the candle high and sings a second time:
Priest: Christ our light.
All: Thanks be to God.
At the door of the church (or at whatever point is convenient before the procession has moved too far from the fire), the minister the deacon or priests lifts the candle high and sings: “Christ our light.” And all respond “Thanks be to God.” If the one carrying the candle cannot chant these notes well, a cantor could stand beside the candle and sing.
All light their candles from the Easter candle and continue in procession.
When the deacon arrives before the altar, he faces the people and sings a third time:
Priest: Christ our light.
All: Thanks be to God.
Then the lights in the church are put on.
The sequence is repeated three times, then the candle is placed in its holder and the assembly finishes taking places in the worship place.
The “Exultet” or Easter Proclamation is a fourth century hymn attributed to Saint Ambrose of Milan. It is a solemn proclamation or announcement of Christ’s resurrection which took place on this night. This is why the “Exultet” focuses its attention on the night. This night was in fact the exodus, the night of baptism, the night of the resurrection. In other words, the Easter night is a compendium of the chief events in which God has accomplished in us.
The Exultet is a once-a-year song, a treasure of the Church. For most Catholics, it is their one encounter with the form of a Eucharistic Prayer outside the Mass. The Exultet is placed here as climax to the rites of fire and candle that have taken us into these last hours of vigiling. This is a final gathering of forces for the night’s vigil. There is an option for a “short form,” but it is difficult to imagine the circumstances that would lead to this choice: There must be a good singer, else how could the Church be keeping this Vigil in the first place? And with a good singer and a night when everyone there has chosen to come and keep vigil, why lose even a word of the text? The Circular Letter recognizes explicitly that – exactly as in the Eucharistic Prayers at Mass – it may be desirable to insert sung acclamations into the text of the Exultet. Such acclamations must sound like what they are, one whole piece with the Exultet.
The song is true to its name: It exults, even in English, with the nouns and verbs and adjectives that give this night definition: “Rejoice: heavenly powers, earth, Church! This is our Passover feast … This is the night … this is the night … this is the night … O happy fault, O necessary sin … The power of this holy night dispels all evil, washes guilt away, restores lost innocence, brings mourners joy; it casts out hatred, brings us peace, and humble earthly pride. Night truly blesses when heaven is wedded to earth and we are reconciled with God.”
It is a victory song, a wedding song of God and humanity, earth and heaven. It is theology in its purest form, the song the Church longs to sing. From the naming and acclamation of the night’s deed (as in “dispels all evil” and the list that follows) it is clear that the Church understands this night to be sacramental. This texts has many words an sentences hat would well be heard again and be spoken about in the preaching of Easter time.
With the poetic indulgence the Exultet exclaims in words that show the immensity of God’s love when He gave away His Son as well as the inexchangable grace, thanks to Adam’s sin, of having Christ as our Redeemer: “Father, how wonderful Your care for us! How boundless Your merciful love! To ransom a slave You gave away Your Son. O happy fault, o necessary sin of Adam, which gained for us so great a Redeemer!”
For the Exultet, the Sacramentary is placed on the lectern by the Paschal candle, the singer’s arms are free for the usual gesture with the invitation to “Lift up your hearts”.
Minister who proclaims the Exultet
A deacon, a cantor, a concelebrant, or the presider himself sings the text of the Exultet. But first the candle is incensed.
When he comes to the altar, the priest goes to his chair. The deacon places the Easter candle on a stand in the middle of the sanctuary or near the lectern. If incense is used, the priest puts some in the censer, as at the Gospel of the Mass. Then the deacon asks the blessing of the priest, who says in a low voice:
Priest: The Lord be in your heart and on your lips that you may worthily proclaim His Easter praise. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit.
The deacon answers:
Deacon: Amen.
The presider or deacon honors both the Easter Candle and the Sacramentary or scroll of the Exultet with incense, clouds of incense. If there is no deacon who can sing the Exultet worthily, then a singer is chosen who can chant this poem with beauty and great clarity in the words (this is a text no one will follow in a book or leaflet; the words must be audible and clear).
All hold lighted candles for this glorious event.
The Amen of the Exultet:
In a way similar to the Eucharistic Prayer, the Exultet needs a “great Amen” to provide for a fitting conclusion and ratification by the congregation.
Sung Responsorial Psalms
Even though it is possible to replace some of the psalms with reflective silence, seriously consider singing them. One approach is to choose distinctive settings for each of them. It is in the same mode as the proclamation, and it can be embellished with choral harmonies.
Much marvelous music is taking place at Easter Vigils. What often gets neglected, however, is the seven responsorial psalms. It seems advisable either 1) to think musically of a suite with movements of carefully calibrated consistency, though not oppressive sameness; or 2) to think of each psalm or canticle as a very distinct musical event in which the genius of each text is presented in a significantly different way – one that is characteristic of that text. This can be done even if you are reserving your instruments for the Gloria.
Then, also in the usual Sunday pattern, there is psalmody. The psalms are integral to the interpretation of the Liturgy of the Word and ideally should all be sung. If, as would be expected, several cantors and all the parish choirs are present tonight, then the singing will reflect all the various ways the parish is accustomed to singing the psalms. The part of the assembly must be simple, some of them familiar from the psalms sung throughout the year. The Circular Letter is urgent that these be psalms and not other songs or loose paraphrases:
After each reading a psalm is sung, to which the people respond. The melody for the responses should be such that it helps the participation and devotion of the faithful. The greatest care must be taken that trivial songs are not substituted in place of the psalms. # 86
Musicians should choose the responsorial psalms carefully. People should sense their cohesion as if they are a series of movements. Think of the psalms as a suite, as a single multi-movement musical composition with movements of excitement and moments of calm.
Musical accompaniment would normally be minimal.
The 2002 Missale Romanum hopes the presider will sing the traditional Easter Alleluia; raising the pitch each time (Circular Letter Concerning the Preparation and Celebration of the Easter Feasts, 87). But a cantor may lead this chant.
After the epistle all rise, and the priest solemnly intones the Alleluia which is repeated by all present. The cantor sings the psalm and the people answer Alleluia. If necessary, the cantor of the psalm may himself/herself intone the Alleluia.
The reading of the gospel is heralded with the return of the Alleluia. This happens in the once-a-year way of the Triduum. After the silence that follows the epistle reading, the presider stands and the whole assembly stands. Then the Alleluia is sung three times by the cantor and each time repeated by the assembly. Each set is on a little higher tone and the traditional melody – heard only this night – is used. The rubric suggest that this be led by the presider, but only if it can be done well. The one chosen to sing the Exultet might lead the Alleluia. The psalmist or cantor sings the verses of the responsorial psalm, and the people answer, Alleluia. There is no procession to the gospel during this – that come in a moment. For now, it is as if the community can only stand alert and rejoice in the sound of this word not sung since Ash Wednesday.
Saint Augustine of Hippo said this about the treasure that is this word come down to us from the Hebrew:
O blessed Alleluia of heaven! No more anguish, no more adversity. No more enemy. No more love of destruction. Up above, praise to God, and here below, praise to God. Praise mingled with faith here, but without disturbance above. Here we chant in hope, there, in possession; here it is alleluia en route, there it is Alleluia on arriving home.
The Easter Alleluia makes a fabulous reappearance at this liturgy after being suppressed during the whole of Lent, and even in the early part of the Triduum. If the priest sings the traditional Alleluia, he raises the pitch each time (Circular Letter #87).
The singing of Psalm 118 with the Alleluia refrain that will be used throughout Eastertime (and not beyond – though it might be the Alleluia used at funerals) then accompanies the procession of presider (deacon) and acolytes with incense. Normal Sunday practice could be followed, but it would not be out of place for this procession (and the singing of the psalm and Alleluia refrain) to take somewhat longer, perhaps circling through the assembly. A separate Book of the Gospels is not needed and, it can be argued, is a hindrance when we wish to show the importance of all the scripture in our book. The lectionary itself, however, brought to the presider by the lector after the chanted Alleluia, can be carried high by the presider. The significance here is not “getting a book from here to there.” It is celebrating a book, dancing with this book, and especially on this night. The procession then honors not only the gospel but all the scriptures we have heard. After the long time of listening and silence, psalmody and prayer, the Alleluia and this procession come as high climax.
Sprinkling with Holy Water:
A song may accompany the rite. During this time all sing the antiphon “I saw water” or some other song that is baptismal in character. (Missale Romanum, Easter Vigil # 47 & Ceremonial for Bishops # 369). If sprinkling, be sure everyone feels the water. Ministers should walk through the aisles to sprinkle everyone. Branches from evergreen bushes or trees make excellent sprinkling implements. Tie several together to form a generous surface. Tape the stems at the bottom to form a handle and to keep sap off ministers’ hands. Colorful ribbons maybe added. Any assistant carrying the bowl water might accompany each person who sprinkles.
For the sprinkling of the people after the renewal of baptismal vows, there are options, but there is simply nothing better than the anciently used “I saw water” – nothing better, that is, if a little catechesis has been done about Christ’s “temple of this body” that Ezekiel was prophesying. Not only do the words become beloved by the people once they understand the allusions, but they may become very much attached to singing this antiphon.
| Isang Pananampalataya | Koro batay sa Efeso 4:4-6 Rdo. P. Avelino G. Santos | Eduardo P. Hontiveros, SJ | Mga Awiting Pansamba p. 43 |
| Bukal ng Buhay | Salin ng ”Vidi Aquam” Aklat ng Pagmimisa sa Roma | Eduardo P. Hontiveros, SJ | Papuri’t Pasasalamat p. 34 |
| Nakita Ko ang Tubig | Salin ng ”Vidi Aquam” Aklat ng Pagmimisa sa Roma | Eduardo P. Hontiveros, SJ | Papuri’t Pasasalamat p. 4-5 |
| Tubig ng Buhay | Salin ng “Water of Life” ni David Haas | Lionel Zivan Valdellon | Tinapay ng Buhay Volume 2 |
| Baptized in Water | Michael A. Saward | Gaelic Melody | |
| There is a River | Verse 1 Traditional Verse 2 – 5 Robert B. Kelly | | |
| Water of Life | | David Haas | |
Memorial Acclamation: You might start the new set of Eucharistic Acclamations for the Easter season. This will be used throughout the fifty days. If you choose “Dying you destroyed our death” as the memorial acclamation, you will find it matches well with the first Easter Preface (P 21) whenever it is used throughout the season.
All attention returns to the table for that which gave our gathering its first name, the breaking of the bread.
Communion Antiphon
Christ has became our paschal sacrifice; let us feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, alleluia. (1 Corinthians 5: 7-8)
The communion song should be the same each year; it might well have many Alleluias as refrain.
Communion Hymns
| Ako ang Buhay | Batay sa Juan 6: 35-58, 11: 25-27 | Suzanne Toolan, RSM | |
| I Am the Bread of Life | Based on John 6: 35-58, 11: 25-27 | Suzzane Toolan, RSM | Organists, Guitarists & Singers |
| I Know that My Redeemer Lives | Based on Job 19, Psalm 27 & Isaiah 25 | Scoot Soper | |
| In My Heart | Song of Saint Mary Magdalene Based on John 20:18 & Philippians 2:10-11 | Manuel V. Francisco, SJ | The Best of Bukas-Palad |
| Table Song | Verses based on Psalm 116, John 12 : 24, Psalm 34 | David Haas | |
Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday
Entrance or Recessional Hymns
| Ito Ang Bagong Araw | Danilo B. Isidro, SJ | Felipe Fruto Ll. Ramirez, SJ | Papuri sa Diyos p. 20 |
| Muli Akong Nabuhay | Batay sa Salmo 138:18, 5-6 | Msgr. Simeon R. Reginio | |
| Muling Nabuhay ang Panginoon | Msgr. Simeon R. Reginio | Msgr. Simeon R. Reginio | |
| Nabuhay Siya | Eduardo P. Hontiveros, SJ | Eduardo P. Hontiveros, SJ | Himig Heswita 2 p. 84 |
| Panginoon ng Aming Buhay | Msgr. Francisco Avendano | Eduardo P. Hontiveros, SJ | Papuri sa Diyos p. |
| Si Kristo’y Buhay | Emma Panizales, SCMM | Eduardo P. Hontiveros, SJ | Papuri’t Pasasalamat p. 88-90 |
| Alleluia! Give Thanks to the Risen Lord | 8 8 with refrain Donald Fishel | Donald Fishel | |
| Celtic Alleluia | | Fintan O’Carroll & Christopher Walker | |
| Alleluia! Alleluia! Let the Holy Anthem Rise | Edward Caswall | Traditional Melody | |
| Christ is Risen! Shout Hosanna! | Brian Wren | David Haas | |
| Christ the Lord is Risen Today | Victimae Paschali Laudes ascribed to Wipo of Burgandy Translated by Jane Elizabeth Leeson | Wurth’s Katholisches Gesangbuch | |
| Christ the Lord is Risen Today | Llanfair 77 77 + with Alleluias Charles Wesley | Robert Williams | |
| Easter Song | | Miriam Therese Winter,SCMM | |
| God is Alive (Morning Hymn) | Summit Hill, Irregular | David Haas | |
| Jesus Christ is Risen Today | Surrexit Christus Hodie, Latin 14th Century | Lyra Dividica | |
| Laudate Dominum | Psalm 117 | Jacques Berthier | |
| Life Forever More | John Ellerton | Manuel V. Francisco, SJ | |
| Sing with All the Saints in Glory | 87. 87 D 1 Corinthians 15: 20 William Josiah Irons | Hymn to Joy Ludwig Van Beethoven | |
| Surrexit Christus | Psalm 118 | Jacques Berthier |
