Easter Vigil
Checklist for Preparation for Easter Vigil
Ministers
Selected
Lector 1:
EME 4:
Lector 2:
EME 5:
Lector 3:
EME 6:
Lector 4:
Thurifer:
Lector 5:
Cross bearer:
Lector 6:
Candle bearer 1:
Lector 7:
Candle bearer 2:
Lector 8:
Altar Server 1:
EME 1:
Altar Server 2:
EME 2:
Altar Server 3:
EME 3:
Cantor:
Service of Light
There is no cross
carried in this
procession or
candle bearers
This should be done
outside unless there
is a strong pastoral
reason for not doing
so. Convenience
should not be a
determining factor
Use Incense:
Yes 
Placement of fire determined: Yes 
Placement of fire:
Who will prepare fire:
Materials for fire gotten:
Candles for people ordered:
Candles for people received:
Paschal Candle Ordered:
Paschal Candle Received:
Route planned for procession:
Who will sing Exsultet:
Who will turn on lights:
Easter Vigil
No 
No 
1
Yes 
Yes 
Yes 
Yes 
Yes 
Yes 
No 
No 
No 
No 
No 
No 
Procession Order
thurifer,
deacon/priest
carrying easter
candle
Liturgy of the
Word
There should be a
minimum of three
readings from the
Old Testament.
Reading three from
Exodus must be
used.
Liturgy of
Baptism
White Robes for
newly baptized can
be albs
Liturgy of the
Eucharist
For Preparation
Song, Sanctus,
Acclamation, Great
Amen write in
choice of Mass.
READING 1 – Genesis 1:1-2:2
READING 2 – GENESIS 22:1-18
READING 3 – EXODUS 4:15-15:1
READING 4 – ISAIAH 54:5-14
READING 5 – ISAIAH 55:1-11
READING 6 – BARUCH 3:9-15
READING 7 – EZEKIEL 36:16-28
Gloria:
Gospel Procession:
Yes 
Book of the Gospels
Pre-placed:
Yes 
Use Incense:
Yes 
In this procession no candles are used
Readings given to Lectors:
Yes 
Petitions written for
Prayer of the Faithful:
Yes 
Elect Only:
Yes 
Candidates Only:
Yes 
Elect and Candidates:
Yes 
Procession to baptistery
Yes 
Have baptismal robes
Yes 
Got Lemons/partially stale bread Yes 
Planned route for lighting candles Yes 
Song for Sprinkling Rite:
NO 
No 
No 
No 
No 
No 
No 
Gospel Procession
Thurifer,
deacon/priest
No 
No 
No 
No candlebearers
used here
No 
Adjust according to
decisions made
No 
No 
No 
No 
No 
No 
No 
No 
Preparation Song:
Yes 
Yes 
Yes 
Eucharistic Prayer:
Use Incense:
Incense Gifts and Altar:
Incense People:
Incense during Eucharistic Prayer:
Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy):
Memorial Acclamation:
Great Amen:
Easter Vigil
Yes 
Yes 
Yes 
Yes 
Yes 
Yes 
Yes 
2
No 
No 
No 
Yes  No 
Communion Rites
For Lamb of God
and Communion
Song write in
choice of song or
Mass.
Concluding Rites
And
Other Issues
Yes  No 
Our Father (Sung):
Lamb of God:
Communion Song:
Yes  No 
Use incense in procession:
Processional Hymn:
Yes  No 
Use Program for Mass:
Program Prepared by:
Yes  No 
Program Prepared:
Procession Order
thurifer, cross
bearer, candle
bear 1 & 2, other
ministers,
Presider
adjust according
to decisions made
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Easter Vigil
Day of Service Preparation
Done
Before the Mass, on the gift table in the back of the Church should be set:
1. a pitcher of wine
2. the bowl with bread, and three ciboria with bread
Before the Mass, prepare the fire outside.
1. The fire holder will be outside the entrance of the Church
2. Fire material – epsom salt/alcohol/kindling
3. small table
4. sacramentary
5. incense pins for the candle
6. stylus
7. candle lighter and extra wick
8. matches
9. pitcher of water
10. charcoal and tongs
Before the Mass
1. Set up the Easter candle holder center of sanctuary.
2. baptismal font center aisle against stair.
3. Light under center balcony
4. Chrism placed on the altar
Setup in the sacristy
1.
2.
3.
4.
baptismal robe
baptismal candle
lemon and bread
bowl of water and towel
Before the Mass, set the following things on the credence table near the altar:
1. Main chalice
2. four glass chalices.
3. cruet of water
4. five purificators
5. bowl and towel for hand washing
6. 3 small containers for holy water to pour into Church entrance fonts
7. 3 large vases (pitchers) of water in among the flowers (for blessing of water)
8. 3 small containers for sprinkling rite with sprinklers
9. 2 sets of altar candles, one on either side of altar, one set on speaker cabinets.
Holders for third set arranged according to decorations.
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Service of Light
At 8:00PM, three people (__________)(__________)(__________) will go and
stand outside the Church. They will have baskets of candles and programs. As
people arrive, they will need to be told that we will be beginning the Easter Vigil
outside, on the lawn. If they express a wish to go inside anyway, help them in if
they need it. If anyone looks like they might need to be inside, be sure to mention
to them that they can wait inside if they like.
At 8:25 PM, a server (__________) will bring the Easter Candle outside. Choir
proceeds to 2 side stairs, facing center.
At 8:30PM, the extra lights in the Church will be turned off (__________).
The book bearer (__________) should have the red sacramentary ready for the
blessing of the fire and Easter Candle.
Then we will light the fire. A server (__________) will have the matches on hand.
and will have some lighter fluid just in case.
The celebrant will bless the fire.
Thurifer (____________) lights coal from fire and places in thurible, as soon as
fire is lit.
One of the servers (__________) will hold the Easter Candle in the center of the
walk as celebrant prepares it.
The priest will then light the Easter Candle.
The thurifer (_____________) in front with a priest will go up the front stairs of
the Church, followed by the celebrant, priest and servers. The priest carrying the
candle will sing “Christ Our Light” lifting the Easter Candle high. Then he will
lower the candle. Two other priests will light their tapers from the Easter Candle
and in turn light servers tapers. They will walk through the crowd, lighting
candles. The priest will hold the Easter Candle until everyone in the crowd has
their candles lit.
We will enter Church by all three doors. The priest in the middle of the Church
will hold the candle high, and sing “Christ Our Light” again. The three people
Choir stops mid Church, 2 side aisles. This is a formal procession, with an order
to it, God’s people moving, led by the Easter Candle.
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When we get to the sanctuary, the priest facing the congregation raises the candle
a third time and sings “Christ our Light”.
The priest will put the Easter Candle in its holder. The thurifer (__________) will
come to the celebrant at the chair while he puts incense in the thurible. A priest
then incenses the Easter Candle. The thurifer brings the incense to the sacristy.
The four servers holding their hand candles (_______________)
(_______________) (_____________) (____________) will go and stand by the
ambo. Each standing on opposite sides of the ambo turned towards each other.
The four servers holding their hand candles remain there while the Exsultet is
sung. When the Exsultet is finished they go to their seats.
After the Exsultet is sung the lights in the Church are turned on by
(________________).
Liturgy of the Word
The book holder (__________) holds the sacramentary while the celebrant says
the introduction.
Seven readings are done, with a psalm and a prayer after each. The book bearer
(__________) holds the book for the celebrant to read the prayer after each psalm.
During the sixth reading the thurifer (_____________) goes and lights the
charcoal.
After the music starts for the Gloria (___________) will light the candles next to
the altar and on the speaker cabinets from the Easter candle.
During the Epistle the thurifer goes and gets the thurible and incense boat and
waits at the door. When the music for the Gospel acclamation starts the thurifer
goes to the priest and hands him the boat and holds up the thurible. The priest will
place incense in the thurible. And then thurifer turns and moves to the altar. A
priest goes to the altar and raise the Gospel book. Thurifer leads priest around the
altar to the ambo. The thurifer goes behind the ambo. When the priest says the
Gospel according to…. The thurifer will hand the priest the thurible and the priest
will incense the gospel and hand it back. After the Gospel is proclaimed the
thurifer goes and dumps the charcoal and lights new coals.
Then all sit down for the homily.
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Liturgy of Baptism.
The book bearer (__________) will bring the brown book (or Rite of Christian
Initiation for Adults) for him to do the prayer. This is on Tab number 1.
A priest comes to the ambo and calls the person forward who is going to be
baptized.
The person who is being baptized and sponsor will stand in the center aisle.
The celebrant will do the invitation to prayer for the those about to be baptized.
We will all stand while the cantor sings the Litany of the Saints. Celebrant moves
to the font, and three servers (___________) (_____________) (_____________)
get vessels of water and stand in front of the ambo, facing the celebrant.
At the same time, a server (__________) gets the white robe for the baptized
person. server (__________) gets the candle and towel for the baptized person.
They stand by the ambo ready.
Then the book bearer (__________) will open the brown to Tab number 2. The
celebrant will bless the water. During the blessing server (___________) comes
forward and pours water at mention of creation, server (____________) pours
water at mention of flood, and server (____________) will pour water at mention
of red sea. After 3rd vessel of water is poured, celebrant steps to the right as other
priests lift the paschal candle from the holder and step forward to where the
celebrant was (during the references to Jesus’ baptism, water flowing from his side
and commission to baptize) dips the Easter Candle three times “send your Holy
Spirit upon the waters.” They replace paschal candle in the holder and celebrant
steps back to original spot.
The celebrant will then proceed to the renunciation of sin and profession of faith
for those to be baptized. The book bearer (__________) will open the brown book
to Tab number 3.
The baptism takes place. (_____________) brings towel comes forward.
(___________) brings whit garment over which sponsor immediately helps to
place on the baptized person.
Then the book bearer will turn to the TAB 4. The priest reads the next prayer
which explains the placing on of the white garments.
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Then, the server (__________) lights the candle from the paschal candle and gives
to the sponsor. Then the book bearer will hold the brown book to the same page
for the celebrant while he says the prayer of the light.
Three others go forth (__________)(__________)(__________) to light the
candles of the people in the Church when the baptized persons candle is lit.
The baptized person is then led to the celebrants chair. Book bearer assists opens
book to TAB 5 Server (______________) brings the Chrism to celebrant and the
confirmation takes place.
The book-bearer (__________) comes to the celebrant at the chair with the brown
book and opens it to Tab 6.
The renewal of baptismal promises takes place.
Servers (__________) (____________) (___________) go get the bowls and
aspergellia. He or she fills the bowl with water from the baptismal font and goes
to a priest.
Then the priests take the aspergellum and go around the Church sprinkling the
people. The servers (__________) (_____________) (____________) go with
them, holding the bowl.
Three servers (____________) (______________) (_____________) go fill the
holy water fonts at the church entrance.
While the aspergus is taking place, the two servers (__________) (__________)
and a leader (__________) go down to the back and stand by the gift table.
Candles are in the server sacristy
You will get them and light them.
After the aspergus the book bearer brings the brown book and opens to Tab 7.
The intercessory prayers are now done.
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Liturgy of the Eucharist
Preparation of the Gifts
Then during the collection the MC invites the baptized person and sponsor go to
bring up the gifts. A procession brings the gifts forward.
The gift procession goes:
1. MC
2. Processional candles
3. Persons carrying the gifts
Procession begins when priest come down to receive the gifts.
When the procession reaches the sanctuary, candles go to either side of the main
aisle and face in.
As soon as the collection begins, the book bearer (__________) and
(____________) prepares the altar in the normal fashion.
The celebrant goes down to receive the gifts with two servers (__________)
(__________). Candle bearers then place candles next to the altar on either side.
The thurifer (____________) goes and gets the thurible and the incense boat and
after the priest bows brings them to the priest. The priest will place incense into
the thurible and then incense the altar and gifts and then hand the thurible back to
the thurifer who will then incense the priest and then the congregation. The
thurifer will then stand on the tabernacle side.
When the priest hands the thurible back to the thurifer (___________) and
(_________) help to wash the priest’s hands.
Eucharistic Prayer
At the Holy, Holy, Holy the mc (___________) places incense into the thurible
and the thurifer will go and kneel on the tabernacle side of the altar. When the
priest raises the Body of Christ the thurifer will bow, raise the thurible three times
and bow again. And do the same thing when the cup with the precious blood is
raised.
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Communion Rite
At the sign of piece the thurifer will go and dump the coals and light new ones.
During the Lamb of God, the three servers (__________)(__________)
(__________) bring the cups and extra ciboria.
After all of the servers have received communion, servers should go back to where
they were sitting. Book bearer (___________) removes book. (____________)
removes pitcher which contained the precious blood if still there.
After communion (____________) and (___________) help with any clean up of
altar.
After the prayer After communion is all done, the Thurifer (__________) goes to
the sacristy and returns with thurible with incense all ready in it. The candle
bearers get the candles. The cross bearer gets the cross.
Concluding Rites
For the procession out:
1.
2.
3.
4.
The thurifer goes and stands facing the altar, three pews down into the aisle.
The cross bearer stands in front of them, facing the altar.
The candle bearers taking candles stand in front of them, facing the altar.
other servers, mcs in twos
Please be sure that your albs are hung up after Mass.
Easter Vigil
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