Easter Vigil

Easter begins with the Great Vigil on Saturday evening, April 8 at 6:30 p.m., and is the most elaborate service in our tradition. The service begins in darkness, sometime between sunset on Holy Saturday and sunrise on Easter, and consists of four parts: the Service of Light (kindling of new fire, lighting the Paschal candle, the Exsultet); the Service of Lessons (readings from the Hebrew Scriptures and prayers); Christian initiation (Holy Baptism); and the Eucharist. Through this liturgy, we join the ancient practice of keeping the Easter feast, beginning in the darkness, and finally light returns.

The choir joins us in joyful singing. This service will begin at the firepit on the patio and end with a light reception in the Gathering Space. There will be several baptisms and much joy after a long Lenten journey.

Every Easter, Orthodox churches around the world read this sermon by John Chrysostom (349-407), the early church's famed preacher and archbishop of Constantinople at the great Church of Holy Wisdom (Hagia Sophia). We will include this as part of this year's service.

Nursery is offered at this service, and the service will be live-streamed.

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