In remembrance of Christ's remainder in the grave, the Church did not execute the Eucharistic Sacrifice on the large Saturday. The celebrations of Passover Eve together with the Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord were not celebrated until Saturday night on Sunday. Around the 11th century, however, the Church moved this celebration to Saturday morning, although it was inactive Easter Mass, only that it was anticipating; but it never existed as “Big Saturday Mass”. In this article, ending the cycle “Symbols in the liturgy of the Holy Week”, we explain the symbolism of Passover Christmas Eve, based mainly on the work “The liturgical year” by Prosper Guéranger OSB.
Liturgy duration
Initially, the liturgy of Passover Christmas Eve took place on the night from Saturday to Sunday. Hence, liturgical texts talk of “blessed night, which was the only thing worthy of knowing the time and hr of Christ's resurrection.” (The Easter Message, or Exultet). It consisted of 2 parts: Easter Eve and Resurrection Mass in honor of the Resurrection of the Lord.
Around the 11th century, the Church moved this celebration to Saturday during the day. This amendment was governed by the provisions on Eucharistic fasting. However, the Holy Mass then celebrated was inactive considered a joyful Easter Mass, though anticipating it; never in the past of the Church did there be a “Big Saturday Mass” due to the fact that the Church was mourned after the death of the Savior. Hence, this article speaks not of the liturgy of the large Saturday, but of the liturgy of the Passover Christmas Eve.
In the early centuries, the faithful watched all night in the church, awaiting the hr in which our Lord rose triumphantly from the grave. They besides participated in the solemn giving of Baptism to the catechumens, which was an elevated expression of the transition from spiritual death to the life of grace. From the 11th century, however, the hr of the Resurrection Mass was gradually shifted to an earlier time, until it was yet moved even to the morning of the large Saturday. ...
As a result, there is an apparent contradiction between the mystery of the large Saturday and the liturgy held on that day: Christ inactive rests in the grave, yet we celebrate His Resurrection; hours before Mass is filled with sorrow, and yet before noon the joy of the Passover fills our hearts – explains Dom Prosper Guéranger.
Due to this split, it is recommended to return to the Passover Eve at night. In many dioceses, bishops present order the rites to begin after dusk, no earlier than 8:00 p.m.
The Blessing of fresh Fire
The Liturgy of Passover Eve begins with a blessing of fire, performed before the church. The fire symbolizes Christ, who is the Light of the world. Moreover, the spark of the fresh fire comes out of the stone—just as Christ, who pulled the stone distant from his tomb that night.
It is besides crucial that at the beginning of Christmas Eve all the lights in the church are out. As Fr Guéranger emphasizes, darkness means that the Old Covenant ended with the teardrop of the tabernacle curtain on Good Friday. However, the spark of a fresh fire appears, symbolizing the coming of the fresh Covenant. The light of this spark will shortly enlighten the full temple.
In addition to the fire, 5 grains of incense are blessed, in remembrance of the spices prepared by Mary Magdalene and her companions to anoint the body of the Lord, which they have not already done. These seeds besides symbolize the 5 Wounds of Christ committed to him during his Passion.
From the fresh fire the Passover is lit, with which you solemnly enter the dark church. The procession stops 3 times: at the entrance to the church, in the mediate and yet at the altar. all time the Passover is stopped, candles are lit up with more and more believers gathered and singing Lumen Christi ("The Light of Christ") grows gradually in the tone; the answer is always Deo gratias (Thank God.)
By 1955, candles were lit alternatively of Passover on a three-arm candlestick called triangule, symbolizing the Holy Trinity. The Passover itself was lit only later. At first, the triangle had no candles lit, and at each of the 3 stops, its candles were lit in succession from the consecrated fire. The Abbot of Solesmes saw in this rite the symbol of the revelation of the 3 Divine Persons made by Christ on earth: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The first of these is the Father's revelation, performed by the boy in the words, "No 1 knows the Son, but the Father, and no 1 knows the Father, but the Son, and he whom the boy wishes to reveal" (Mt 11:27). The second is the revelation of the Son, made by Jesus himself, erstwhile he accepted the human body, became man and taught that he was equal to the Father. The 3rd is the revelation of the Holy Spirit by the boy in the words, "Go so and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the boy and of the Holy Spirit" (Mt 28:19). Thus, through Christ – the Light of the planet – the planet knew the Holy Trinity.
Exultetor Easter Message
Upon reaching the altar the deacons—and in his absence the priest—sing the Easter Message, called from his first words Exultet. By 1955 the deacon stopped singing twice: at the first halt he put incense grains into the Passover, at the second – he lit it. Passover Inflammation symbolizes the minute of the Resurrection of Christ erstwhile His Soul reunites with the Body. The Passover becomes a sign of Christ's surviving presence on earth; his extinguishing after 40 days will in turn mention to the Ascension of the Savior.
Reading from the Old Testament
The number of old Testament readings during Passover Christmas has changed respective times. By 1955, there were 12 of them, then reduced to 4, and the 1969 improvement increased to 7. These readings show the past of salvation until Christ’s coming, and they are to prepare catechumens for baptism. All forms of Roman ritual have a common reading about the creation of the planet and the passage of Israel through the Red Sea.
Fragments of the Old Testament combine with the mystery of the death and resurrection of Christ. The creation of Adam symbolizes Christ as a fresh Adam, a redeemer of mankind tainted with first sin. Noah’s communicative foretells the fresh Ark, the Church in which salvation is. Isaac carrying wood to the mountain is simply a figure of Christ carrying the Cross to Calvary, and the miraculous passage of Israel through the Red Sea foretells Christ's transition from death to life.
The Blessing of the Baptizer Water
Baptism erases the first sin, bestows sanctification and incorporates Christ into the Mystical Body. Therefore, the Church in a solemn way blesses baptismal water on the large Saturday.
We cannot be amazed that the sight of this component that gave us spiritual life fills us with joy, or that we worship this component that refers to the Author of all the graces to be given us – writes Dom Guéranger.
The blessing of baptismal water is simply a very old practice, dating back to apostolic times. The priest sings a blessing for the melody of solemn prefation. In the conventional ryte it stops at any point and, putting its hand in the water, separates it into the form of a cross, which means that it is through the cross that this component receives the power of rebirth of human souls.
This miraculous power was promised by water; but the promise was not fulfilled until Christ poured out his blood on the cross. It is through His Blood that water acts on the souls of men; and with the action of this precious blood is connected the action of the Holy Spirit – explains Benedictine.
At another point, the priest sprinkles water on the 4 sides of the world, reminding us that baptism is given to all nations, and referring to the 4 rivers of Paradise; he besides calls for water to revive the action of the Holy Spirit. Finally, the immersion of the Passover in water symbolizes Christ’s Baptism in Jordan (Paschal, as mentioned earlier, is simply a symbol of Christ).
The celebrity then drops the faithful with holy water, and in the water remaining in the font he pours Holy Oils: Holy Cross and Katechumen oil. The Catechumen are baptized and confirmed.
Traditional Polish rites
Two more rites are characteristic in Poland: the dedication of food and the resurrection procession. Both grew out of practice erstwhile Easter Eve was celebrated on Saturday during the day. After it was finished, there was a blessing of food for the Easter table, and on Easter Sunday, a resurrection procession was performed.
However, the celebration of the procession only on Sunday morning is simply a liturgical contradiction, due to the fact that already during Passover Eve it is sung Exultet and thus proclaims to the planet the Resurrection of the Lord. Therefore, in many places the resurrection procession is celebrated at night, immediately after Passover Eve.
With respect to the sacrifice of food, despite the shift of Passover Christmas Eve to Saturday night, this rite continues throughout the day. any churches practice the blessing of food at night, after Easter Eve has ended.
Adrian Fyda
Source:
Home Prosper Guéranger OSB, Liturgical Year: liturgialatina.org/lithear
