Slice of Laodicea

The idea of a vigil service the night before Resurrection Sunday is a tradition that goes back to the early church when believers would gather to commemorate that dark night before the morning when our Savior’s tomb was found empty. Christians would spend the night in prayer, singing hymns and reading the Scriptures. The service begins in darkness with the lighting of the Paschal candle, representing Jesus Christ, the Light of the World. From that candle the congregation lights their own candles as it is carried throughout the church. Little by little, the pitch blackness of the church begins to lessen as each and every candle adds its light. Before long, the church is alight. Just as each individual candle brings light to the physical darkness, the light of Christ, in everyone who truly believes, lightens the darkness of our world.

This is the night,
Which throughout the world
Frees all who believe in Christ
From the vices of their time-shackled existence,
From the lightless dungeon of sin,
And restores them to grace: unites them to holiness.

This is the Night
In which Christ broke the chains of death
And rose in radiant victory
From the pit of Hades.

–Augustine

After the service of prayer, hymns and Scripture readings taking the congregation from the beginning of Redemption’s story in Genesis through the final triumph in Revelation, at midnight the church bells begin to peal. The lights are thrown on and the organ roars forth, the trumpet sound in the balcony soaring over the top, and the beautiful white banners go in procession down the aisle. The dark night is over. Sin, death, and hell have been conquered. Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen! He is risen, indeed. Alleluia!