EASTER VIGIL MASS

ALTAR SERVER INSTRUCTIONS

SETUP

  • Requires seven altar servers. Red cassocks and white surplices.
  • Check to see that the blessing fonts at the church doors are empty. If there is holy water, pour it on the ground outside where it will not be walked on.
  • Paschal candle holder should be placed on the north side of the altar. See that metal cover for top of Paschal candle is with the holder.
  • Two bells are required. One is placed next to the BELL SERVER chair and one next to the CROSS BEARER chair.
  • Credence table set up as if a regular Mass.
  • Empty holy water font with sprinkler broom is placed next to the big holy water tank, along with one or twofilledwater pitchers to carry holy water to the baptismal font and blessing fonts at the church doors.
  • Setup incense thurible, incense boat, and associated items next to sink in sacristy, with at least two charcoals ready. One charcoal will be lighted at the Blessing of the Fire at the firebox near entrance of the church in the beginning liturgy.
  • Pascal candle and small Roman Missal book should be in the main sacristy. Make sure that the wick on the Pascal candle is straight out and not bent to the side of the candle. Red wax thorns should be with Pascal candle.
  • Large Roman Missal should be on the stand next to theBOOK SERVER chair.
  • Check to see that an unlit sanctuary candle is setting on the right side of the tabernacle altar.
  • No candles are to be lit on the main altar or the tabernacle altar nor are the offertory candles to be lit.
  • Place a Paschal Triduum booklet at each altar server chair.
  • Place priest’s hymnal book on theBELL SERVER chair.
  • Place Gospel book holder with Gospel book on the altar.
  • If there are to be baptisms, locate baptismal font near confessional next to pillar. Leave cover in the north sacristy. The bowl in the baptismal font should be empty.
  • Check to see that the key is in the tabernacle.
  • Check to see that sufficient wick is in the candle lighter to light candles during Mass.
  • Place small round table near the piano. Place baptismal candles, baptismal towels, and chrism oil kit on the table. Be sure to remove baptismal candles from their boxes. Leave boxes in sacristy.
  • Brown Rite of Christian Initiation book should be placed next to MC chair.

SERVICE OF LIGHT

Church will be dark and there will be no candles for the congregation.

  • INCENSE SERVER carries the thurible with one charcoal and boat.
  • CANDLE BEARER carries Paschal candle for the priest.
  • MC will carry the flashlight should outside be dark.
  • EXTRA SERVER will carry thered wax thorns for the Pascal Candle and hand them to the priest when directed by the priest.
  • BOOK SERVER carries the small Roman Missal Book.
  • Blessing of the fire will take place near the steps to the front of the church or at another designated place, depending on weather.
  • Once the blessing of the fire and preparation of the Paschal candle are complete, the priest, carrying the lit Paschal candle will move to the entrance of the nave/main room of the church. The INCENSE SERVER is positioned directly behind the priest. The BOOK SERVER and two other altar servers stand behind the INCENSE SERVER and in line to the right of the priest. Three other altar servers stand in line to the left behind the INCENSE SERVER. The priest will hold up the Paschal candle and chant.
  • The priest will move to roughly the middle of the church, with the altar servers following information, and chants a second time. The priest then advances to the entrance of the sanctuary and chants the third time. Altar servers follow in formation.
  • The priest carries the Paschal candle to the paschal candle holder and places the Paschal candle in its holder. The INCENSE SERVER follows immediately behind the priest, stops by the altar, facing the Paschal candle holder. When the priest has completed placing the Paschal candle in its holder, the INCENSE SERVER advances to the priest, assists the priest in preparing the thurible with incense, steps back several paces and waits in place. Once the priest has completed incensing the Paschal candle, the INCENSE SERVER takes the thurible from the priest and retires to the sacristy by the nearest door, places the thurible and boat on the table with the offertory candles, and returns to his/her seat.
  • When the priest carries the Paschal candle to its holder, the altar servers go by the right side of the altar directly to their seats. The MC takes the small Roman Missal, goes to sacristy and turns on Sunday lights and then places the small
    Roman Missal next to MC chair.
  • The priest or his designate chants the Easter Proclamation (Exsultet). Altar servers remain standing throughout.

LITURGY OF THE WORD

  • Upon completion of the Exsultet, the priest returns to his chair and sits. The altar servers all sit in unison.
  • There will be at least three scriptural readings, responsorial psalms, and prayers. After each responsorial psalm, the priest will stand. The BOOK SERVER will get the large Roman Missal to hold for the priest to pray from. After the prayer the priest will sit down and the BOOK SERVER will place the Roman Missal on the bench. Then the altar servers will sit down in unison.
  • At the Glory to God, the CROSS BEARER, BELL SERVER, and INCENSE SERVER will ring the three bells. The INCENSE SERVER will ring the bell hanging over the sacristy entrance. The CANDLE BEARER will immediately bow and go to the sacristy and get the candle lighter. The CANDLE BEARERwill light the candle lighter from the Paschal candle, light the candles at the main altar and the tabernacle altar, light the sanctuary candle at the tabernacle altar and place it in the holder above and to the right of the altar, then go to the sacristy and light the offertory candles, replace the candle lighter in the sacristy and return to his/her seat.
  • When the priest sits for the Epistle reading, all the altar servers will sit in unison.
  • At the conclusion of the Epistle reading, the INCENSE SERVER will bow and get the thurible and boat from the sacristy and position himself/herself near the ambo. There are NO gospel candles. The INCENSE SERVER will assist the priest in preparing the thurible for incensing the gospel. Upon conclusion of the reading of the gospel, the INCENSE SERVER will return the thurible and boat to thesacristy, placethe lighted second charcoal in the thurible, returns to his/her seat.
  • During the homily, all altar servers sit down in unison.

SACRAMENTS OF INITIATION

  • After the homily, the BAPTISMAL SERVER will push the baptismal font to the center isle near the altar. The EXTRA SERVER will get the pitcher of water near the holy water tank, take it to the baptismal font, pour the water into the baptismal font and place the water pitcher back next to the holy water tank. The CROSSBEARER will take the small table near the piano and move it next to the baptismal font.
  • There will be the blessing of the water, renewal of baptismal promises, and profession of faith by the initiates and baptisms.
  • The BOOK SERVERpositions himself/herself to the left of the priest and holds the small red Roman Missalfor the priest to read from.
  • TheCANDLE BEARER will take the paschal candle from its holder, take it down to baptismal font, and hold it to the right of the priest. At the blessing of the water, the priest will take and dip the paschal candle in the water, then return it to theCANDLE BEARER. The CANDLE BEARER will remain in place until after the baptisms, then returns the paschal candle to its holder.
  • At the direction of the priest or the MC, the EXTRA SERVER and the BAPTISMAL SERVER will get the empty holy water font/sprinkler and the empty water pitcher and fill them withholy water. The BAPTISMAL SERVER with the holy water font will accompany the priest down the main aisle as he sprinkles the congregation with holy water. The EXTRA SERVER with the filled water pitcher(s) will go the each door of the church, filling the blessing fonts with holy water. Upon completion, the EXTRA SERVER will put the water pitchers in the sacristy and return to his/her seat. When the priest returns to the sanctuary, theBAPTISMAL SERVER places the holy water font where it originally was and returns to his/her seat.
  • While the priest is sprinkling the congregation, the CANDLE BEARER will push the baptismal font back to its original location near the confessional.
  • The MC will give the BOOK SERVER the brown Christian Initiation book and take the small red Roman Missal to the MC chair.
  • The priest then administers the sacrament of confirmation to the initiates. At the end of confirmation when the initiates are returning to their places, the BOOK SERVERgives the brown Christian Initiation book to the MC and gets the large Roman Missal for the priest to read the Intercessions/Prayers of the Faithful. The CROSS BEARER will move the small round table near to the piano.

LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

The Liturgy of the Eucharist is the same as the regular Mass with the following exceptions:

  • Altar is prepared for the Eucharistic Liturgy after the Prayers of the Faithful.
  • The INCENSE SERVER goes to the main sacristy, gets the thurible and boat and waits in the sacristy by the doorway to the altar.
  • Before the washing of the hands by the priest, the INCENSE SERVER will come to the priest, assist in preparing the thurible with incense, return the boat to the sacristy, and stand on the altar side of the sacristy doorway. When the priest is finished incensing the altar, theINCENSE SERVER will incense the priest, bow, and go to the front of the sanctuary, incense the congregation, and return to a position near the right front corner of the altar, and remain to incense at the Consecration. After the Great Amen, the INCENSE SERVER will return the thurible to the main sacristy and rejoin the altar servers at the altar.
  • After the washing to the hands, all the altar servers, except the incense server, line up behind the altar, bows toward the altar, and go to the kneeler behind the altar chairs.
  • During communion the MC or his designate will go to the temporary tabernacle in the sacristy and bring the Sacred Hosts to the tabernacle in the sanctuary.
  • When the priest returns to the altar after giving communion, the INCENSE SERVER will go to the sacristy, get the thurible, and stand in the sacristy by the doorway to the altar. After the final blessing by the priest, the MC andINCENSE SERVER will immediately proceed down to the main aisle, with the CROSS BEARER following.
  • The Paschal Candle is left in place. Do not remove.
  • The MC leads the procession out.

INCENSE SERVER:______

CROSS BEARER:______

BOOK SERVER:______

BELL SERVER:______

EXTRA SERVER:______

CANDLE BEARER:______

BAPTISMAL SERVER:______

MASTER OF CEREMONY (MC):______