Easter Vigil: A Radiant Celebration of New Life

On the evening of Holy Saturday, 19 April 2025, the Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Norwich was filled with a profound sense of reverence and joy as the Diocese of East Anglia came together to celebrate the Easter Vigil in the Holy Night.

The Vigil, the most sacred liturgy of the Christian year, was led by Bishop Peter Collins and marked the glorious beginning of Easter.

The liturgy commenced outside the cathedral with the ancient and powerful Service of Light. As darkness fell, the faithful gathered around a blazing fire. Bishop Peter, accompanied by his ministers, approached the flames with the Paschal Candle. In a moving and symbolic act, he blessed the fire and prepared the candle, etching a cross into its wax with a stylus, then marking it with the Greek letters Alpha and Omega – symbols of Christ as the beginning and the end – and the numerals of the current year. He then inserted five grains of incense in the form of a cross, representing the five glorious wounds of Christ, before lighting the Paschal Candle from the blessed fire.

The candle, now the flame of the Risen Christ, was carried in solemn procession into the darkened cathedral by Fr Peter. He paused three times – at the door, halfway up the nave, and at the sanctuary steps – proclaiming each time, “The Light of Christ, Thanks be to God.” As the light spread from the Paschal Candle throughout the congregation, the cathedral was gradually illuminated with the soft glow of candles held by the faithful – a powerful sign of Christ’s light conquering the darkness.

The Liturgy of the Word followed, rich with the telling of salvation history. Four Old Testament readings, each accompanied by a Psalm, Canticle or Gradual, traced God’s plan from creation to redemption. An epistle from Romans prepared the hearts of the faithful to hear the Gospel of the Resurrection. The Gospel, proclaimed from Luke 24:1–12, told of the women who, visiting the tomb at dawn, found the stone rolled away and were greeted by two men in dazzling garments. The angels declared, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.” Peter’s wonder upon finding the tomb empty mirrored the awe and joy of all who believe in the Risen Lord.

In a moment of deep grace and spiritual renewal, Bishop Peter welcomed those who were to be received into full communion with the Catholic Church. The Sacraments of Initiation were celebrated with reverence and great joy. After the Litany of Saints, Bishop Peter blessed the baptismal water, then turned to the elect with words of encouragement and solemn challenge. They renounced sin and professed their faith before being baptised. Each newly baptised was presented with a candle lit from the Paschal Candle, a symbol of receiving the light of Christ.

Candidates for reception and confirmation then joined the newly baptised at the sanctuary, where all were anointed with sacred Chrism by the Bishop – a sign of the gift of the Holy Spirit and their full incorporation into the Body of Christ. The number of new members welcomed into the Church this Easter Vigil was truly heart-warming and a sign of hope for the future of our diocese.

Following the celebrations of initiation, the entire congregation was invited to renew their baptismal promises. With joyful hearts, all proclaimed their faith anew, rejecting sin and affirming their belief in the Triune God. Bishop Peter then took the aspergillum and, with a spirit of joy and blessing, walked throughout the cathedral, sprinkling the congregation with the newly blessed holy water – a tangible reminder of our own baptismal call.

The Easter Vigil concluded with the Liturgy of the Eucharist, where the newly initiated received Holy Communion for the first time, uniting them fully with Christ and the Church.

This sacred night at St John’s Cathedral was not only a celebration of Christ’s victory over death but a living witness to the transformative power of faith. The warmth and unity of the faithful gathered, the beauty of the liturgy, and the joy of welcoming new members into the Church offered a radiant testament to the light of Christ that shines in our world today.

Photographs from the Easter Vigil can be viewed here.

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