Easter Vigil, sights and sounds
Our Easter Vigil began with blessing the Holy Fire, or as we say in Chinese,祝圣圣火 Zhù shèng shènghuǒ. While Myles and Brigid still talk about the special effects from three years ago, our less eventful start of things this year still had the important part for them.
More after the jump
After the Pascal Candle was blessed and lit, one of the priests intoned, "基督之光 Jīdū zhī guāng," to which we chanted in response, "感谢天主 Gǎnxiè tiānzhǔ."
We filed back into the church to hear the Exsultet.
It really is something to hear in the candlelit church.
At one point, Myles silently pointed up to the glass ceiling. I had forgotten how incredible the lights reflected looked above us. It was as though we were being watched over, in a good way.
All those hundreds of candles also heated the church, making me think that all those thousands of candles in old churches were not merely spiritual gestures but also meeting a very practical need as well.
After the fire, the next part Myles and Brigid anticipate was the Gloria. I don't remember hearing the bells ring any other time except on Easter Vigil. At this point we retreated from standing inside the church to just outside the open doors. Both kids watched the bells ring.
I never realized how much I look forward to hearing the Alleluia chant until I felt myself holding my breath, waiting for it.
We had several baptisms, which at the Vigil meant chanting the Litany of the Saints.
It was a long and wonderful Vigil. Everyone, even Brigid, lasted to the very end, to the final 阿肋路亚.
If this is our last Easter in China, or if we will have nine (!) more, I remain so very thankful that this has been our church life through all these years.
More after the jump
After the Pascal Candle was blessed and lit, one of the priests intoned, "基督之光 Jīdū zhī guāng," to which we chanted in response, "感谢天主 Gǎnxiè tiānzhǔ."
We filed back into the church to hear the Exsultet.
It really is something to hear in the candlelit church.
At one point, Myles silently pointed up to the glass ceiling. I had forgotten how incredible the lights reflected looked above us. It was as though we were being watched over, in a good way.
All those hundreds of candles also heated the church, making me think that all those thousands of candles in old churches were not merely spiritual gestures but also meeting a very practical need as well.
After the fire, the next part Myles and Brigid anticipate was the Gloria. I don't remember hearing the bells ring any other time except on Easter Vigil. At this point we retreated from standing inside the church to just outside the open doors. Both kids watched the bells ring.
I never realized how much I look forward to hearing the Alleluia chant until I felt myself holding my breath, waiting for it.
We had several baptisms, which at the Vigil meant chanting the Litany of the Saints.
It was a long and wonderful Vigil. Everyone, even Brigid, lasted to the very end, to the final 阿肋路亚.
If this is our last Easter in China, or if we will have nine (!) more, I remain so very thankful that this has been our church life through all these years.
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