Easter Vigil in Saint Peter’s Basilica presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re

For the first time during his pontificate, Pope Francis did not preside over the Easter Vigil, due to his ongoing health condition.

Despite improvements, the Pope still requires rest and treatment during his two-month long convalescence. However, before Easter Vigil, at 1740 local time, Pope Francis entered Saint Peter’s Basilica in his wheelchair and greeted some faithful present.

Pope Francis was hospitalised for 38 days at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where he was treated for a life-threatening polymicrobial bilateral pneumonia, before being discharged on March 23.

Easter Vigil was therefore presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals. Pope Francis wrote the homily.

The Easter Vigil, called the ‘mother of all vigils’, is the greatest liturgy of the entire year in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church. The most solemn rite of the year began at 1930 local time (1730 GMT) on Saturday, in the atrium of the Basilica, with the blessing of the pascal fire and the lightening of the pascal candle, symbol of Christ, ‘Light of the world’, while pilgrims waited in silence in the dark, under Michelangelo’s cupola, for the flame of the pascal candle to light the candles they held.

Thus, darkness characterises the beginning of Easter Vigil for the Catholic faithful. For them, it represents all darkness, and all the meanings of darkness: evil, sin, all what is secret, deceitful, dishonest, divisive.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re began the ceremony by engraving the year 2025 and the first and the last letters of the Greek alphabet (Alpha and Omega) on a large white pascal candle.

Then he inserted five grains of incense into the candle in the form of a cross, praying for our protection and saying, ‘May the light of Christ, rising in glory, dispel the darkness of our hearts and minds’.

‘’Lumen Christi’, a deacon intoned three times in Latin and the faithful answered, ‘Deo Gratias’ (thanks be to God). Everyone lit their own candle, and the Basilica passed from deep dark to resplendent light, symbolising for them the light of Christ. Then, the deacon intoned the ‘Exultet’ (Let’s rejoice).

The celebration of Easter Vigil went on with the readings from the Scriptures. At the Gloria, the bells of the Basilica rang loud to symbolise the resurrection of Christ.
SHOTLIST
CU Brazier

Clergy in procession in the atrium of the Basilica

VS Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re entering the atrium of the Basilica

Picture of the Risen

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re blesses the new fire

WS Atrium Paschal candle being brought to Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re engraving the paschal candle while saying "Cristo ieri et oggi. Principio e Fine. Alpha et omega (Christ yesterday and today, the beginning and the end, alpha and omega)

VS Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re puts the five grains of incense into the candle

SOUNDBITE (Italian) Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re: “The light of Christ Who rises gloriously may take away obscurity from our heart and our mind”

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re lights the paschal candle

CU Pascal candle

Deacon intoning the first "Lumen Christi"

Faithful answer "Deo gratias"

VS Darkness inside St. Peter’s Basilica

Deacon carrying the pascal candle heading to the central nave of St. Peter’s Basilica

Deacon intoning "Lumen Christi" for the second time

Faithful answering "Deo gratias"

WS Darkness inside St. Peter’s Basilica

Faithful start to light their candles

Basilica with all its lights turned off but full of faithful with lighted candles

"Lumen Christi" for the third time and the Basilica passes from deep dark to light

CU Pascal candle

Cardinals and bishops reaching their places in front of the main altar

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re seated

WS INT Event

Deacon incenses the Paschal candle

Deacon intoning "Exsultet.." (Let's rejoice)

Deacon from the back

CU Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re

UPSOT (Latin) singer: “Gloria in excelsis Deo…” while organ plays solemnly for the Gloria and bells of St. Peter's Basilica ring