Name: The Great Vigil of Easter
Start: 2025-04-19T20:00:00-04:00
Location: 2339 Grandin Rd SW, Roanoke, VA, United States, Virginia 24015

Join us for the first celebration of Easter! The service begins in darkness and consists of four parts: The Service of Light (kindling of new fire, lighting the Paschal candle, the Exsultet); The Service of Lessons (readings from the Hebrew Scriptures interspersed with hymns and prayers); Christian Initiation (Holy Baptism) or the Renewal of Baptismal Vows; and the Eucharist.
This liturgy reflects an ancient practice of keeping the Easter feast. Believers would gather in the hours of darkness ending at dawn on Easter to hear scripture and offer prayer. This night-long service of prayerful watching anticipated the baptisms that would come at first light and the Easter Eucharist.