Name: The Great Vigil of Easter on the Eastern Shore
Start: 2026-04-04T19:00:00-04:00
Location: Faith Lutheran Church of Salisbury, MD

The Great Vigil of Easter on the Eastern Shore

The Great Vigil of Easter
Saturday, April 4th 7:00pm at Faith Lutheran Church of Salisbury
1416 Old Ocean City Rd, Salisbury, MD 21804
Faith Lutheran Church of Salisbury
Grace Lutheran Church of Easton
Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church of Cordova
are teaming up for a shared celebration of the Great Vigil of Easter and we invite all our friends in the Delmarva South Conference to join us!
Email the Rev. Jonathon Moyers ([email protected]) for more information.
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The Easter Vigil is one of the most exciting moments in the church year! We begin on the front lawn as the new fire is blessed, representing the light of the Resurrection breaking into the darkness. From that fire, the Paschal Candle is lit. An ancient hymn/prayer of praise for this night is sung once the people move inside:
This is the night,
when once you led our forebears, Israel's children,
from slavery in Egypt
and made them pass dry-shod through the
Red Sea.
This is the night
that with a pillar of fire
banished the darkness of sin.
This is the night
that even now, throughout the world,
sets Christian believers apart from worldly
vices and from the gloom of sin,
leading them to grace
and joining them to his holy ones.
This is the night,
when Christ broke the prison-bars of death
and rose victorious from the underworld.
This is the night
of which it is written:
The night shall be as bright as day,
dazzling is the night for me,
and full of gladness.
The second portion is a series of nine lessons which travel through creation, the flood, the exodus from Egypt, and the promise of salvation and new life. These lessons are interspersed with prayers and hymns. Once completed, the time has arrived for the first shouts of the Easter Alleluia:
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
The Resurrection Gospel is read, our baptismal vows are renewed, and we celebrate Holy Communion. It is this night that breaks the agony of Holy Thursday and the misery of Good Friday and brings the joy of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ into our midst!