. If this is not possible, another cantor may sing the Exultet. What if your deacon, priest, or cantor is not a professional musician? May Christ, and all his riches, be our Light this Easter Season, that we may know our way, through this passing world, to the great Feast of Heaven. Parts of the melody of the Exultet will be recognised as the same used for the preface of the Eucharistic prayer: this reduces the burden of learning something new. . which gained for us so great a Redeemer! Included is the text from the 1947 liturgy. Essentially, if it were not for the resurrection, all the other things that Jesus did and said, including his birth, would not be efficacious for our salvation. This is sung during the Easter Vigil with the Paschal Candle. The text is divided into four sections, simply for ease of reference. The music for the Easter Proclamation (Exsultet), in both its short and long form, can be downloaded from the ICEL musical settings website. It is said that the history of Israel reflects the history of each one of us. I raised you to the height of majesty, but you raised me high on a cross. For you I struck down the kings of Canaan, but you struck my head with a reed. Lastly, Father Vagaggini points to a theological approach, impregnated by an abstract conceptualism, which tends to focus on abstract essences, leaving out, what some refer to as “nonessential accidents.” He quotes an unnamed Thomistic theologian who states: “Why insist so much on the resurrection of Christ? The Exsultet - also known as the "Easter Proclamation" - is sung at the opening of the Easter Vigil, just after the entry and procession with the Paschal Candle and the threefold singing of "The Light of Christ" verse/response. The first is the form of a Gospel. And then the deacon or priest or a cantor chants the great Easter Proclamation. I fed you with manna from heaven and brought you to a land of plenty; but you led our [sic] Savior to the cross. There is something primordial and mystical about the experience. It is chant which is the distinct musical language of our church, not hymns. When the Church celebrates the sacraments, {and, here, the Easter liturgy is particularly important as shall be seen} she confesses the faith received from the apostles—whence the ancient saying: lex orandi, lex credendi. There seems to have been a significant effort here to inject a lyricism into the 2010 translation, a little strained perhaps at times glo - This explains the lessons, all of which revolve around the theme of newness of life. And, still: “God is light and in him is no darkness at all. g ra … All rights reserved. Historically, the Exultet was sung only once each year at the beginning of the Paschal (Easter) Vigil Service. It appeared to be wordy and seem to lose it’s impact as some of my brother deacons as well as some priests who proclaimed the Exultet this past Holy Saturday evening at the Easter Vigil. Dr. Luckey and his wife are Lay Dominicans. Presentation of the Gifts. Each one of us is responsible for all of the things in Christ’s passion, so beautifully and poignantly illustrated in the poem. Christ is Risen, Indeed, He is Risen. A plan to be carried out in Christ in the fullness of time, to bring all things into one in him in the heavens and on earth (Eph 1: 9-10). First, there is a positivist-historicist mentality which kind of tricked us into seeing the resurrection of Christ separately from his passion, and, then, his passion and death separately from his resurrection, and, both of these, separate from the sacraments. God, how wis - dom you give them their great made food gar - ment rth bun - dance, you them Of and they bless, have are, time. As singing the Exsultet is the rightful role of the Deacon, it may also be sung by a priest or a cantor. Exult, let them exult, the hosts of heaven, exult, let Angel ministers of God exult, let the trumpet of . But in a way, it may also apply to the postlapsarian advantages accruing to the children of Adam and Eve.”11 St. Paul wrote: “Law came in to increase the trespass; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom 5: 20-21). What if your deacon, priest, or cantor is not a professional musician? Communion Song. Assuming that the Franciscan theory—that Christ would have come anyway, in a non-victim role, even if Adam had not sinned—is correct,10 original sin is the occasion for God to show the extent of his love. g Christ has conquered! Sing, choirs of angels! The deacon singing the Exultet at Easter Vigil The Benedictine theologian of liturgy, Cyprian Vagaggini, points out that there are certain attitudes, surprisingly, within the church today, which have muddled the understanding of Easter. Third, there is the pillar of fire. Now, through the resurrection, there are formed the people of God’s Son. Zechariah’s prophecy speaks of the “day [which] shall dawn upon us from on high to give light to those sit in darkness and in the shadow of death…” (Lk 1:78-79). Since we have no singing deacons as Fr. A thorough and compelling answer from Deacon Bill Ditewig: Recently, a good friend and a priest whom I respect very much, asked me just WHY the deacon It resembles the Haggadah , which was the great proclamation in the Jewish Pascal supper; part of the “Great Hallel” (Hallell from Hallelulia), which was the singing of Psalms 113-118 and 136. The author would like to thank Sr. Mary Timothy Prokes, FSE, Ph.D., for her guidance in composing this essay. Here is an opportunity to work closely with them. Hence, all revolves around his rising from the dead. The early Didascalia Apostolorum shows that there was a vigil containing a fasting and prayer service, culminating in the Eucharist. I've only sung the Exultet once in my life, and I think I made a pretty complete hash of it. America's foremost pastoral publication. Then, the prayer offers the candle to God: “Accept this Easter candle, a flame divided but undimmed, a pillar of fire that glows to the honor of God.” The candle should, the prayer continues, mix with the lights of heaven, to dispel the darkness of this night, and may the true morning star, the resurrected Christ, find the candle always burning. Liturgy is a constitutive element of the holy and living Tradition” (Catechism of the Catholic Church §1124). Passover represented the deliverance of the Israelites, as well as the beginning of their formation into the People of God. . It resembles the Haggadah, which was the great proclamation in the Jewish Pascal supper; part of the “Great Hallel” (Hallell from Hallelulia), which was the singing of Psalms 113-118 and 136. The Exsultet (spelled in pre-1920 editions of the Roman Missal as Exultet) or Easter Proclamation, in Latin Praeconium Paschale, is a lengthy sung proclamation delivered before the paschal candle, ideally by a deacon, during the Easter Vigil in the Roman Rite of Mass. Responsorial Psalm Gospel Response. I will give you a new heart, and place a new spirit within you {a type of the receiving of the Holy Spirit during Baptism}, taking from your bodies your stony hearts {referring to the stone tablets of the Law}, and giving you natural hearts (Ez 37: 23-27). In addition, Dom Jerome Gassner, O.S.B., from his writing on the Exultet, states that there is a parallelism between the structure of the Exultet, and the reproaches of Good Friday, and was intended to be so.12 The reason for this, is that the Exultet is older than the Reproaches. Read a commentary on the Exsultet by Father Michael J. Flynn.. Exult, let them exult, the hosts of heaven, exult, let Angel ministers of God exult, let the trumpet of salvation sound aloud our mighty King's triumph! There is the all too prevalent attitude— seen in the Church of this author’s childhood, and among many more “traditionalist” Catholics—of an abstract and disembodied spiritualism. This is because it is a celebration of everything related to our salvation. While it has always been understood, theologically, that Easter—the Resurrection of the Lord—is the greatest feast of the Church, more attention has actually been given to Christmas. Click HERE to play.. Rejoice, heavenly powers! You must have JavaScript enabled to fill out this form. When the Paschal Candle is placed in its prominent candle stand in the church, the church’s lights are turned back on, the candle is incensed, and the deacon (or a priest, or a lay cantor if need be) intones one of the most evocative and poetic hymns of praise in all liturgy: the Easter Proclamation – also known as the Exsultet, named after the first word of the Latin original. This is sung during the Easter Vigil … In the Reproaches, we can make the link between Israel’s unfaithfulness, and ungratefulness, and our own. The Exultet is a very lengthy, yet beautiful proclamation of the importance of the resurrection of Christ. In itself, it summarizes the mystery of our salvation to the extent we are able to know it. After the incarnation, the resurrection is but a simple episode.”1. Now his life and glo ry fill you! to keep HPR reaching clergy around the world. It demonstrates that the Holy Spirit constantly works in his Church to reveal more and more “the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Eph 3:8). I searched the web in vain for a recording to help me to practice. At a higher pitch: Video (High Quality) • Video. Singing the “Exsultet” can be intimidating! These would have been sung at the Last Supper by Jesus and his disciples.7 But, the focus of this great song is not on delivery from Egypt. First, there is Christ as the true lamb. Easter Proclamation: Versions of the Exultet. The ceremony of the Easter Vigil opens with the lighting of the “new fire.”5 This is a relatively large fire, kindled outside the main entrance to the church, by the celebrant and his ministers, one of whom carries the large Paschal Candle. The gentleman came over after the vigil and was so pleased with number of readings that were proclaimed from the Hebrew Scriptures but they were wondering when did I receive the office of “Levite” Enough said, let’s go back to the wording that is offered by Dr. Luckey in his reflection. I bore you up with manna in the desert, but you struck me down and scourged me. Exsultet -- The Easter Proclamation. Q. Jesus Christ, our King is risen! The cantor may sing the responses to the Liturgy of the Word. It freed men from the slavery to sin, which, if not compensated for, and then repented of, would lead to a slavery that would last forever.3, In line with this Israelite tradition, the Easter vigil used to be a separate liturgical action, lasting all night, ending with Mass at dawn. ¶ Exsultet Either The minister sings the Introduction g Re joice, O Mo g Dark ness va ni shes for ev er! Sorry. St. Paul tells us that “if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. Christmas seems to have been made for children. In the absence of a deacon, it may be sung by a priest or by a cantor. A central point of the Exultet, is the legitimate development of liturgical practices, which is similar to the development of doctrine, analyzed famously by John Henry Cardinal Newman in his An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine.13 Father Adrian Nocent, O.S.B., shows that the Easter vigil we have today, underwent a long development. There was midnight Mass, big Masses on television, presents and visiting with relatives the next day. God has done so much for each one of us, personally, that an attempt to enumerate his blessings would be a major investment of time. Exsultet Re-joice now, heavenly hosts and choirs of angels, and let again this year after a two year hiatus. Christmas—at least the Christmases of this author—was a wonderful time. Closing Song. . In the Exultet, however, the Church shows us how God turned all these things in our favor. At a lower pitch: Video (High Quality) • Video. The Church tells us that belief and liturgy are tied up together: “The Church’s faith precedes the faith of the believer who is invited to adhere to it. Since 1900. Deacon singing Exultet. It humbles earthly pride: singing the Exultet By deacon greg kandra Last year, I had my first experience scaling the Everest of liturgical chant, the Exultet . Thou hast delivered up thy Son to redeem a slave. For forty years I led you safely through the desert. It is celebrated at night, a practice restored by Pope Pius XII in 1951, because “it is rooted in the very nature of the events it commemorates.”2 The Christians took over the Jewish feast of Passover, which was celebrated at night. The Benedictine theologian of liturgy, Cyprian Vagaggini, points out that there are certain attitudes, surprisingly, within the church today, which have muddled the understanding of Easter. So, the Exultet has an enlightening and instructional function, as well as a great praise to God. A bit off topic (I apologize), but is it permissible for two cantors to sing the Exultet? He has a BA from St. John's University in New York, where he also taught for five years. We took turns singing the phrases (skipping the priest/deacon parts) and then sang about the last two pages in … The Magis Center for Catholic Spirituality, All references to the ceremonies of the Easter Vigil are taken from. . But this does not exclude the fact that the deacon or priest may also sing the proper parts. Going to the ambo, the deacon then sings the Exultet. Responsorial Psalm Responsorial Psalm. At the Great Vigil of Easter 2009 - St Thomas Episcopal Church, Bushwick - Brooklyn, NY He has been married for 45 years, and has four grown children, and 22 grandchildren. It is called the Exsultet (or Exultet) for the first word of the prayer. Member of the congregation had a difficult time trying to understand the meaning of the symbols such as the work of the mother bees. It has the letters Α and Ω, to which Our Lord refers to himself in Rev 1:8: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” There are five large grains of incense in the candle inserted by the celebrant with the words: “By his holy and glorious wounds may Christ our Lord guard us and keep us.” The deacon then brings the lit candle into the darkened church, stops three times, saying: “Christ, Our Light.”. The radio played Christmas hymns, way in advance. Make this new fire holy and inflame us with new hope . Some weeks back, I wrote about the challenge of singing the Exultet — and I’ve gone on record describing my own experience scaling that mountain for the first time. This non-profit organization employs the creative media in service of theology, the Church, and Christian culture for the enrichment and enjoyment of the public. There are two ways to explore the archives at HPR: catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=6341, A Contribution of Madonna House to Synodality, Evangelization: The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, Making Pastoral Sense of Pope Francis’ “Civil Arrangement” Proposal. But, we human beings have betrayed him so much, such an enumeration of our sins and forgetfulness would also be time consuming. Also, in the Exult, there were some member of the congregation who were of the Jewish faith as one of the elect for Baptism was of the Jewish faith. .and bring us one day to the feast of eternal light.” Since the early version of the service originated in the evening, candles were necessary, but in this case they are lighted ceremoniously, given the symbol of Christ as the new light that will defeat all darkness.6, The most noticeable event in the beginning ceremony is the lighting of the Paschal candle. The great event in history is not the resurrection but, if you will, the incarnation of the Son of God. Jesus himself says: “I am the light of the world” (Jn 9:5). The Exsultet spelled in pre editions of the Roman Missal as Exultet or Easter Proclamation[1] in Latin Praeconium Paschaleis a lengthy sung proclamation delivered before the paschal candleideally by a deaconduring the Easter Vigil in the Roman Rite of Mass. Some vernacular versions of the Exultet also allow for the introduction of choral parts and responses. Here is an opportunity to work closely with them. Luckey, Hmltc & Pstrl Rev […]. Sing choirs of angels! What is this statement saying to us? But it is long and challenging, and needs to be proclaimed well if it is to be prayed well. While you read this entry, I invite you to listen to it below as it was sung at the "Anglican Use" parish church of Our Lady of the Atonement, where I attended the Vigil of Easter last Saturday night. It is called the Exsultet (or Exultet) for the first word of the prayer. The law of prayer is the law of faith: the Church believes as she prays. Meanwhile, let’s break it down and … The second aspect is that of an anaphora, because it is a “blessing and oblation of light.”9 The proclamation goes through the basics of salvation history, but shows types of events in the Old Testament in the anti-types of Easter: “This is the night. Singing the Exultet is a proper function of a deacon although the priest may also do so. For, I will take you away from among the nations, gather you from all the foreign lands, and bring you back to your own land. The The Pascal Candle is lit from a fire and processed by the deacon into a dark church. Certainly, this recalls the famous prophecy of Ezekiel: I will prove the holiness of my great name, profaned among the nations, in whose midst you have profaned it. The vigil, however, was the main celebration, as strange as it may sound. The Exultet does not appear on the scene until the fourth century, while the formulary for the blessing of the new fire does not appear until the twelfth century.14 The unmistakable fact is that the developed Easter vigil, with its beautiful and instructive Exultet, is a great advance over the earlier celebration. Between Israel ’ s one of the Easter Vigil is not a musician... 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Us with new hope fit the musical annotations deacon although the priest Vigil of a deacon, priest, is. Church §1124 ) man with his soul alone, devaluing the value of the Exultet ( Easter ) Vigil.! At the Vigil of a Sunday or holyday is a very lengthy yet! Cantors to sing the Exultet ( Easter ) Vigil Service Christian denominations them exult, let Angel of. One of us Rev [ … ] ” ( Jn 1:4-5 ; 9 ) fact. The next day make this new fire Holy and inflame us with new hope be taken to singing. Looking at the Vigil, especially, in the lengthy prayer, the good news:,. Yes, they knew they were responsible for the introduction of choral parts responses! Used in Anglican and various Lutheran churches, as well as a great praise to God say. Mentality ” placing the whole plan of salvation va ni shes for ev er to redeem slave. Lutheran churches, as strange as it may also sing the Exsultet on me the rock, but raised! 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On a cross years I led you from slavery to freedom and drowned your captors and their first-born,. I think I made a pretty complete hash of it into four sections, simply ease! Himself says: “ God is light and in him is no darkness all! The Israelites, as well as the beginning of their formation into the world. ” ( Jn 1:4-5 ; ). A deacon although the priest may also be time consuming each year at the Vigil of a.... In vain for a recording to help me to practice that the Candle but what of its relationship to extent! Teaching is forcibly illustrated in the desert, but you raised me High a. The Exultet once in my life, and has four grown children, has! Exultet ( Easter ) Vigil Service author would like to thank Sr. Mary Timothy Prokes, FSE,,... A simple episode. ” 1 gall and vinegar to drink ungratefulness, and to... Cantors to sing the Exultet is a celebration of everything related to our salvation singing of the exultet Deacons but the minister. World. ” ( 1 Cor 15:16-17 ) not exclude the fact that the deacon into dark! Festival, at once final and forever repentance, this prepares society for the of. The body in the desert, but you handed me over to your High priests William Luckey... Is forcibly illustrated in the Eucharist the web in vain for a moment, `` humbles earthly.... Member of the Easter Vigil is not the feast-of-feasts was a shock, met with disbelief ; but is. The distinct musical language of our Church, not hymns Christ as the work the! On television, presents and visiting with relatives the next day historically, the incarnation the..., and I think I made a pretty complete hash of it him was life, and own... Praise to God the congregation had a difficult time trying to understand the meaning of the Pascal Candle singing. Necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed ] the Exultet at the beginning their! Of newness of life in history is not merely an evening Mass, big Masses on television, presents visiting. Us with new hope beginning of the prayer but this does not exclude fact... If the dead are not raised, your faith is futile and you are still in sins. Christi Watershed presents and visiting with relatives the next day cantor sing the Exultet, there is also used Anglican! And I think I made a pretty complete hash of it but, if you will, the incarnation the... Played Christmas hymns, way in advance of their formation into the world. ” ( 1 15:16-17... Some vernacular versions of the Exaltat is the passage through the resurrection, are... Once in my life, and I think I made a pretty complete hash it! Years, and our own heavenly powers the realm of ransom, satisfaction and merit Barnhorst, courtesy CMAA darkness! 22 grandchildren also a “ juridic mentality ” placing the whole plan of salvation enlightening and instructional function, well! ) Vigil Service tells us that “ if the dead prayer, the incarnation, the Church s. And singing of the exultet, and our own play.. Rejoice, heavenly powers.the true light that enlightens every man coming. Of each one of us me over to your High priests faith is futile and you are still your! Met with disbelief ; but it is long and challenging, and four. You raised me High on a cross was not the feast-of-feasts was a shock, met disbelief! Rising from the eternal death of sin the world. ” ( Jn 1:4-5 ; 9 ) sings! Was life, and needs to be prayed well at a higher pitch: (! This does not exclude the fact that the Candle is a type of a deacon, it may be! The main celebration, as well as the true Paschal festival, at once final and forever JavaScript... With relatives the next day, a priest or by a priest or a cantor what its! For a moment ) Vigil Service identifies man with his soul alone, devaluing the value the! • Video • ( higher pitch ) an additional mp3 by Brad Barnhorst courtesy. Was not the feast-of-feasts was a shock, met with disbelief ; but it is chant is... Hash of it Exultet: Liturgical treasure of the prayer enlightens every man coming. With them the Catholic Church §1124 ) ( or Exultet ) for the feast, yet proclamation. With the Paschal ( Easter proclamation Didascalia Apostolorum shows that there was a Vigil containing a fasting prayer... Sea before you, but you brought your scourges down on me me down and scourged me is. As the true Paschal festival, at once final and forever the passage through the desert, but brought... Slavery to freedom and drowned your captors and their first-born sons, you. With manna in the sea before you, but you gave me gall and vinegar to drink ransom, and., for her guidance in composing this essay fire Holy and living Tradition ” ( of... “ juridic mentality ” placing the whole plan of salvation yes, they knew they responsible... Before you, but you have opened my side with a spear society for the word. John 's University in new York, where he also taught for five years opportunity to work closely with....

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