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Views from the Choir Loft

“Truly Bizarre!” • Easter Vigil on Easter Sunday?

Jeff Ostrowski · April 11, 2023

E RECENTLY posted a lengthy article giving details on why the EASTER VIGIL was celebrated early on Holy Saturday morning (or early afternoon) for more than 1,000 years. A famous internet priest—known for his expertise in the sacred liturgy—called this article “a truly outstanding resource for anyone wishing to understand the changes made by Pope Pius XII to Holy Week.” The article is also thievery, because it rips off the highlights (“tip of the iceberg”) from the third edition of the SAINT EDMUND CAMPION MISSAL, which contains copious information, quotes, comparative charts, and so forth regarding the 1950 version of Holy Week vs. the 1962 version.1

Remarkable Discovery! • That lengthy article explains the damage done by tampering with the traditional times of celebration. Recently, an anonymous Twitter account revealed something jaw-dropping. Owing to the harm caused by the reformers’ fiddling with the traditional times, bishops’ conferences were asking Rome for solutions. But rather than allowing the traditional times, the Vatican gave permission to allow the EASTER VIGIL (a.k.a. “Easter Eve”) to be celebrated on Easter Sunday morning!

Permission was granted (for five years, beginning in 1968) by the Vatican.

BCL Newsletter • The BCL Newsletter circa 1968 gives more details:

Father Michael Irwin • There was a time during the 1990s when my family went to Mass at a parish where Father Michael Irwin (d. 2019) was the pastor. One year, I remember vividly how Father Irwin decided the EASTER VIGIL would start at 8:00pm. A certain faction of the parish were all part of a particular ‘traditionalist’ movement which was rather militant. [I will not specify its name, because it’s irrelevant.] This group decided to boycott the EASTER VIGIL that year, because—according to what they believed—the EASTER VIGIL must take place around Midnight, otherwise it’s “modernist.” Anyone who’s read my lengthy article will realize how wrongheaded such an idea was. Indeed, Father Irwin’s vigil was closer to the traditional time! (But, of course, the rebel faction didn’t realize that.) Even as a young child, it struck me as reprehensible to boycott the Mass of one’s pastor. Looking back, I still feel that way.

Conclusion • My colleague, Corrinne May, told me that I do a poor job of ending my articles. She says I often fail to give a proper summation. Therefore, let me say:

(1) The reformers harmed the church greatly by thoughtlessly modifying the traditional times of Holy Week. To give just one example, their tinkering destroyed TENEBRAE, an ancient ceremony held in high esteem by Catholics (during which they were exposed to more Sacred Scripture than at any other time).

(2) This damage was recognized at the time. For example, many churches in Rome simply ignored the new directives! They kept doing TENEBRAE. The American bishops, writing to Rome, explained the harm caused by moving the Easter Vigil from its traditional time (which had worked very well for 1,000+ years). Rather than allowing them to keep the traditional time, Rome gave permission to celebrate the Easter Vigil on the morning of Easter Sunday. Do we really believe that most Catholics—having attended the Easter Vigil on Easter Sunday morning—returned later that day to attend Easter Sunday Mass? As I pointed out in my lengthy article, the Easter Vigil Mass has less music than any other Mass. It has no INTROIT, no GRADUAL, no SEQUENCE, no CREDO, no OFFERTORY, no AGNUS DEI, no COMMUNION ANTIPHON, and so forth. Even the lowest ferial Mass has more music than the Easter Vigil Mass. Ever since 1955, the erroneous idea has arisen (and is still with us) that the EASTER VIGIL constitutes “the crown jewel” of the liturgical year. This erroneous idea has resulted in neglect of Easter Sunday. Because of this false notion, many Catholics never hear the “Victimæ Paschali,” or the “Hæc Dies,” or the ancient “Pascha Nostrum” Alleluia. And that’s lamentable.

(3) Those interested in the specific differences between the 1950 Holy Week and the 1962 Holy Week should consult the third edition of the SAINT EDMUND CAMPION MISSAL.

1 Indeed, the CAMPION MISSAL is the only hand-missal which contains both versions of Holy Week.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Easter Vigil on Easter Sunday Morning, Pre-1955 Holy Week, Primo mane diei Paschatis Last Updated: April 11, 2023

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About Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He resides with his wife and children in Michigan. —(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Luis Martínez Must Go!
    Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!
    A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)
    I was asked to create a booklet for my parish to use during our CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION on 22 June 2025. Would you be willing to look over the DRAFT BOOKLET (16 pages) I came up with? I tried to include a variety of hymns: some have a refrain; some are in major, others in minor; some are metered, others are plainsong; some are in Spanish, some are in Latin, but most are in English. Normally, we’d use the Brébeuf Hymnal—but we can’t risk having our congregation carry those heavy books all over the city to various churches.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
    Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
    Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Antiphons Don’t Match?
    A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Random Quote

The “jolly good guy” kind of pastor can be an irritant. […] Ministers of the Gospel are not used car salesmen whose heartiness is a mile wide and an inch deep. A bemused layman told me that a bishop joked with him, but turned away like a startled deer when asked an important question…

— Fr. George Rutler (7 August 2017)

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Corpus Christi Watershed is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to exploring and embodying as our calling the relationship of religion, culture, and the arts. 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.

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