The Longest Mass I've Ever Attended

Saturday night, 8:30 PM.

The sun sets. Dusk falls. And a bonfire is lit, to burns the palms from Palm Sunday.

So begins the Easter Vigil.

In twelve years of Catholic School this was the one thing I had never attended so I was not sure what to expect.

It was definitely different. A bit newer, as the lights were not off for all the readings - apparently, the entrance, beginning and readings are normally done in darkness, but someone flipped the lights too early. Otherwise, the first two hours of the Vigil would have been in total darkness.

After the first two hours came the moments that Kim and her class had been working to for a year. First off, about 15 baptisms. Kim got to go first - and got to be the first one completely dunked in the font. Her class went first, followed by the Spanish class.

Next off, the anointing with chrism, and then confirmations. Kim selected as her saint St. Therese of Lisieux, also known as the "Little Flower", and so when she was baptized and confirmed she was called Therese.

After that (around 11:15 at this point) was First Communion, in which we all took part. After this, the dismissal of the general audience. But, we were not done yet.

Three couples, including us, came forward to be married. Again. But this time, married and recognized by the Church. This began right after midnight, so now, we have a second anniversary date - and another holiday used as a significant date. Now, Easter as well as St. Patrick's Day is an anniversary for us.

On a related note, we're going on a trip to Key West in which Alex will come with us. Someone pointed out to me on Friday that since we were getting married that this would be a second honeymoon. I suppose that's a pretty good analogy so I'll stick with it.

It was very enlightening - not really like anything I had ever experienced before. Compared to other services at St. Joseph's, there was a lot more symbolism, mysticism, and solemnity than is normally observed. Very impressive, even though I know in other places it would probably be an even more solemn, "old-school" service.

4 hours, 4 sacraments. That's a lot faster than when I was in school and they were spread out over 6 years, or for most Catholics when they are spread out over 13 years?