April 16, 2017 ~ St Peregrine Laziosi Diocesan Shrine. With the blessing of fire at the start of the Easter Vigil held at 8:30PM of Holy Saturday at the St. Peregrine Laziosi Diocesan Shrine, the Holy Week concluded and heralded in the joyful season of Easter.

With Parochial Administrator, Rev Fr Leonard Ma. Guiang, OSM presiding over the Easter Vigil Liturgy, the new fire, symbolizing our eternal life in Christ, was kindled and the Paschal Candle, inscribed with a cross, the first letters and last of the Greek alphabet, (Alpha and Omega `the beginning and the end’) and the current year, was lit and the five grains of incense was affixed while processing into the darkened interior of the Shrine.

The Paschal candle represents Christ, the Light of the World. The pure beeswax of which the candle is made represents the sinless Christ who was formed in the womb of His Mother. The wick signifies His humanity, the flame, His Divine Nature, both soul and body and the five grains of incense inserted into the candle in the form of a cross recalls the aromatic spices with which His Sacred Body was prepared for the tomb, and of the five wounds in His hands, feet, and side.

At the sound of the “Gloria”, the lights of the Shrine were turned on, illuminating everything and signalling the Resurrection of Christ. The blessing of water, which is primarily used for Baptisms, followed after the Homily was delivered. The congregation then renewed Baptismal vows and sprinkled with the newly-blessed water.

The Parish Administrator’s Easter Message reminds us of why we renew our baptismal vows during Easter: “This Easter Sunday we are celebrating the paschal mystery of Christ. The very heart of the liturgical year is the paschal mystery of Christ. And the very center of the history of salvation is the paschal mystery. Every Easter we are renewing our baptismal promises; every time a person is baptized, it is Easter.”

Christ is risen! And let it go out to every house and every family in the parish for in this year, we are invited as a parish to be truly a communion of communities.