Last night we celebrated a Pentecost Vigil - a service of readings and psalms inviting the Holy Spirit more deeply into our lives. During the vigil the apse was flooded with red light, symbolising the fire that was a sign of the Holy Spirit's coming upon the Church. The liturgy ended with Benediction, the litany of the Holy Spirit, and the 'Te Deum', an ancient hymn sung on important feasts.
Above, a scene from early in the vigil, before the red lights appeared. A fairly small congregation was present for the entire liturgy, though the numbers swelled as time went on, so most people got to see the lighting spectacular! The red light remains today. Below, a flame-like glow illuminates the Blessed Sacrament chapel during the 10:30am Mass.
Last night we celebrated a Pentecost Vigil - a service of readings and psalms inviting the Holy Spirit more deeply into our lives. During the vigil the apse was flooded with red light, symbolising the fire that was a sign of the Holy Spirit's coming upon the Church. The liturgy ended with Benediction, the litany of the Holy Spirit, and the 'Te Deum', an ancient hymn sung on important feasts.
Above, a scene from early in the vigil, before the red lights appeared. A fairly small congregation was present for the entire liturgy, though the numbers swelled as time went on, so most people got to see the lighting spectacular! The red light remains today. Below, a flame-like glow illuminates the Blessed Sacrament chapel during the 10:30am Mass.
