vigil Masses in the EF
  • Paul F. Ford
    Posts: 868
    I have been asked at what hour vigil Masses are celebrated in the extraordinary form. I know that the Easter Vigil is celebrated at midnight, but what about the vigil of Christmas? Are there any other vigils in the EF?

    Gratefully,
    Paul
  • BruceL
    Posts: 1,072
    There is a Pentecost Vigil pre-1962, but I'm not sure if it's licit to celebrate since it was suppressed in the '62 missal.
  • BachLover2BachLover2
    Posts: 330
    i believe Christmas vigil was always celebrated the morning before Christmas
  • Ioannes Andreades
    Posts: 312
    I am not aware of any rubrics on such a question in the 1962 M.R. Here are the relevant canons from the 1918 code of canon law, which regulated the mass through 1962:
    Can 821 §1. Missae celebrandae initium ne fiat citius quam una hora ante auroram vel serius quam una hora post meridiem.
    The start of the celebration of mass is not to happen earlier than one hour before dawn or later than one hour after noon. (Says nothing about daylight savings time)
    §2. In nocte Nativitatis Domini inchoari media nocte potest sola Missa conventualis vel paroecialis, non autem alia sine apostolico indulto.
    On the night of Christmas, a conventual or parish mass only can be begun at midnight, and no others without apostolic indult.

    However, my understanding is that since the new code says nothing about times of mass, E.F. masses can be said at any time of day. It would be odd to say an E.F. vigil after 1st vespers of a feast, but I'm not even sure that this would be illicit.
  • Ioannes Andreades
    Posts: 312
    Epiphany and Ascension also had vigils too. I think that you'd have to consider ember Saturdays vigils too.
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