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The Exultet for the Great Vigil of Easter

The Exultet 

Rejoice now all ye heavenly hosts of angels, and let the divine mysteries be celebrated, and for the triumph of so great a King,
let the trumpet proclaim salvation, and let the earth brightened with such effulgence delight herself, and illumined by the splendor of the eternal king
perceive the darkness of the universe
to be dispersed and done away. 

And let our mother the church rejoice
brightened by the radiance of so great a light,
and let these courts resound mightily
with the voices of his people.
Wherefore I pray and beseech you beloved brethren
attending at the glorious brightness of this illumination,
that you call with one accord upon the loving kindness of our God, who is merciful and mighty.
That he who has deemed graciously to remember me,
the most unworthy of his servants among the order of deacons, would pour upon me the light of his Holy Spirit,
that I may worthily perform this sacred Paschal office.
through Jesus Christ his son our only Lord and Savior,
who with the Father liveth and reigneth,
one God in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
forever and ever world without end. Amen. 

It is very meet and right that the invisible God Almighty,
the Father, and His only begotten Son, and of the Holy Spirit, should be proclaimed with desire of heart and mind
and with the ministry of our voices.
For he did pay for us the debt of Adam to the eternal Father,
and by His holy Blood
has washed away the witness of our ancient sin.
For this is indeed the Paschal feast
where in that very lamb is slain,
and by his blood the door posts are hallowed.
The night is come where in thous didst bring our fathers,
the children of Israel, out of Egypt, through the Red Sea,
and didst make them to pass through its waters dry shod.
Wherefore the night is come
wherein were driven away
the shades of sin by the light of the fiery pillar.
O thrice blessed night, in which Egypt is utterly destroyed
and the Hebrews come forth in triumph;
night in which the heavenly things are joined into the earthly.
The night is come wherein even now
the believers in Christ throughout the whole universe,
set free from the evil of the world and the darkness of sin,
are restored to grace and knit together in holiness.
The night is come where in Christ has burst the bonds of death,
and from the grave is risen again in triumph.
For to be born into the world hath pro"ted us nothing,
except we had been redeemed.
O wonderous condescension, thy loving mercy towards us!
O inestimable love of a fatherly compassion:
to redeem the rebel servant thou didst give thine only Son!
O truly blessed night which alone was witness of the hour and season where in Christ did perfect his Resurrection!
The night has come where of it is written,
“The night is as clear as the day,”
and, “Then shall my night be turned to day in my joy and gladness.” Therefore through the sanctifying power of this holy night wickedness fleeeth sin is purged,
and innocence restored to the fallen, and joy to the sorrowful; 

hatred vanishes, concord reigneth, and low laid is tyranny. Therefore in honor of this night, receive, O Holy Father, this illumination as our evening sacrifice,
which to thee in this solemn oblation of wax, 

the work of the bees the creatures,
thy Holy Church here offereth at the hands of her ministers. Full well we know the tidings of this fiery pillar
which, for the glory of God, the glowing flame is kindling. 

THE LIGHTING OF THE PASCHAL CANDLE 

Which, though it be dispersed in many quarters,
yet by borrowed radiance suffers no diminution.
We therefore pray thee, O Lord, that this candle, consecrated to the honor of thy most holy Name,
and abiding steadfast through the darkness of this night, may show forth thy glory. 

And being acceptable for its sweet smelling savor, let it be joined with the heavenly lights above.
Let the morning star find its flame still burning, yea that morning star which knowest no setting: yea He, who from the grave returning, 

shown serene upon his humankind.
We therefore pray the, O Lord,
that onto us they servants, all the clergy and most devout people, together with Foley our Archbishop, Joe our President,
and likewise William our Bishop,
thou wilt grant times of quietness and peace,
and that in these Paschal joys thou wilt be please to preserve us: who liveth and reigneth and art praised,
only God, and only Lord most high, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit, and the glory of God the Father. Amen. 

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