The Easter Vigil is the Christian service that begins after sunset on Holy Saturday and celebrates Jesus’s resurrection.
It is the central liturgy of the Easter Triduum in many Western Christian traditions. The service commonly includes the lighting of a Paschal candle, readings that recount salvation history, the proclamation of Easter, and the celebration of baptism or the renewal of baptismal promises.
The vigil is intentionally held at night because Easter begins liturgically after the darkness of Holy Saturday. Its movement from darkness to light expresses the transition from death to resurrection. In Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, and other churches, the structure and terminology can vary, but the Easter Vigil remains a major nighttime observance.
The service is distinct from Easter Sunday morning worship, even though both celebrate the resurrection. Eastern Christian churches also hold nighttime Paschal services, but their names and liturgical forms differ by tradition.