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Community Corner

Aquidneck Deanery Easter Vigil

Every Episcopal congregation
in the Aquidneck Deanery and the chapel of St. George’s School have been
invited by The Right Reverend W. Nicholas Knisely, Bishop of the Episcopal
Diocese of Rhode Island, to participate in a joint Easter Vigil service at The
Zabriskie Memorial Church of St. John the Evangelist on The Point in Newport,
Rhode Island, on Saturday, April 19, 2014, at 7:30 p.m. Bishop Knisely will
preside as Celebrant. The Bishop’s Vicar, The Reverend Nathan J.A. Humphrey,
will give the homily at the first Mass of Easter that evening. St. John’s is
located at Washington and Willow Streets in Newport.



The Aquidneck Deanery
is a unit of the Diocese covering all of the churches on Aquidneck Island, plus
Tiverton and Little Compton. Only Holy Trinity, Tiverton will be unable to
participate due to a prior ecumenical commitment with the churches of Tiverton
that evening. In addition to St. George’s School Chapel and the hosting
congregation, St. John’s, the participating congregations will be: Trinity,
Newport; Emmanuel, Newport; St. Columba’s, Middletown; Holy Cross, Middletown;
St. Mary’s, Portsmouth; St. Paul’s, Portsmouth; and St. Andrew’s-by-the-Sea,
Little Compton.



The Great Vigil of
Easter is the single most important service of the Christian Year, and amongst
the most ancient liturgies of the Church, documented as far back as the year
215 A.D., and believed to be apostolic in origins, that is, dating back to the
communities founded by the twelve apostles of Jesus. The Easter Vigil consists
of four parts: The Service of Light, at which the Paschal Candle is lit from a
great fire kindled in the rear of the church; The Service of Lessons, during
which Biblical accounts of central events in salvation history are recounted in
the darkened church; Christian Initiation, held in candlelight, which may
include baptisms, confirmations, and the renewal of baptismal vows; and the
Holy Eucharist, with the administration of Easter Communion in the context of a
bright and joyful Mass. The Great Vigil of Easter is preceded in Holy Week by
Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, and the three services are known collectively
as the Triduum Sacrum, the “Three
Holy Days.”

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The clergy and people
of each participating congregation will take active roles in the celebration of
this most solemn and joyful service, which is free and open to the public. It
is recommended that attendees arrive early in order to secure a seat. All
participants are invited to bring hand bells, securely wrapped, which will be
rung with great joy and fanfare at the proclamation of Easter.



Parking is available
on the street in the historic Point neighborhood, as well as in the garage at the
Newport Visitors Center, 23 America’s Cup Avenue, Newport, conveniently located
only a short walk from St. John’s.

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