Holy Easter Saturday celebrated across Europe
Pope Francis presides over the Vatican's Easter Vigil, as Germany's Easter peace marches call for end of war in Ukraine and Gaza.
The Easter Vigil, also called the Paschal Vigil, the Great Vigil of Easter, or Holy Saturday in the Easter Vigil on the Holy Night of Easter is a liturgy held in traditional Christian churches as the first official celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus. Historically, it is during this liturgy that people are baptized and that adult catechumens are received into full communion with the Church. It is held in the hours of darkness between sunset on Holy Saturday and sunrise on Easter Day – most commonly in the evening of Holy Saturday or midnight – and is the first celebration of Easter, days traditionally being considered to begin at sunset.
Pope Francis presides over the Vatican's Easter Vigil, as Germany's Easter peace marches call for end of war in Ukraine and Gaza.