Easter Vigil

Exsultet - Praeconium Paschale

Sed iam columnae huius praeconia novimus,
quam in honorem Dei rutilans ignis accendit.
Qui, licet sit divisus in partes,
mutuati tamen luminis detrimenta non novit.
Alitur enim liquantibus ceris, quas in substantiam pretiosae huius lampadis apis mater eduxit.

And now we know the excellence of this pillar,
which the bright fire lights for the honor of God.
Which fire, though now divided,
suffers no loss from the communication of its light. Because it is fed by the melted wax, which the mother bee wrought for the substance of this precious lamp.

- from pre 1962 Roman Catholic Missal.
The Exultet unites the pillar of fire that went before the Israelites on their flight from Egypt with the arrival of our Saviour of the world, which in Orthodox Christianity, is symbolised in the one resurrected body of Jesus. The candle with which we are graced to carry forward His light, and His intent, into the rest of the liturgical year, is lit in the Easter Vigil.