One year ago in April 2020, then-Archbishop Wilton Gregory celebrated his first Easter Vigil as the archbishop of Washington, but the normally joyful Mass lacked a congregation and there were no Baptisms, Confirmations for First Communions of new Catholics, due to government restrictions on public gatherings during the first months of the coronavirus pandemic. The liturgy was livestreamed from the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle so people could participate in it virtually.
On April 3, 2021, Cardinal Wilton Gregory as the archbishop of Washington presided at a joyful Easter Vigil at St. Matthew’s Cathedral, where 16 people became full members of the Catholic Church and received the sacraments of initiation.
“This local Church has been enriched in so many ways, and tonight we are enriched by our newest Catholics,” Cardinal Gregory said before his final blessing at the Easter Vigil.
Autiyonna Johnson receives her First Communion from Cardinal Gregory at the April 3 Easter Vigil at St. Matthew's Cathedral. (CS photo/Andrew Biraj)
Those being baptized and receiving their First Communion and the sacrament of Confirmation at the cathedral were among 830 people in parishes across the Archdiocese of Washington who became full members of the Catholic Church on that Easter Vigil, as churches in the District of Columbia like St. Matthew’s and in the surrounding Maryland counties could have congregations while maintaining COVID-19 safety protocols like mandatory mask wearing and social distancing. The Mass was again livestreamed, as were the Holy Week and Easter liturgies celebrated by the cardinal and those liturgies at parishes across the archdiocese.
In his homily, the cardinal noted, “Those born into the life of the Church this Easter are wonderful examples of the presence of Christ in His Church. These men, women and youngsters who have discovered the Christ in His Word, in his sacraments, and in His Church are great reminders of where the Lord is to be found.”
Washington's archbishop confirms Matthew Eichner during the Easter Vigil at the cathedral. (CS photo/Andrew Biraj)
Cardinal Gregory smiled as he baptized four people at St. Matthew’s who also received the sacraments of Confirmation and their First Eucharist as new Catholics. Nine people already baptized as Christians received their First Communion as Catholics and were confirmed, and three Catholics completed their sacraments of Confirmation and First Eucharist at the cathedral that evening.
The joy of the evening was especially evident during Cardinal Gregory’s Baptism of a boy, Roberto Rios, who loudly proclaimed “Amen” just after he was baptized, eliciting a big smile from the cardinal.
Cardinal Gregory smiles after baptizing Roberto Rios during the April 3 Easter Vigil at the Cathedral of St. Matthew. (CS photo/Andrew Biraj)
At the beginning of the Mass in the darkened cathedral, Cardinal Gregory lit the large Paschal Candle, which represents Christ bringing light to the world through His resurrection. The candle was lit from the Easter fire in a brazier outside the cathedral’s entrance, and then the people gathered for the Mass had their small candles lit one-by-one, with pinpoints of light flickering across the church, as the deacon at the Mass sang, “The Light of Christ,” and choir members sang, “Thanks be to God.”
The Easter fire burns in a brazier outside the entrance of St. Matthew's Cathedral as the Easter Vigil began on April 3. In the photo below, Cardinal Gregory lights the Paschal Candle. (CS photos/Andrew Biraj)
Then the stirring Exsultet (Easter proclamation) was sung, to symbolize how darkness and death were overcome with the resurrected Christ’s light and new life, and one of the sung verses included a prayer that the candlelight from that night would be mingled with the lights of heaven, and a closing verse heralded the risen Christ as a morning star shining his light on humanity.
Gayahtu Fahnbulleh, who received her First Communion and the sacrament of Confirmation at St. Matthew's Easter Vigil on April 3, holds a candle during the beginning of the Mass, when the cathedral was darkened except for the candle light, signifying that the risen Christ is the light of the world. (CS photo/Andrew Biraj)
The series of readings in Spanish and English at St. Matthew’s Easter Vigil traced the story of salvation history, from God’s creation of the world in Genesis, to the Exodus account of Moses parting the waters of the Red Sea with his outstretched arms to lead the Israelites to freedom from their slavery in Egypt, followed by Old Testament readings from the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel. The Exodus account was sung and accompanied by a violinist and organist, adding to the drama.
As the cantor sang “Glory to God in the highest,” the sanctuary candles were lit and the darkened cathedral was illuminated. Then following a reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans and the triumphant singing of Alleluia by choir members, the account of the women finding Jesus’s empty tomb from St. Mark’s Gospel was read.
Roberto Rios holds a candle after being baptized by Cardinal Gregory during the Easter Vigil on April 3 at St. Matthew's Cathedral. (Archdiocese of Washington photo/Jaclyn Lippelmann)
In his homily, Cardinal Gregory noted that people might wonder where the risen Christ is to be found in 2021. He said in addition to recognizing Christ in the new Catholics joining the Church at Easter, people can also find Jesus as they gather for a special meal on Easter Sunday with family and friends.
“There you will find the risen Christ in the warmth of your homes and in the eyes and smiles of your loved ones,” he said.
Washington’s archbishop emphasized that “Christ is always to be found in the midst of His people,” and that family of faith at Easter time includes some people who might not be regular churchgoers.
Speaking after a year in which the coronavirus pandemic left more than 500,000 Americans dead, and many others who were sickened by the virus or who lost jobs and experienced food insecurity due to the resulting shutdown of businesses, Cardinal Gregory encouraged people to look for Christ in those who are in need.
“Nevertheless, long after the Easter Joy has become a memory, the Lord will also continue to be found among the poor, the hungry, the lonely, the aged, the oppressed, the undocumented immigrant and the sorrowful,” he said.
Cardinal Gregory gives his homily at the April 3 Easter Vigil at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, a landmark of faith in the nation's capital. (CS photo/Andrew Biraj)
Concluding his homily, the cardinal said, “Easter is the feast that encourages us never to look for Him in a tomb or among the dead, but to remember that He always goes just ahead of us – if we only search for Him with eyes that can see and hearts that can love and with hands to embrace Him when we find Him.”
For the recessional hymn, the choir members joyfully sang, “Jesus Christ is Risen Today.”
During the April 3 Easter Vigil at St. Matthew's Cathedral, newly baptized Jillian Shen, at left, lights a candle held by Gayahtu Fahnbulleh. (CS photo/Andrew Biraj)
Earlier that afternoon, Cardinal Gregory offered a personal message to people in the Archdiocese of Washington through a tweet that said, “Last year's Triduum was done in isolation. This year, we share these wondrous sacred events in limited numbers together. To our newest Catholics, I offer a word of heartfelt welcome. To those venturing out for church for the first time in a year, welcome home.”
The livestream of Cardinal Gregory’s 2021 Easter Vigil at St. Matthew’s Cathedral was viewed by more than 4,200 people.
The Archdiocese of Washington’s website at adw.org has a special web page at https://adw.org/media-events/events/holy-week/ with links to the cardinal's livestreamed Easter liturgies. The web page also includes links to guides for Scripture readings and prayers.
On Easter Sunday April 4, the cardinal will celebrate a livestreamed Mass at the cathedral at 9 a.m. Later on Easter Sunday, Cardinal Gregory will celebrate a noon Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception that will be televised on the Eternal Word Television Network and livestreamed on the basilica’s YouTube channel that can be linked through the National Shrine’s website at www.nationalshrine.org.
The Sunday TV Mass is a nearly 70-year-old ministry of the Archdiocese of Washington that this past year reached tens of thousands of new homebound viewers who watched it for the first time due to the pandemic. Cardinal Wilton Gregory will continue this tradition as the celebrant and homilist for the special one hour broadcast of the Sunday TV Mass on Easter Sunday, April 4, 2021 from the Crypt Church of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
The Easter Mass will air locally on WDCW TV50 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. On cable, CW50 can be found on Verizon (Ch 3), RCN (Ch 15) and Comcast in Washington, D.C. and Montgomery County (Ch 23) and Prince George’s County and Southern Maryland (Ch 3). The Easter Sunday TV Mass can also be viewed throughout the day on the Archdiocese of Washington website (adw.org/parishes-masses/sunday-tv-mass) and the basilica’s YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/user/marysshrine).
