THE PASCHAL PROCLAMATION

There is no moment in the church year quite like the singing of the Paschal Proclamation. We know it best as the Exsultet, the great chant that breaks the silence of the Easter Vigil. After the new fire is blessed and the Paschal candle is carried into a darkened church, the deacon or cantor steps up to the ambo to sing these words. As the congregation stands holding their own small, flickering candles, this long, soaring melody announces that the gloom of sin has finally been banished by the light of Christ.

The text itself is a profound journey through salvation history. It calls on the hosts of heaven, the earth, and Mother Church to rejoice before diving into the story of our redemption. We hear about the Passover, the crossing of the Red Sea, and that striking, unforgettable phrase: "O happy fault that earned so great, so glorious a Redeemer!" It is a demanding piece for whoever is chosen to sing it, requiring breath control and a steady, prayerful focus to carry the assembly through its long, continuous narrative.

Towards the end, the chant turns its attention to the Paschal candle itself, praising the "work of bees" and praying that its flame will mingle with the lights of heaven. When the final "Amen" rings out, the long wait of Lent is truly over. For choirs and congregations alike, hearing the Exsultet means Easter has officially arrived.