Catholics filled the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington for the Easter Vigil Mass April 4, celebrated by Bishop Michael F. Burbidge.
The solemn liturgy began outside the cathedral, where Bishop Burbidge blessed the Easter fire, which symbolizes the light of Christ dispelling darkness, and prepared the paschal candle. Its light was distributed to several hundred candles held by parishioners to illuminate the cathedral during the opening of Mass.
Bishop Burbidge invoked the beginning rite during his homily. “Jesus Christ, by his cross and Resurrection conquered the darkness and defeated the power of sin, suffering and death,” he said. He congratulated the 37 people who were welcomed into full communion with the church during Mass.
According to Father Patrick L. Posey, rector since 2019, it is the largest such group in recent memory. Staff who have worked at the parish since the mid-1990s cannot recall a larger class. He said many of these new Catholics joined the church seeking stability, happiness and peace, in a world of relativism, unrest and even violence.
“Go forth tonight as a new creation in Christ, the one who invites us to rise to new life; rescues us from the burden of sin; restores our lives with light, order and joy, and revives us from our complacency so that we may be his enthusiastic witnesses who announce the good news of Easter: Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead. He is alive and with us. Alleluia. Alleluia,” Bishop Burbidge said.
