5 interesting historical facts about Easter services

5. Easter Vigil baptism tradition

While for some, Easter weekend might be a time for secular pastimes like egg hunts, sales at local retail stores, and parades, for others, it is a time to be baptized.

Many churches, especially congregations of the Roman Catholic Church, will baptize people into the faith, many as part of the Easter Vigil on the Saturday evening before Resurrection Sunday.

“After baptism, the newly baptized are dressed in white garments and presented with a candle lighted from the Paschal Candle,” explained the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

“They are then confirmed by the priest or bishop who lays hands on their heads, and invokes the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. He then anoints them with the oil called Sacred Chrism.”

Earlier this year, France’s Catholic Church reported that, on Easter night, 10,384 adults will be baptized, marking a 45% increase in adult catechumens compared to last year, and is the largest reported number since 2002.