s

The Exsultet, sometimes seen as "Exultet" and also referred to as the Praeconium Paschale, is an ancient
chant sung during the Easter Vigil. It is traditionally sung by the deacon after the Paschal candle has
been lit and the clergy have processed to the altar. The lighted Paschal candle contains a twofold
symbolism. First, it represents the pillar of fire that went before the Israelites during their flight from
Egypt. Second, it represents Christ, who is the light of the world. The procession likewise has a twofold
meaning. It symbolizes the journey of the Israelites out of Egypt, and also the arrival of Christ who is the
Savior of the world. The Exsultet sings of this symbolism and recalls for us the history of our salvation;
from the fall of Adam, to the events of that first Passover held by Moses and the Israelites, and then
finally the events of that last Passover at which Jesus suffered, died, rose from the dead and by which
mankind was redeemed. The tone of the hymn is very much one of joy at having received so great a gift
as our redemption and eternal life.

The final verses from both the 1962 Missal and the 1975 Missal are given below.

Exsultet iam angelica turba caelorum exsultent divina mysteria et pro Let now the heavenly hosts of angels rejoice le
tanti Regis victoria, tuba insonet salutaris. joyfully celebrated: and let a sacred trumpet pr
great a King.

Gaudeat et tellus tantis irradiata fulgoribus et, aeterni regis splendore Let the earth also be filled with joy, illuminated
illustrata, totius orbis se sentiat amisisse caliginem. rays; and let men know that the darkness whic
world is chased away by the splendor of our et

Laetetur et mater Ecclesia tanti luminis adornata fulgoribus: et magnis Let our mother the Church be also glad, finding
populorum vocibus haec aula resultet. the rays of so great a light and let this temple r
acclamations of the people.

Quapropter adstantes vos, fratres carissimi, ad tam miram huius sancti Wherefore, beloved brethren, you who are now
luminis claritatem, una mecum, quaeso, Dei omnipotentis admirable brightness of this holy light, I beseec
misericordiam invocate. me the mercy of almighty God.

Ut, qui me non meis meritis intra Levitarum numerum dignatus est That he, who has admitted me into the numbe
aggregare luminis sui claritatem infundens cerei huius laudem implere my own merits, will, by an infusion of his light u
perficiat. celebrate the praises of this light.

Per Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum Filium suum, qui cum eo vivit Through our Lord Jesus Christ his Son, who wit
et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti, Deus, per omnia saecula Spirit liveth and reigneth one God for ever and
saeculorum.

R. Amen. R. Amen.

V. Dominus vobiscum. R. Et cum spiritu tuo. V. The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit.

V. Sursum corda. R. Habemus ad Dominum. V. Lift up your hearts. R. We have lifted them u

V. Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro. R. Dignum et iustum est. V. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. R. It i

Vere dignum et iustum est, invisibilem Deum Patrem omnipotentem It is truly fitting and just to proclaim with all th
Filiumque eius unigenitum, Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum, toto and soul, and with the sound of our voice the i
cordis ac mentis affectu et vocis ministerio personare. almighty, and his only Son our Lord Jesus Chris
Qui pro nobis aeterno Patri Adae debitum solvit et veteris piaculi
cautionem pio cruore detersit.
Haec sunt enim festa Paschalia, in quibus vere ille Agnus occiditur,
cuius sanguine postes fidelium consecrantur.
Haec nox est, in qua primum patres nostros, filios Israel, eductos de
Aegypto, Mare Rubrum sicco vestigio transire fecisti. Haec igitur nox
est, quae peccatorum tenebras columnae illuminatione purgavit.
Haec nox est, quae hodie per universum mundum in Christo credentes
a vitiis saeculi, et caligine peccatorum segregatos reddit gratiae, sociat
sanctitati.
Haec nox est, in qua, destructis vinculis mortis, Christus ab inferis
victor ascendit.
Nihil enim nobis nasci profuit, nisi redimi profuisset.
O mira circa nos tuae pietatis dignatio! O inaestimabilis dilectio
caritatis: ut servum redimeres, Filium tradidisti!
O certe necessarium Adae peccatum, quod Christi morte deletum est!
O felix culpa, quae talem ac tantum meruit habere Redemptorem!
O vere beata nox, quae sola meruit scire tempus et horam, in qua
Christus ab inferis resurrexit!
Haec nox est, de qua scriptum est: Et nox sicut dies illuminabitur: et
nox illuminatio mea in deliciis meis.
Huius igitur sanctificatio noctis fugat scelera, culpas lavat: et reddit
innocentiam lapsis, et maestis laetitiam. Fugat odia, concordiam parat,
et curvat imperia.
In huius igitur noctis gratia, suscipe, sancte Pater laudis huius
sacrificium vespertinum, quod tibi in haec cerei oblatione sollemni,
per ministrorum manus de operibus apum, sacrosancta reddit
ecclesia.
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.
Ending according to the 1962 Missal:
Who paid for us to his eternal Father the debt
sacred blood canceled the guilt contracted by o
For this is the Paschal solemnity, in which the t
whose blood the doors of the faithful are conse
This is the night in which thou formerly brough
forefathers, the children of Israel, out of Egypt
through the Red Sea. This then is the night whi
darkness of sin by the light of the pillar.
This is the night which now delivers all over the
believe in Christ from the vices of the world an
restores them to grace, and clothes them with
This is the night in which Christ broke the chain
ascended conqueror from hell.
For it availed us nothing to be born, unless it ha
redeemed.
O how admirable is thy goodness towards us! O
love! Thou hast delivered up thy Son to redeem
O truly necessary sin of Adam, which the death
out!
O happy fault, that merited such and so great a
O truly blessed night, which alone deserves to
when Christ rose again from hell.
This is the night of which it is written: And the
the day, and the night is my illumination in my
Therefore the sanctification of this night blots o
away sins, and restores innocence to sinners, a
It banishes enmities, produces concord, and hu
Therefore on this sacred night, receive, O holy
sacrifice of this sacrifice, which thy holy Church
ministers presents to thee in the solemn offeri
made out of the labor of bees.
And now we know the excellence of this pillar,
lights for the honor of God. Which fire, though
loss from the communication of its light. Becau
melted wax, which the mother bee wrought fo
precious lamp.
Ending according to the 1962 Missal:
O vere beata nox, quae exspoliavit Aegyptos, ditavit Hebraeos nox, in O truly blessed night, which plundered the Egy
qua terrenis caelestia, humanis divina iunguntur! Hebrews. A night, in which heaven is united to

Oramus ergo te, Domine, ut cereus iste in honorem tui nominis
consecratus, ad noctis huius caliginem destruendam, indeficiens
perseveret. Et in odorem suavitatis acceptus, supernis luminaribus
misceatur. Flammas eius lucifer matutinus inveniat: Ille, inquam,
lucifer, qui nescit occasum: Ille qui regressus ab inferis, humano generi
serenus illuxit.
We beseech thee therefore, O Lord, that this c
the honor of thy name, may continue burning t
darkness this night. And being accepted as a sw
united with the celestial lights. Let the morning
star which never sets. Which being returned fr
brightness on mankind.

Precamur ergo te, Domine, ut nos famulos tuos, omnemque clerum, et We beseech thee therefore, O Lord
devotissimum populum, una cum beatissimo Papa nostro N. et Antistite these Paschal solemnities, and with
nostro N. quiete temporum concessa, in his paschalibus gaudiis, assidua govern, and preserve us thy servan
protectione regere, gubernare, et conservare digneris. Per eundem together with our holy Pope N. and
Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum Filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat Jesus Christ thy Son : who with the
in unitate Spiritus Sancti, Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. reigneth one God for ever and ever

R. Amen. R. Amen.

Ending according to the 1975 Missal: Ending according to the 1975 Missal:

O vere beata nox, in qua terrenis caelestia, humanis divina iunguntur! O truly blessed night, in which hea

Oramus ergo te, Domine, ut cereus iste in honorem tui nominis We beseech thee therefore, O Lord
consecratus, ad noctis huius caliginem destruendam, indeficiens honor of thy name, may continue b
perseveret. Et in odorem suavitatis acceptus, supernis luminaribus night. And being accepted as a swe
misceatur. Flammas eius lucifer matutinus inveniat: Ille, inquam, lucifer, celestial lights. Let the morning sta
qui nescit occasum: Christus Filius tuus, qui regressus ab inferis, humano sets: Christ Thy Son, who came ba
generi serenus illuxit, et vivit et regnat in saecula saeculorum. on mankind, and who liveth and re

R. Amen. R. Amen.

Precamur ergo te, Domine, ut nos famulos tuos, omnemque clerum, et We beseech thee therefore, O Lord
devotissimum populum, una cum beatissimo Papa nostro N. et Antistite these Paschal solemnities, and with
nostro N. quiete temporum concessa, in his paschalibus gaudiis, assidua govern, and preserve us thy servan
protectione regere, gubernare, et conservare digneris. Per eundem together with our holy Pope N. and
Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum Filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat Jesus Christ thy Son : who with the
in unitate Spiritus Sancti, Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. reigneth one God for ever and ever

R. Amen. R. Amen.

Ending according to the 1975 Missal: Ending according to the 1975 Miss

O vere beata nox, in qua terrenis caelestia, humanis divina iunguntur! O truly blessed night, in which hea

Oramus ergo te, Domine, ut cereus iste in honorem tui nominis We beseech thee therefore, O Lord
consecratus, ad noctis huius caliginem destruendam, indeficiens honor of thy name, may continue b
perseveret. Et in odorem suavitatis acceptus, supernis luminaribus night. And being accepted as a swe
misceatur. Flammas eius lucifer matutinus inveniat: Ille, inquam, lucifer, celestial lights. Let the morning sta
qui nescit occasum: Christus Filius tuus, qui regressus ab inferis, humano sets: Christ Thy Son, who came ba
generi serenus illuxit, et vivit et regnat in saecula saeculorum. on mankind, and who liveth and re

R. Amen. R. Amen.

Precamur ergo te, Domine, ut nos famulos tuos, omnemque clerum, et We beseech thee therefore, O Lord
devotissimum populum, una cum beatissimo Papa nostro N. et Antistite these Paschal solemnities, and with
nostro N. quiete temporum concessa, in his paschalibus gaudiis, assidua govern, and preserve us thy servan
protectione regere, gubernare, et conservare digneris. Per eundem together with our holy Pope N. and
Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum Filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat Jesus Christ thy Son : who with the
in unitate Spiritus Sancti, Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. reigneth one God for ever and ever

R. Amen. R. Amen.

Ending according to the 1975 Missal: Ending according to the 1975 Miss

O vere beata nox, in qua terrenis caelestia, humanis divina iunguntur! O truly blessed night, in which hea

Oramus ergo te, Domine, ut cereus iste in honorem tui nominis We beseech thee therefore, O Lord
consecratus, ad noctis huius caliginem destruendam, indeficiens honor of thy name, may continue b
perseveret. Et in odorem suavitatis acceptus, supernis luminaribus night. And being accepted as a swe
misceatur. Flammas eius lucifer matutinus inveniat: Ille, inquam, lucifer, celestial lights. Let the morning sta
qui nescit occasum: Christus Filius tuus, qui regressus ab inferis, humano sets: Christ Thy Son, who came ba
generi serenus illuxit, et vivit et regnat in saecula saeculorum. on mankind, and who liveth and re

R. Amen. R. Amen.

Precamur ergo te, Domine, ut nos famulos tuos, omnemque clerum, et We beseech thee therefore, O Lord
devotissimum populum, una cum beatissimo Papa nostro N. et Antistite these Paschal solemnities, and with
nostro N. quiete temporum concessa, in his paschalibus gaudiis, assidua govern, and preserve us thy servan
protectione regere, gubernare, et conservare digneris. Per eundem together with our holy Pope N. and
Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum Filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat Jesus Christ thy Son : who with the
in unitate Spiritus Sancti, Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. reigneth one God for ever and ever

R. Amen. R. Amen.

Ending according to the 1975 Missal: Ending according to the 1975 Missal:

O vere beata nox, in qua terrenis caelestia, humanis divina iunguntur! O truly blessed night, in which heaven

Oramus ergo te, Domine, ut cereus iste in honorem tui nominis consecratus, ad We beseech thee therefore, O Lord, t
noctis huius caliginem destruendam, indeficiens perseveret. Et in odorem of thy name, may continue burning to
suavitatis acceptus, supernis luminaribus misceatur. Flammas eius lucifer being accepted as a sweet savor, may
matutinus inveniat: Ille, inquam, lucifer, qui nescit occasum: Christus Filius tuus, morning star find it alight, that star w
qui regressus ab inferis, humano generi serenus illuxit, et vivit et regnat in back from hell, and shone with bright
saecula saeculorum. reigneth for ever and ever.

R. Amen. R. Amen.

Latin from the 1962 & 1975 Missal. Tr by Abbot Cabrol, OSB, 1934.