Vigil or Anticipated Sunday Mass

The 4PM Mass on Saturday here at SLM is termed as a “Vigil Mass” in our Bulletin. Attending this Mass satisfies our “Sunday obligation.” In some places, the “Vigil” Mass is also known as the “Anticipated” Mass because it is anticipating the readings of the next day, Sunday. To be more precise, a “Vigil” Mass has its own special texts—Christmas and Easter are the most obvious examples, but there are others, such as Pentecost. For example, the Vigil Mass of Christmas has different readings than the Christmas Mass at Midnight or at Dawn or During the Day.

An “anticipated” Mass, on the evening before Sunday, uses the same texts as Sunday—just as our 4PM Mass on Saturday uses the same readings as the next day, Sunday. Our 4PM Mass on Saturday does not have its own special texts as a “Vigil” Mass would by the example above.

Liturgist Fr. Paul Turner states: “In my view the word ‘Vigil’ is not a good description for the Saturday celebration of a Sunday Mass. It is more properly an ‘anticipated Sunday Mass.’ An anticipated Mass uses the same readings as Sunday. The Vigil Mass fulfills the obligation to participate in Sunday Mass, as does an anticipated Mass. The terms are not precisely interchangeable, though.”

In many countries, the Mass on Saturday evening that fulfills the Sunday obligation is called “anticipated” Mass. If you’re traveling to other places this summer, this information can help in scheduling your Sunday Mass attendance.