Avigil, from theLatinvigilia meaning 'wakefulness' (Greek:pannychis,[1]παννυχίς oragrypnia[2]ἀγρυπνία),[3] is a period of purposeful sleeplessness, an occasion for devotional watching, or an observance. The Italian wordvigilia has become generalized in this sense and means 'eve' (as in "on the eve of the war").
A vigil may be held on theeve of a majorreligious festival (feast days), observed by remaining awake—"watchful"—as a devotional exercise orritual observance on the eve of aholy day.[4] Suchliturgicalvigils usually consist ofpsalms,prayers andhymns, possibly asermon or readings from theHoly Fathers, and sometimes periods of silentmeditation.
The term "morning" means that the observance begins on the evening before. In traditional Christianity, the celebration of liturgical feasts begins on the evening before the holy day because theEarly Church continued the Jewish practice of beginning the day at sunset rather than midnight.
Most likely the best known vigil is theEaster Vigil held at night betweenHoly Saturday andEaster Sunday. TheMidnight Mass held onChristmas Eve is a remnant of this practice. Christmas Eve is a time of reflection for Christians all over the world.
Vigils are also commonly observed onHoly Days in theCatholic,Lutheran,Anglican, andMethodist Churches.[5] In theEastern Orthodox Church anAll-Night Vigil (consisting ofGreat Vespers,Matins and theFirst Hour) is held on the eves of Sundays and all Major Feast Days (such as theTwelve Great Feasts and theFeast Days of importantSaints) during theliturgical year. In theMethodist tradition,Watchnight Vigil services are celebrated onNew Year's Eve.[6]
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When aJew dies, awatch is kept over the body andTehillim are recited constantly, until the burial service.
InChristianity, especially theEastern Orthodox andRoman Catholic traditions, a vigil is often held when someone is gravely ill or mourning. Prayers are said andvotives are often made. Vigils extend from eventual death to burial, ritualistically to pray for a loved one, but more so their body is never left alone.
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During theMiddle Ages, asquire on the night before his knightingceremony was expected to take a cleansing bath,fast, makeconfession, and then hold an all-night vigil of prayer in thechapel, preparing himself in this manner for life as a knight. For the knighting ceremony, he dressed in white as a symbol for purity, and over that was placed a red robe to show his readiness to be wounded, over which a black robe was placed as a symbol of his willingness to die for his king.
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In some countries, including the United States and Australia, vigils are held in public spaces as a form of peaceful protest or public mourning. Examples include the numerous public vigils during the protests against police violence[7][8] and war as well as public vigils for victims of mass shootings, which can occur as a remembrance or commemoration of a death or traumatic event.[9][10][11] These vigils typically begin with an announcement or speech, and can be silent or include chanting, song, or prayer. Public vigils in the United States are not necessarily religious in scope or tone and are often completely secular, but can be religious depending on the group or individuals organizing the vigil.[12][13]
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