Schola Cantorum Jubilate animated the Liturgy of the Easter Vigil at the National Shrine of Ta’ Pinu. The liturgy, during this most solemn of nights in the Catholic liturgical calendar, starts with the benediction of fire, the lighting of the Paschal Candle and the proclamation of the Exultet. The latter was interpreted by Tenor Stanley Portelli who announced Christ resurrection from the pulpit. The reading of the seven lessons from Scriptures follows suite, reminding the faithful the history of Salvation from the moment of creation. Seven choristers (Diana Formosa, Ann Marie Bajada, Sephora Galea, Sylvana Cini, Silvianne Buttigieg, Christian Mifsud and Joseph Bartolo) sang the psalms and led the congration in order to sing in one voice to glorify the Lord.
After the joyful ‘Gloria’, Marvic Cini sang the psalm proclaiming the ‘Allelulia’. The choir performed Oltrasi’s ‘Missa Cantate Domino’ and the ‘Vidi Aquam’ while the Celebrant blessed the congregation with the new water. During the offertory the choir sang ‘L-ikel tal-Ħajja’ (Holst) and ‘Io Sono Risorto’ (Liberto) for communion. The choir accomapnied the priests in the chapel of Our Lady for the ‘Regina Coeli’ in plain chant.
The choir was under the direction of Marouska Attard and Jean Noel Attard accompanied on the organ.
Later in the night, the celebrations continued with a reception in the lower halls at Ta' Pinu complex and each chorister received an Easter gift from the SCJ Leader.
