Can a Roman Catholic Funeral Vigil Take Place on a Sunday?

At the vigil, the Catholic community keeps watch with the family over the deceased, and in prayer finds strength in God’s presence. The structure of the vigil includes introductory rites, the liturgy of the Word, prayers of intercession and a concluding rite.

If the vigil will be separate from the funeral, it has fewer restrictions. It may be held in the home of the departed or in a funeral home on any day of the week. If it is to be located in the church, it can be held any day as long as it is a different day from the funeral.

If the Vigil is to be held with the funeral, it must take place before the Funeral Liturgy, and well enough in advance so that the Funeral Liturgy does not seem too long and the Liturgy of the Word repetitious. In addition, there are restrictions on the days in which a Funeral Mass, or Requiem Mass, may be celebrated. According to Church rules, funeral rites may take place in the church on any days except the following: holy days of obligation, Holy Thursday, the Easter Triduum, and the Sundays of Advent, Lent and Easter. If the vigil is to be held in conjunction the Funeral Mass, it cannot take place on any of these Sundays.

If the family of the deceased would like to hold the wake in conjunction with the funeral on a Sunday, but the chosen day falls on one of the prohibited Sundays, there is another option. In this case, the Funeral Liturgy Outside Mass can be used instead: Communion is not celebrated, but the Catholic Funeral Rite will still be complete. The Funeral Liturgy Outside Mass thus makes possible the Sunday celebration of Christ’s resurrection from the dead and the hoped-for reunion of the deceased with Christ.