The night vigil is one of the oldest prayer practices in Christianity. From the standpoint of traditional devotion, it is understood as the act of remaining awake before God during the night, dedicating hours to silence, prayer, and contemplation. Its root is profoundly biblical: in the Gospel, Christ asks His disciples in Gethsemane, Watch and pray.

During the Middle Ages it was common for rising in the middle of the night to praise God to be seen as a sacrifice of love and as an imitation of Christ, who spent long hours praying before dawn. This sacrifice also had a penitential meaning: offering fatigue, sleep, and discomfort as an act of self-giving. The vigil thus became a way of combating spiritual lukewarmness and of remembering that the Christian life is a watchful waiting for the definitive encounter with God.

The Night Vigil: A Devotional for Keeping Watch before God seeks to revive this ancient tradition, gathering a collection of prayers to be prayed during the night, especially in difficult moments and times of trial, when the heart needs to remain steadfast in faith. It is not just any book: it is an invitation to make of the night an inner altar, to intercede in silence, and to keep Christ company spiritually. In addition, it includes a nighttime novena for contemplation before God and for sustaining a persevering life of prayer.