vigil 復習
フロリダで、妊娠中の女性が雷に打たれましたが、女性も胎児も無事とのことです。
Florida woman, newborn recovering from lightning strike
A woman who was struck by lightning while she was pregnant remains in intensive care at a Florida hospital where her newborn also is being treated.
NBC2 reports 26-year-old Meghan Davidson was just seven days from her due date when she was struck in the head by a lightning bolt on Thursday while walking with her mother outside her home in Fort Myers. The television station reports doctors later delivered baby Owen, whose condition wasn't available.
The congregation at McGregor Baptist Church held a prayer vigil for Davidson, who has two other children, on Sunday. Church member Carol Bridges tells the station that Davidson has shown signs of improvement.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/florida-woman-newborn-recovering-lightning-strike-48415708
取り上げる単語は"vigil"です。『ジーニアス英和辞典』第4版(大修館)で調べてみると、「(見張り、看護などのための)徹夜、寝ずの番」や「(祈りのための)徹夜、(抗議行動としての)徹夜、徹夜の期間」とありました（cf. night watch）。
"prayer"と付いているので、教会で徹夜でお祈りをする会を開いたことが分かります。
LDOCEでは、"a period of time, especially during the night, when you stay awake in order to pray, remain with someone who is ill, or watch for danger"と定義されています。(Akim)
