A full house watched Chairman David Murray unfurl the League Championship flag prior to kick-off.
The match marked the competitive debut as Livingston Manager of former Celtic midfielder Paul Lambert and it was soon apparent that he had set out his stall with a cautious, defensive line-up.
Rangers made the entire running in the opening stages, without creating many chances.
The opening goal arrived in 23 minutes however when Peter Lovenkrands' cross was cleared only as far as Alex Rae who powered a 25-yard drive goalwards. Livvie goalkeeper Roddy McKenzie produced a fine one-handed save, but the loose ball broke to Dado Prso who rifled the ball home.
It was almost 2-0 sixty seconds later when Nacho Novo was inches away from connecting with a low Lovenkrands cross, then again in 34 minutes the Spaniard was so close to meeting a Prso cross with his head.
It had been a one-sided first-half, and Thomas Buffel might have put a more realistic slant on the scoreline two minutes before the interval when he was released by a slide-rule pass from Barry Ferguson only to shoot over the bar.
Rangers restarted still very much on the attack - Prso firing over from a Novo lay-off in 47 minutes, then four minutes later the Croatian's cross found Lovenkrands whose netbound shot was deflected wide.
The second goal was merely delayed however - Pierre-Fanfan turning the ball across the line in 52 minutes for his first goal for the club after a Lovenkrands cross had been deflected goalwards by Dorado.
Three minutes later Novo, anxious to get off the mark this season, saw his shot from a Prso cross deflected over.
Lovenkrands was much more impressive than he was throughout last season - cutting inside from the left in 64 minutes, he saw his shot turned wide by McKenzie.
Livingston were reduced to ten men nine minutes later when Richard Brittain received a straight red card for a late tackle on Ian Murray.
Despite their numerical disadvantage the visitors actually managed their first effort in the direction of Ronald Waterreus' goal in 76 minutes - Scott McLaughlin's 25-yard snap-shot flashing wide.
In the closing stages teenagers Ross McCormack and Charlie Adam had both been introduced as substitutes.
Ten minutes later substitute Steven Thompson almost made it three when, clean through on a Ferguson pass, he saw McKenzie turn his effort wide.
McLaughlin again had a long-range effort in 88 minutes, his thirty-yard shot being held by Waterreus.
However with the last kick of the match Lovenkrands made it 3-0 when he embarked on a mazy run, cutting in from the left before placing a low shot into the corner of the net.
It was a goal that took Rangers to the League leadership, and Livingston to the foot of the table, and afterwards a relaxed Manager Alex McLeish summarised:
"It was a satisfactory start. We've a hectic schedule ahead, with many challenges to come. Today was only the first game. Ferguson and Lovenkrands did well - Peter scored a lot of goals in my first eighteen months here. Ian Murray was a driving force, making crunching tackles. However we still need a central defender."
So Rangers first, Livingston twelfth. One wonders if that will still be the position come the campaign's close.
RANGERS Waterreus; Ricksen, Andrews, Fanfan, Murray; Buffel (McCormack 70), A. Rae, Ferguson, Lovenkrands; Prso (Thompson 63), Novo (Adam 84)
UNUSED SUBS Malcolm, Burke, Klos, Smith
LIVINGSTON McKenzie; McKay, Pinxten, Dorado, Tierney; Brittain, Adams, Scott (Pereira 56), Walker (McLaughlin67), Tesevic; McPake (Snodgrass 56)
UNUSED SUBS Roy, Strong, Adam, Dorrans
REFEREE Craig Thomson
Attendance 49,613