Electron-vibrational interaction (EVI) in interconfigurational 5d-4f transition of Ce3+-doped alkaline earth chlorophosphates, also known as apatites, is studied for the first time in this work. Using the configurational coordinate model, the main EVI parameters such as Huang-Rhys factor, effective phonon energy and the zero-phonon line (ZPL) position are determined for all samples studied. Photoluminescence characteristics of these compounds are utilized to estimate EVI parameters. As a reliable test validating the obtained results, the emission band shape of was modeled to yield good agreement with experimental emission spectra. The values of EVI parameters were systematically compared for all studied materials as well as with similar systems with halide ions. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.