CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO RULE 30A-2(b) UNDER THE 1940 ACT
                   AND SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT

I, George R.  Aylward,  President  of Virtus  Equity  Trust (the  "Registrant"),
certify that:

     1.   The Form N-CSR of the Registrant  containing the financial  statements
          (the "Report")  fully complies with the  requirements of Section 13(a)
          or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and

     2.   The  information  contained  in the  Report  fairly  presents,  in all
          material respects,  the financial  condition and results of operations
          of the Registrant.


Date:     December 4, 2009                   /s/ George R. Aylward
          ----------------                  ------------------------------------
                                            George R. Aylward, President
                                            (principal executive officer)

I, W. Patrick  Bradley,  Chief Financial  Officer and Treasurer of Virtus Equity
Trust (the "Registrant"), certify that:

     1.   The Form N-CSR of the Registrant  containing the financial  statements
          (the "Report")  fully complies with the  requirements of Section 13(a)
          or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and

     2.   The  information  contained  in the  Report  fairly  presents,  in all
          material respects,  the financial  condition and results of operations
          of the Registrant.


Date:     December 4, 2009           /s/ W. Patrick Bradley
     ----------------------          -------------------------------------------
                                     W. Patrick Bradley, Chief Financial Officer
                                     and Treasurer
                                     (principal financial officer)