MORE ABOUT HOLY SATURDAY

Holy Saturday is the day in the Christian liturgical calendar that celebrates the 40-hour-long vigil that the followers of Jesus Christ held after his death and burial on Good Friday and before his resurrection on Easter Sunday. Holy Saturday is the last day of Lent and of Holy Week, and the third day of the Easter Triduum, the three high holidays before Easter, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday.

Holy Saturday is significant because it marks the time when Jesus Christ lay in the tomb after his death, fulfilling the prophecy of his death and resurrection in the christian bible.It is a time of preparation and reflection, as Christians anticipate the celebration of the resurrection on Easter Sunday.It is the day after Good Friday and the day before Easter Sunday. It is also known as Easter Eve, Easter Even, Black Saturday, or the Saturday before Easter.As Lent, a time of self-examination, comes to an end, many Christians observe Holy Saturday, the day before Easter Sunday. “It’s typically a day for quiet reflection and preparation for the celebration of the resurrection.Over the centuries in various regions of Christianity throughout the world, different names for Holy Saturday have evolved. For example, the Orthodox Churches call it “Great and Holy Saturday,” depicting Jesus’s descent into Hell to release the captives there, starting with Adam and Eve. This is often referred to as the “Harrowing of Hell.”

How do people commemorate Holy Saturday?

During the day, families prepare for Easter day celebrations. For example, families with a Polish heritage fill a basket containing eggs, ham, bread, sweet breads, horseradish, and lamb cakes or butter lambs. They’re brought to church to be blessed on Holy Saturday. On the island of Corfu in Greece, people toss clay pots out of windows. In some parts of Latin America, an effigy of Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, is burned.

In the evening, some faiths hold a vigil service an hour after sundown. It’s a nocturnal watch that retains ancient roots in expectation and waiting for the resurrection. Some Orthodox traditions have celebrants exit the church, then circle it three times before re-entering. In the Roman Catholic faith, the vigil begins with an outdoor fire, lighting up the night to disperse the darkness. The fire is used to light a very large candle, a symbol of Jesus as the light of the world. The faithful then light tapers of their own from this candle.

During the Roman Catholic service, Bible passages are read, including from the Books of Genesis, Exodus, and an account of the resurrection from the Books of Matthew, Mark or Luke. People who have prepared to become part of the church are baptized and partake in communion for the first time. The practice recalls the adult conversions that occurred in the 4^th century church as Christianity was beginning to spread, says Morrill. People who have already been baptized renew their vows as well.Some Protestant faith traditions also hold large baptism services on Holy Saturday. While most don’t hold a night vigil, they may meet for sunrise services at dawn on Easter. The idea parallels the notion of vigil-keeping and waiting for the light to dispel the darkness.