Holy Saturday is the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday in the Catholic Liturgical Calendar. It is a solemn and reflective day that marks the time when Jesus Christ’s body lay in the tomb before His resurrection on Easter Sunday while Christ’s followers held a vigil for Him outside of His tomb.

A vigil is held on Holy Saturday in memory of the hours that Jesus lay dead in the tomb. During this vigil, the faithful sit in silence and meditation, remembering Christ’s suffering and death. A special Mass is held after the vigil.

In some Orthodox Churches, Holy Saturday is also known as the Great Sabbath or the Descent into Hades. This day symbolizes Christ’s descent into the underworld (Limbo) to defeat death and free the souls of the righteous. The Church celebrates Holy Saturday with a vigil and a Divine Liturgy at midnight, followed by a joyful proclamation of Christ’s resurrection.

The Church begins in darkness,  the Easter fire is then blessed, then the Paschal Candle is blessed and lit from this fire saying “Jesus, the Light of the World”, followed by a procession.  As the flame is passed from the Paschal candle to the priest’s candle and then the candles of the rest of the faithful are lit, the Church is slowly illuminated more and more until the point when the Paschal Candle is placed in the stand and the lights throughout the church are turned on.  Finally, the whole Church is filled with light.

This ritual is beautiful in and of itself.  However, understanding its meaning only adds to the beauty.  The dark church represents the darkness of the world before the coming of Christ.  The Paschal Candle represents Him who is the Light of the World.

In some countries, Holy Saturday is also associated with various cultural traditions. In Mexico, people decorate graves with flowers and candles, and families often spend the day in cemeteries, paying respects to deceased loved ones. In Poland, people create elaborate Easter baskets filled with bread, eggs, salt, and other ingredients, which they bless and share with family and friends on Easter Sunday.

Overall, Holy Saturday is a significant day in the Christian calendar, marking the end of the solemnity of Holy Week and the anticipation of Christ’s resurrection. It is a day of reflection, contemplation, and preparation for the joyful celebration of Easter Sunday, the most important feast day in the Christian calendar.

Ms. Louella Dias