Holy Saturday
Holy Saturday, also known as the Vigil of Easter, is a significant day in the Christian liturgical calendar, occurring the day before Easter Sunday. It is marked by a period of solemn reflection and waiting, as adherents meditate on the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. Traditionally, in many Western Christian churches, no services were held during the day, creating an atmosphere of pause, mirroring the state of Jesus' followers after his crucifixion. The observance of Holy Saturday culminates in the Easter Vigil, which begins after nightfall.
This service consists of four distinct parts: the Service of Light, which symbolizes the transition from darkness to light as the new paschal candle is lit; the Liturgy of the Word, featuring readings from both the Old and New Testaments; the Liturgy of Baptism, which includes the blessing of water; and finally, the Mass or Liturgy of the Eucharist, where participants partake in communion. The paschal candle is a central symbol throughout the Vigil, representing Jesus’ resurrection and the hope of new life. Holy Saturday thus serves as a bridge between the somber reflection of Good Friday and the joy of Easter Sunday.
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Holy Saturday
Holy Saturday
This is a movable event.
The day before Easter is called Holy Saturday or the Vigil of Easter. In the words of the revised Roman Missal, “On Holy Saturday, the Church waits at the Lord's tomb, meditating on His suffering and death.” Until recent decades, in most Western Christian churches no services were held on Holy Saturday. It was as if all activity had been suspended, the same state Jesus's followers were in on the day after the crucifixion: Jesus had died but he had not yet risen.
As observed by Roman Catholics, the traditional Easter Vigil service begins after nightfall and consists of four parts. It opens with the Service of Light, which takes place in a darkened church or area outside the church. The dark symbolizes the death of Jesus, the Light of the World. The congregation gathers around the priests, ministers, deacons, and acolytes as the celebrant lights a new fire, symbolizing Jesus's passing from death to life. The blessing of the fire is followed by the blessing of the new paschal (Easter) candle, which during the Vigil service will be placed on the main altar of the church, where it will remain until Ascension Day, a period symbolizing the 40 days Jesus remained with his disciples between his resurrection and his ascension into heaven.
The service then continues with part two of the Easter Vigil, the Liturgy of the Word. This consists of a series of readings from the Old Testament, always including the account from Exodus of the Israelites' safe passage through the Red Sea, followed by the New Testament readings of the Epistle and the Gospel. The third part of the Vigil service is the Liturgy of Baptism, which includes the blessing of water and the baptismal font. The final part of the service is the Mass, or Liturgy of the Eucharist, wherein the faithful participate in communion.