Rachel Evans
Holy Saturday, also known as Great and Holy Saturday, Low Saturday, Hallelujah Saturday, and Black Saturday, among other names, is the final day of Holy Week in the Catholic Church, observed between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. It is a day of preparation for Easter, commemorating the Harrowing of Hell while Jesus Christ's body lay in the tomb. It is a day of quiet and reflection, with no Holy Saturday mass or service, and Catholics may pray or prepare their homes for guests and Easter celebrations. The Easter Vigil Mass is held between sunset on Holy Saturday and sunrise on Easter Sunday, marking the official start of the Easter season and the celebration of Jesus Christ's Resurrection from the dead.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Names | Great and Holy Saturday, Low Saturday, the Great Sabbath, Hallelujah Saturday, Saturday of the Glory, Easter Eve, Joyous Saturday, the Saturday of Light, Good Saturday, Black Saturday, the Vigil of Easter |
| Date | The final day of Holy Week, between Good Friday and Easter Sunday |
| Meaning | Jesus' disciples mourned his death and rested; the Blessed Virgin Mary is honoured under the title Our Lady of Solitude |
| Practices | Praying, preparing homes for guests, dying Easter eggs, attending Mass, reading the Gospels, meditating, fasting, lighting candles and lamps, singing, chanting, reading lessons, burning palms from the previous Palm Sunday |
| Restrictions | No Eucharist, no marriages or celebration of sacraments except Penance and the Anointing of the Sick; Holy Communion only given as Viaticum to the dying |
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What You'll Learn
The Easter Vigil Mass
The Easter Vigil begins outside the church, where a bonfire is lit, and everyone lights a candle. The Mass attendees then proceed inside the church, filling it with light. The Easter Vigil is often multiple hours long due to the inclusion of special readings from the Old Testament that foreshadow Jesus' death and Resurrection. The readings include both the Old and New Testaments, with the Old Testament readings being unique to the Easter Vigil.
The Easter Vigil is a significant part of the Catholic celebration of Easter, and it is a time when the Church meditates on the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ. It is a vigil of wakefulness, where the faithful stay awake to pray and engage in devotional exercises in anticipation of the feast of Easter.
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Fasting and abstinence
Holy Saturday, also known as Great and Holy Saturday, Low Saturday, Hallelujah Saturday, and Black Saturday, is a day of preparation for Easter. It is a day of quiet and reflection, commemorating the day Jesus lay in his tomb.
In the Catholic tradition, Holy Saturday is a day of fasting and abstinence. It is the second day of the Paschal fast, and the only Saturday on which fasting was permitted in the early Church. Traditionally, an absolute fast from every kind of food was observed for the forty hours preceding the feast of Easter. Today, fasting and abstinence are still practised by Catholics on Holy Saturday, with the fast typically being broken at dawn on Easter Sunday.
The Easter Vigil, which is held on Holy Saturday, is a significant part of the day's celebrations. It marks the official start of the Easter season and is considered the greatest and most holy of all solemnities in the Catholic Church. The vigil includes the lighting of a "'blazing fire' and the blessing of the paschal candle, symbolising the dispelling of darkness and the lighting of the night. The Exsultet, a proclamation of Christ's resurrection, is said or sung during the vigil.
In addition to fasting and the Easter Vigil, Holy Saturday is also a day for prayer and devotion. The Blessed Virgin Mary is honoured under the title "Our Lady of Solitude", reflecting on her grief at the death of her son. Some Catholics attend Mass on Holy Saturday, although it is not a day for the celebration of the Eucharist. Instead, the focus is on reflection and anticipation of Christ's resurrection.
Holy Saturday is a day of mixed emotions, with joy and sadness intermingled. It marks the close of the season of Lent and penance and the beginning of paschal time, a time of rejoicing. It is a day of waiting and anticipation, as Christians eagerly await Jesus' return and the celebration of Easter.
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Prayer and reflection
Holy Saturday is a day of preparation for Easter. It is a day of quiet and reflection, commemorating the day Jesus lay in his tomb. It is also known as Great and Holy Saturday, Low Saturday, Hallelujah Saturday, and Black Saturday, among other names.
In the Catholic tradition, the Blessed Virgin Mary is honoured on this day under the title "Our Lady of Solitude", referring to her grief at the death of her son. The day is marked by prayer and fasting, and it is recommended that the Office of Readings and Morning Prayer be celebrated with the participation of the people.
The Easter Vigil is a significant part of Holy Saturday, beginning between sunset on Holy Saturday and sunrise on Easter Sunday. It is the first official celebration of Jesus Christ's Resurrection from the dead and is considered the greatest and most holy of all solemnities in the Catholic Church. The vigil includes the lighting of a "blazing fire" and the reading of the Exsultet, proclaiming the Resurrection of Christ.
Holy Saturday is also a day when people reflect on the dominant emotion of Jesus' followers: fear that they had been misled and that God didn't have a plan. It is a day of waiting, anticipating Christ's return and the shattering of the gates of Sheol for the redemption of the righteous Jews.
In addition to prayer and reflection, some families may prepare their homes for guests and dye Easter eggs. While there is no Mass offered in the morning, churches often host a short prayer service.
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The Blessed Virgin Mary honoured as Our Lady of Solitude
Holy Saturday is a day of preparation for Easter. It is a day of joy and sadness intermingled, marking the close of the season of Lent and penance and the beginning of paschal time, which is one of rejoicing. It is a day when the Church is at the Lord's tomb, meditating on his passion, death, and descent into hell, and awaiting his resurrection with prayer and fasting. It is a day of silence, lived by the disciples in mourning and bewilderment, shocked by Jesus' death.
On Holy Saturday, the Blessed Virgin Mary is honoured as Our Lady of Solitude. Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, or Our Lady of Solitude, is one of the titles or advocations of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of Christ. The word "soledad" or "solitude" refers to Mary in the act of contemplating the death of her son, Jesus. It is both a physical and psychological solitude that only a mother can know. In this state of solitude, Mary is a model for those who withdraw from the world to pursue a spiritual life of contemplation.
In sacred art, La Soledad is often depicted dressed like a nun in black and white, with her hands clasped in prayer. Sometimes, she is shown contemplating symbols of Christ's passion. She is the patroness of the bereaved, consolation, a happy death, and protection against loneliness. Her feast day is celebrated on Good Friday and Holy Saturday.
In Mexico, devotion to the Mother of God is demonstrated through the citizens of Oaxaca, who pay homage to their patroness, La Virgen de Soledad, or the Virgin of the Lonely. The Church of Our Lady of Solitude in Oaxaca dates back to 1692. Legend has it that a mule driver guiding his burro train through the streets of Oaxaca discovered an extra animal carrying a large box. Upon opening the box, officials found the image of the Blessed Virgin of Solitude, and a church was built at the site.
Holy Saturday is a day to reflect on the sorrow of the Blessed Virgin Mary as she mourned the death of her Son. In honouring Mary as "Our Lady of Solitude", we recall her overwhelming sorrow, as well as her sense of hope and expectation as she awaited the fulfilment of God's promises to the world.
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The Harrowing of Hell
Holy Saturday, also known as Great or Grand Saturday, is a day of preparation for Easter in the Catholic Church. It is a day of joy and sadness, marking the end of Lent and the beginning of paschal time. Traditionally, it is the only Saturday on which fasting is permitted, and it is also a day for prayer and reflection on the passion and death of Christ, as well as his descent into Hell, or the Harrowing of Hell.
The idea of the Harrowing of Hell has been interpreted in different ways. Some theologians, like Thomas Aquinas, argue that Christ did not descend into the "Hell of the lost" but only into Purgatory, offering hope of glory to those detained there due to original sin. Others, like Hans Urs von Balthasar, maintain that Jesus' descent involved suffering and that he truly descended into Hell to liberate all souls.
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Frequently asked questions
Holy Saturday is the final day of Holy Week, between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, when Christians prepare for Easter. It commemorates the day that Jesus lay in his tomb.
The Easter Vigil is a service held on the night of Holy Saturday, marking the official start of the Easter season. It is the greatest and most holy of all solemnities in the Catholic Church.
The Easter Vigil begins with the lighting of a "blazing fire" and the Paschal candle. The Exsultet is then sung, and there are several readings from the Old and New Testaments. The Eucharist is shared, and the Easter Proclamation is proclaimed.
Holy Saturday is a day of quiet and reflection for Catholics. There is no mass or service, but some churches host a short prayer service. It is a day of fasting, and the Blessed Virgin Mary is honoured under the title "Our Lady of Solitude".
