What Did Jesus Do On Holy Saturday?
between Good Friday and Easter Sunday
Holy Saturday (Latin: Sabbatum Sanctum), also known as Great and Holy Saturday (also Holy and Great Saturday), the Great Sabbath, Hallelujah Saturday (in Portugal and Brazil), Saturday of the Glory, Sábado de Gloria, and Black Saturday or Easter Eve (in Philippines) and called "Joyous Saturday", "the Saturday of Light", and "Mega Sabbatun" among Coptic Christians, is the final day of Holy Week, between Good Friday and Easter Sunday.[i]
Holy Saturday, the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, is a significant day in the Christian tradition, though its observance and the theological interpretations of what Jesus did on this day vary among different Christian denominations.
In traditional Christian belief, Holy Saturday commemorates the day that Jesus Christ's body lay in the tomb after his death on the cross on Good Friday. It is a day of quiet reflection and waiting in anticipation of the celebration of the resurrection on Easter Sunday. The day emphasises themes of silence, mourning, and hopeful expectation.
One of the key theological concepts associated with Holy Saturday is the "Harrowing of Hell." This ancient belief, found in some Christian traditions such as Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and certain Protestant denominations, holds that between His death and resurrection, Jesus descended into the realm of the dead, or "hell" in the Apostles’ Creed (not to be confused with the hell of damnation but rather the abode of the dead), to liberate the righteous souls who had died before His coming. This event is not explicitly described in the Bible but is inferred from passages such as 1 Peter 3:19-20, which speaks of Jesus preaching to the "spirits in prison," and Ephesians 4:9, which mentions that He "descended into the lower parts of the earth."
The Harrowing of Hell is depicted in various Christian art and liturgy, particularly in Eastern Orthodox iconography, where it is a common subject of icons associated with the Resurrection. These depict Christ breaking down the gates of hell and freeing Adam and Eve, as well as other figures from the Old Testament.
Liturgical observances of Holy Saturday
In the Roman Catholic Church, the day is marked by the Easter Vigil after nightfall, which begins in darkness and is lit by the Paschal candle, symbolising the light of Christ returning to the world. This service also includes the Liturgy of the Word, the baptism of new members into the Church, and the celebration of the Eucharist.
The Eastern Orthodox Church observes a strict fast on Holy Saturday. The day is filled with services leading up to the Midnight Office, followed by the Paschal Matins and Divine Liturgy of Pascha, the Orthodox term for Easter, which begins at midnight.
Many Protestant churches may have a service focused on anticipation and reflection, preparing for Easter Sunday's celebration.
Holy Saturday serves as a poignant pause in the Christian liturgical calendar, bridging the sorrow of Christ's crucifixion with the joy of His Resurrection.
[i] Holy Saturday. (2024, March 28). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Saturday