HOLY SATURDAY

 HOLY SATURDAY

3rd APRIL

Father Weiser’s tells us of the history, customs and liturgy of Holy Saturday:

“The original observance of Holy Saturday commemorated Christ’s rest in the tomb. In the early Church there was no service at all during the daylight hours, since the body of the Lord enclosed in the sepulchre shared the fate and humiliations of the human burial. Just as Christ rested in the grave for the whole Sabbath, so the faithful waited in prayer until the evening star announced the beginning of the Easter Vigil.

In ancient days a strict fast called ‘the Passion Fast’ was kept until the morning of Easter Sunday; not even children were dispensed from observing it.

The Holy Saturday Vigil was restored by Pope Pius XII to night time, leading directly into Easter Sunday.

In the early centuries, the catechumens would assemble in the church during the afternoon, the men on one side, the women on the other. After an instruction by the bishop, the priests performed those rites which are still practised in the baptism of infants and adults: the exorcism of powers of evil, the touching of ears and nostrils as a symbol of opening their minds to the word and grace of God and the solemn pledge of conversion. This pledge was accompanied by a dramatic gesture – turning towards the west and pointing with the forefinger in the direction of the sunset, each catechumen uttering the words, “I renounce thee Satan, with all thy pomp and all thy works,” then turning to the east and pointing likewise and saying, “To Thee I dedicate myself, Jesus Christ, eternal and uncreated Light.” After this each one recited the Creed publicly before the whole congregation; then they were dismissed to spend the last few hours before their baptism in quiet recollection and prayer.

On Holy Saturday, in all cities and towns the mood of quiet, sombre expectancy suddenly turned into radiant exultation and joy at the sight of the first evening stars. Thousands of lights illuminated the darkness. The churches burst with the blaze of lamps and candles, the homes of the peoples shone with light and the streets were bright with the glow of tapers. At a time when electrical lights were unknown, this illumination was overwhelming. The deep impression is recorded in the texts of the Holy Fathers, called “the mother of all holy vigils,” “The great service of light”, “The night of radiant splendour”. Saint Gregory of Nyssa (394 AD) mentions “this glowing night which links the splendour of burning lamps to the morning rays of the sun, thus producing continuous daylight without any darkness.”

For them the Easter vigil was the glorious annual triumph which they celebrated with Christ over sin, death and the powers of evil. No-one stayed at home, even little children. They all crowded into the churches, joining in prayer.

The custom of spending the Easter vigil in prayer seems to date from the very time of the apostles. Tertullian called it an “ancient ordination” and remarked that no-one could be exempted from it. Its origins, he said, were so old that its beginnings were unknown even in his time (3rd century). The vigil service began with the blessing and lighting of the Paschal candle which from the earliest period was considered a sacred symbol of Christ’s person. The jubilant Easter songs which accompanied the lighting of the candle were already being performed in the Roman Empire at the end of the 4th century. The earliest manuscript containing the present text of the song Exultet dates from the 7th or 8th century.

This basic structure of the Easter Vigil is still preserved in the ceremonies of Holy Saturday, a notable new rite being the blessing of the Easter Fire. Father Weiser states that the setting of fires outside the church came from the Irish clergy, being started by St Patrick himself, (so it’s not that new).

A former rite performed in Rome on the morning of Holy Saturday since the fifth century was the making and blessing of Agnus Dei at the Lateran Church. The Archdeacons, melting wax, mixed it with chrism, (consecrated oil), blessed it and poured the mixture into small oval moulds which bore the liturgical symbol of the Lamb. These Agnus Dei were distributed to the faithful as souvenirs and sacramentals; the mere possession of them was designated to warrant penalty of death in England at the time of Elizabeth I.

Christian folklore has adorned Holy Saturday with a wealth of customs, most of them based on the joyful liturgy of the anticipated Easter Vigil. In many parts of Europe, the vigil lights at domestic shrines are extinguished early in the morning. No fire or light is allowed anywhere in the house. The stoves, lamps and candles have been prepared ready to receive the blessed fire.

The priest strikes the fire in front of the church and blesses it. Father Weiser talks about the young people (presumably in his day), taking the logs of the fire home to light the home fires. Today, the modern ceremony is to light the fire outside the church, and light the candles from the blessed fire, passing the flame from candle to candle, until the lighted candles permeating into the dark church, result in the church aglow with the radiance of the candles. The priest or Dean then enters the church, stopping at three points in the entry and calling out: “Lumen Christi” (Christ the light of the World).

In modern times, it has been known for some people carry the blessed flame home by lantern or candle, indeed, holding the candle in the car for the whole trip home, (including stopping and filling the car with petrol)…. For the home pious practice, a vigil light before the crucifix is lit and jealously guarded throughout the year.

At the moment of the Gloria in the Mass, when suddenly all the bells start ringing again, Father Weiser said that the people who have to stay at home embrace each other and wish each other a blessed Easter. From this moment on, musical instruments may be played, and children can eat sweets and be noisy again.

In central Europe, on Holy Saturday, Easter ham and other foods for the feast are cooked in the kitchen, Easter bread and pastries are baked. Eggs are boiled and coloured. The house is decked with flowers and finery.

In the Slavic countries baskets of food, especially eggs, are taken to the church and blessed by the priest on Holy Saturday afternoon. They are then taken home and eaten for breakfast on Easter Sunday morning, Monday and Tuesday. In many areas, the priests go from house to house to bless the Easter fare which is laid out on tables and decorated with flowers. All those who come are offered an Easter egg. The Roman Ritual provides a blessing of foods on this day.

In Poland on Holy Saturday the boys of the villages bury the tiresome Lenten food, herring, in a mock funeral, after executing it by hanging. No longer are the dishes eaten (until next Lent anyway).

See Francis X Weiser, “The Easter Book” St Augustine Academy Press, 1958/2018, from pp. 131-144.