HOLY SATURDAY OF THE HOLY WEEK

𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐘 𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐃𝐀𝐘 

Today is Holy Saturday, and according to the most ancient tradition, this is the night of keeping vigil for the Lord (Ex 12:42), in which the faithful, following the Gospel admonition (Lk 12:35–37), should be like those looking for the Lord when he returns, carrying lighted lamps in their hands, so that at his coming he may find them awake and have them sit at his table. Today is a special day in the Triduum and is the last day of preparation before Easter. Early Christians observed this day as a day of prayer and penance, patiently waiting at the tomb for Christ’s resurrection. There are four major features during this celebration:

Service of the Light

Service of the Word

Solemn Baptism

The Holy Eucharist

1. THE SERVICE OF LIGHT: The celebration of Holy Saturday begins outside the church with the Service of Light. The faithful gather around the Easter Fire in a suitable place around the church while the priests and other ministers gather for the blessing of the fire and the Paschal Candle. This flame is then divided yet “never dimmed by the shedding of its light.” All then process into the church, with the priest or deacon gradually proclaiming Christ as the light. At the sanctuary, the great Easter proclamation, otherwise called the Exsultet, is sung. This great proclamation reminds us of what Christ and God have done for us. (It is advisable to use the language the people can understand (English) in order for them to be able to relate to the rich meaning therein.) The Paschal candle represents the Risen Christ, whose light shines in the darkness of the world.

2. THE SERVICE OF THE WORD: After the above, we are presented with nine readings: seven from the Old Testament and two from the New Testament. For pastoral reasons, the Old Testament readings may be reduced in number, but not without the reading from Exodus 14. All the readings trace the history of salvation from the story of creation to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. “Gloria” is sung at the end of the last reading, and the bells in the church are rung. Then the reader proclaims the reading from the apostle; after that, the priests solemnly chant “ALLELUIA.” Subsequently, the psalm and the reading from the gospel are followed by the homily.

3. SOLEMN BAPTISM: The third part of the Easter Vigil is the Liturgy of Baptism, and the focus of action switches from the ambo to the font, which has been refilled. The Paschal Candle is taken from its stand and brought to the font. The Litany of the Saints is said or sung. The priest says the prayer of blessing, part of which reflects on the ways in which water has featured in the history of man’s salvation. Where it is possible, the sacrament of baptism is celebrated. At this point, the faithful are called to renew their own baptismal promises, just as the clerics renewed theirs during the Chrism mass. Thus, the season of Lent brings the whole church to rebirth, renewal, and revival.

4. THE HOLY EUCHARIST: The Liturgy of the Eucharist is celebrated in the usual manner but with Eucharistic Prayer I (The Roman Canon).

It is the prayer of the Church that this season will be the dawn of greater appreciation of our Catholic faith and salvation history. 

Fr. Daniel Evbotokhai