What is celebrated on Holy Saturday?

Holy Saturday is the second day of the Easter Triduum and falls between the Passion of Good Friday and the joy of the Resurrection at the Easter Vigil. It is a day of profound silence, marked by the absence of Eucharistic celebrations, during which the Church remains at the tomb of the Lord, meditating on his passion and death, and awaiting Christ’s definitive victory over death in prayer.

On this day, Mass is not celebrated, nor is the Eucharist administered, except as Viaticum. The altar remains bare, and the liturgical atmosphere is mourning and waiting. However, hope is already looming: Christ has died, not to be defeated, but to conquer sin and death.

Why is it celebrated?

Holy Saturday has profound theological and spiritual significance. It is the day on which Christ, after dying on the cross, descends into the “place of the dead”—”sheol” or “hell,” understood as the place where the righteous waited—to announce salvation to those who preceded him. This mystery, known as the “descent into hell,” is contained in the Creed: He descended into hell.

The Church celebrates this day as a time of confident expectation. Mary, the mother of Jesus, becomes a model of faith and hope: although her Son has died, she keeps alive the hope of the promise. Holy Saturday is also, therefore, a profoundly Marian day.

History of Holy Saturday in the Tradition of the Church

From the earliest centuries, Holy Saturday was a day on which Christians observed the most rigorous fast of the year, in an attitude of recollection and expectation. Saint Epiphanius, in the fourth century, already spoke of the “great silence” that dominated the land on that day. The faithful accompanied Christ in his repose in the tomb, awaiting the Easter Vigil, which took place during the night and was the most solemn day of the year, with the lighting of the Paschal candle, the singing of the Exsultet, and the renewal of baptismal promises.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church summarizes this day thus:

“Jesus knew death like all men and was united with them in the realm of death. But he came down as Savior” (CCC 632).

Prayers for Holy Saturday

Although the official liturgy remains silent until nightfall, the faithful can join in personal and communal prayer. Here are some traditional prayers for Holy Saturday:

Prayer of Confident Waiting:

Lord Jesus, in the silence of this holy day, we remain with you at the tomb. Make us strong in faith, firm in hope, constant in love. Grant that we may await, like Mary, the light of your Resurrection. Amen.

Prayer to the Virgin Mary on Holy Saturday:

Most Holy Mary, Mother of the Redeemer, you who suffered the deepest pain at the death of your Son, teach us to wait in the darkness, to trust when all seems lost, to remain faithful like you. Pray for us, Mother of hope. Amen.

Prayer for the deceased, in communion with Christ buried:

God of mercy, you gave your Son to death for our salvation, we pray for all who have departed from this world. Through Christ’s victory over death, may they come to behold you face to face in heaven. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Holy Saturday is the day of “great silence.” A silence filled with love, waiting, and hope. A day to remain close to Mary, awaiting the light that transforms the night into Easter. The Easter Vigil, at nightfall, will break that silence with the song of victory: Christ is risen! Truly he is risen!