Walk with Jesus in his suffering and share in his resurrection during Holy Week.
The Biblical verses below will lead you along Jesus’ path of Saturday of Holy Week.
We have a number of commentaries below to supplement the scripture- some more like a summary (What Happened on Saturday, Holy Week Timeline), others descriptive (Let His Blood Be On Us). There is a link from "Progression of Faith" that includes a summary based on The Last Week (Borg/Crossan).
There is an art supplement – Passion Gallery/Saturday
From the Brothers of SSJE
"It is in Christ’s courage that we find our courage to be true to ourselves. The cross represents God’s total commitment to us. It is our sign and it says that one man remained true to himself. That one man accepted his humanity in its fullness and its poverty, so that we can accept and love our humanity in its fullness and its poverty."
Saturday, March 31, 2018 – The Silence
The Women prepare for annointing Jesus
Pilate Posts Guard – Matthew 27:62-66
Women prepare for Anointing – Mark 16:1
Commentaries
Video introduction to Saturday
Holy Week Timeline- Saturday
Holy Week Visual Timeline- Sat/Sun
Let His Blood Be On Us
What Happened on Saturday of Holy Week ?
12 things you need to know about Holy Saturday
Progression of Faith Blog – Saturday
The Great Vigil of Easter service
We have not done this service since 2011. However, many churches schedule this service. Here is the National Cathedral’s service scheduled for Sat. March 31 2018
The Great Vigil of Easter, when observed, is the first service of Easter. It is celebrated at a convenient time between sunset on Holy Saturday and sunrise on Easter Morning and is the climax of three days of Triduum (Thursday, TenebraeFriday, Saturday. Followers of Jesus began celebrating his Resurrection with the Easter Vigil service very early on. By 215 CE, we already have descriptions of services and liturgical prayers that the early Church was using. It was revived by our current prayer book.
The service normally consists of four parts:
1. The Service of Light. The service begins after sundown with people gathering outside in the dark. A new fire is kindled then blessed. Then the new Paschal Candle is blessed and lit. Once the Paschal Candle is lit, its flame is shared with all who light their taper candles from its flame. Then a candlelight procession is lead into the darkened church, stopping periodically to declare “The Light of Christ,” to which all respond “Thanks be to God!” The very ancient Exsultet is chanted by the deacon or other minister.
2. The Ministry of the Word. Then, in the candlelit darkness, lessons are read. There as a few as 4 and as many as 9 or even 12 in some services.
3. Baptism or the Renewal of Baptism. After the lessons, any candidates for Baptism are presented by their sponsors. In the midst of the gathered faithful, they take their baptismal vows and then the whole assembly renews their Baptismal Covenant with them.
4. The Ministry of the Sacrament. Then there is a loud noise in the darkness, reminiscent of the sound of the stone being rolled away from the entry to Jesus’ tomb, and everyone blows noisemakers or rings bells joyously as we celebrate the moment of Resurrection. All the lights are turned on and the candles at the altar are lit. Then the Gospel reading, telling the story of the first Easter morning, is told, followed by a homily. The first Eucharist of Easter is presented.