Holy Saturday

This is the day of waiting. Not much is said about it in the Bible, except that the disciples were in hiding and a group of women were preparing to visit the tomb in order to prepare Jesus’ body for burial.

By one account, the religious leaders who caused Jesus to be condemned to death were concerned that Jesus’ followers would steal his body in order to proclaim a resurrection. So they placed a guard outside the tomb. This guard, as well as the weight of the stone, were taken as proof that no one tampered with the body on the Day of Preparation, as it was known.

Many churches prepare for baptism on Holy Saturday. Some hold a Vigil on Easter Eve and perform baptisms and celebrate the first Eastern communion during the late-night service.

Copyright © 2007 Tom Ehrich