Great or Holy Saturday is one of the most important events in Christianity. It is the day preceding Easter. Many Christians around the world remember the trials of Christ and his burial on Holy Saturday.
This is a dramatic day for believers. It is not without reason that the word "passion" in the name of the day is designated precisely as "test".
For people who are not church-going, it is simply the day before Easter, when preparations for the holiday begin, Easter cakes are bought and postcards are sent congratulating on Holy Saturday 2024. But they do not know the true meaning of the event and what it means for Christianity.
You can find out when Holy Saturday is in 2025, what the event is about and how to behave in this article.
Date of the holiday in 2025
Holy Saturday in 2025 will fall on April 16.
The Essence of Holy Saturday
The week in which Holy Saturday falls is also called Passion Week and precedes Easter.During it, the most important symbols of Christianity are remembered, such as the Last Supper, the trial of Christ, the crucifixion and burial.
According to the records of Christ's disciples, he was crucified on Friday. On Saturday he was already lying in the coffin, since it was on this day that the disciples were allowed to take the Savior down from the cross and move him to a cave.
The entrance to the tomb is blocked with stones and guards are posted, as the persecutors of Jesus fear that supporters might steal the body and claim that the Teacher has risen, since Jesus Christ had previously predicted that he would rise again in 3 days.
Further actions take place on Sunday.. After his death, Jesus descended into hell, from where he brought out all the souls of sinners. Then he rose to earth and came out of the tomb, but no longer in a human body. He passed through the stone that closed the cave.
After Jesus left, an earthquake began, an Angel came down from heaven and threw down the stone barrier.
The essence of Holy Week is that believers must spiritually live the path of Christ in its last week. Therefore, not only Holy Saturday is an important day, but all the days of this week.
On Monday, churches make myrrh, a special aromatic oil used in the rite of baptism. On Tuesday, the church remembers Jesus Christ's parable about the ten virgins.
It tells the story of 10 maidens who set out to meet their groom.. Each of them took a lamp with them. Five of them were wise and took extra oil for the lamp, and five were foolish and did not take any oil. The groom was gone for a long time, and the maidens fell asleep.
After waking up, the 5 foolish ones saw that their lamps were going out without additional oil. The wise ones advised them to go to the merchants and buy some oil. The foolish virgins left, and at that time the groom arrived and the 5 wise virgins answered for the celebration. When the foolish virgins returned with oil and began to ask to be let in, they were refused.
The meaning of the parables is this: the sleep of the virgins is death, the oil is a righteous life, commitment to God, and the bridegroom is the second coming of Christ. The attempt of the virgins to buy oil is the attempt of sinners to "buy" God's mercy through deliberate righteous acts.
The fact that the virgins were not allowed to the celebration shows that one cannot be an insincere believer and get into Heaven. On Wednesday, according to the Bible, Judas decided to betray Jesus. On Thursday, the Last Supper took place. Friday is dedicated to the memory of Christ's death.
What can you do on Holy Saturday?
For Catholics, this week is the last week of Lent; for Orthodox Christians, it is an independent period of time that is separate from Lent.
Food on Holy Saturday should not be meat-based, that is, it is important to exclude animal products. If it is forbidden to eat hot dishes throughout Holy Week, then starting from Saturday, they can be included in your diet again.
Pregnant and nursing women, children, the sick, as well as people on the road or engaged in heavy physical labor may not adhere to a special diet during this time.
In ancient times, the entire Saturday was dedicated to preparing festive food and cleaning. Holy Saturday is also sometimes called Dyeing Saturday, since the main custom on this day is dyeing eggs. The main shade on this day is red. It symbolizes the blood of Christ. It is recommended to decorate the house with flowers that will denote the awakening of life.
Also on this day you need to collect an Easter basket, which can later be blessed in church. It must include eggs and Easter cakes, the rest of the filling is optional.
The service on this day begins early in the morning and lasts until night.
Also on Holy Saturday, the descent of the Holy Fire occurs. This is the fire that is brought out of the Holy Sepulcher during a special service that takes place annually in Jerusalem. The appearance of the fire symbolizes the resurrection of Christ.
The service is broadcast in countries where Christianity is widely practiced. The Holy Fire is transported by plane to Christian countries. It is believed that if the fire descends safely, then the whole year until the next Easter will go well.
Holy Saturday 2025 – what not to do?
You can't do it all Holy Saturday:
- to arrange a funeral feast,
- get married,
- perform the rite of baptism,
- celebrate birthdays and weddings.
It is better to postpone all events to another day. On these days, you also cannot sew, wash, or work in the garden. It is important to devote the day to prayers and refuse hard work. It is not recommended to laugh loudly, quarrel with others, or take offense.
Signs
There are a number of signs, the observance of which will bring happiness into the family and will make the entire following year prosperous:
- If the Easter cakes turned out great on this day, it means that the whole next year will be successful and will delight the whole family with joyful events.
- On this day, you can't take anything out of the house, including trash. You also can't lend money. Failure to follow these rules can bring minor troubles and failures.
- Waking up during the Easter sunrise promises the beginning of a good streak in business.
- It is also important to pay attention to dreams on the night from Holy Saturday to Sunday. If you dream of a deceased relative, then this promises a healthy year for the whole family.
- If you are going to visit a church, it is important to arrive for the service on time, otherwise it may mean trouble.
- If the weather on Holy Saturday in 2025 is warm and clear, then the summer is expected to be warm and clear, but if this day is cloudy, then expect a cold summer.
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