A Service For Holy Saturday

The third day of the triduum is a day for silence. During this day, Christians may gather for prayer, to feel the silence and to sense the weight of Jesus' death. This service prepares worshipers for the Great Paschal Vigil on Saturday evening.

In the early church the commemoration of the paschal event allowed for a connection between Good Friday and the great Paschal Vigil of Saturday night (which was the Easter day celebration). During the day of Saturday, Christians gathered for prayer and meditation of the sixth and ninth hours. Today the unitive nature of the three days has been largely lost. However, churches seeking to restore the entire three days as a time of solemn worship conduct a service on Saturday of Holy Week and also keep the church open during the day for prayers. The Saturday service is a very simple service of prayer, Scripture reading, a sermon, and the anthem "In the Midst of Life," which is normally used in the burial office. This service begins and ends in silence in keeping with the solemnity of the day. It is good to have a devotional guide for prayer, reading, and meditation available for those who wish to come to the church during the day. This may be an especially profitable time to focus on the meaning of Christ's death and the application of Christ's death to one's life. An Order for the Holy Saturday Service (The people take their places in silence.) The minister steps forward and says, "Let us pray: O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath, so we may await with him the coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. The Scripture Readings Old Testament: Job 14:1–14 Psalm 130 or 31:1–5 Epistle: 1 Peter 4:1–8 Gospel: Matthew 27:57–66, or John 19:38–42 The Sermon The Prayers (After the gospel and homily, in place of the Prayers of the People, the anthem "In the Midst of Life" is sung or said. The service then concludes with the Lord's Prayer and the Grace.)