What Is Holy Saturday?

HOLY SATURDAY, also known as the Easter Vigil or Paschal Vigil, is the day of remembrance for Jesus’ life. Much like a vigil, or wake, provides people with an opportunity to grieve and mourn the loss of a loved one, this day invites Christians to spend time processing Jesus’ sacrifice for each of us.

Today, Holy Saturday, is that in–between day, the “already but not yet,” where Christ lay in the tomb. This is a day when the cross seems all too real and the resurrection is only a rumor of things yet to be.

Not much is said in Scripture regarding the day after Jesus’s death. Matthew (27:62–66) is the only one of the four Gospels who tells us something about this day.

The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

One temptation on this day is to jump right to Easter and the resurrection—to celebrate our risen Savior. But this day before Easter Sunday is critically important to our spiritual growth. It is a day of waiting. As Christians, we need to learn better how to wait. Although there are times it may seem as though God is silent, he is actively at work behind the scenes. Don’t you think Jesus could have been raised from the dead on Saturday; or within hours after his crucifixion? Yes, of course he could have. But God waited. And he made the disciples wait. And sometimes he makes us wait. Oftentimes the waiting period is a time to see if we truly trust in the sovereignty of God.

For more on Holy Week, see The Week That Changed The World: Daily Reflections For Holy Week.