Holy Saturday

On the eve of Easter, Orthodox believers face the last difficult test - Holy Week. The final week of Lent, a period of repentance, renunciation of gluttony, evil thoughts and deeds, is spent in memories of the last days of the life of Jesus Christ - his torment and suffering. Each day of the week is called Great, because... Divine services in cathedrals and temples at this time are particularly pomp and beauty. The rituals and reading of prayers on the sixth day of Holy Week are dedicated to the burial of the body of Christ. The Gospel tells that the dead body of the crucified Savior was washed and wrapped in a shroud by Joseph of Arimathea, after which he anointed it with incense and buried it in a cave. Jesus, according to the Holy Scriptures, after death descended into hell and freed the souls of the languishing righteous. Believers spend Holy Saturday meditating and reading the New Testament and making final preparations for Easter. On this day, a miracle occurs in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher - the descent of the Holy Fire. The wait for divine light takes different times every year - from 10 minutes to several hours. To see this miracle, the first mention of which is found in written sources of the 4th century, thousands of pilgrims come to Jerusalem from all over the world. The first minutes after the phenomenon, the flame has a temperature of 40°C and does not burn - you can hold it in your hands and even symbolically wash your face. Clergy and believers deliver lamps with fire to different countries of the world, incl. and to Russia. Great Lent is a time of spiritual wandering and search for an Orthodox person who thinks not about his bodily shell, but about the salvation of the soul. Therefore, in addition to food restrictions, throughout Holy Week people refrain from swearing and foul language, do not attend entertainment events, do not hold weddings and do not celebrate birthdays. The date of celebration of Great Saturday, which is also often called Silent Saturday, is different every year, because... depends on the arrival of Easter. On this day it is forbidden to make noise and have fun, borrow money, clean the house and work. On Holy Saturday, Christians refuse any food in favor of water. If this abstinence is beyond the capabilities of an Orthodox person, the church allows the consumption of lean bread or food without oil. On the sixth day of Holy Week, priests dressed in white robes consecrate Easter cakes, Thursday salt and eggs, sprinkling them with holy water. After the liturgy, the New Testament "Acts of the Holy Apostles" is read. A religious procession takes place around the temples to the chant of “Holy God.” In the evening, the main service begins, and at midnight Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter.