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…