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Definition:
Holy Saturday is the day before Easter and is the date during Holy Week when Christians engage in preparations for Easter services. Among Anglicans it is typically referred to as Eastern Even (Easter Eve) and among Filipinos as Black Saturday. Eastern Orthodox Christians call it The Great Sabbath because Jesus "rested" in the tomb on this day. Sometimes it is called Easter Saturdy, but that is incorrect - technically, Easter Saturday is the Saturday following Easter.
Some early Christian legends recount how the "Harrowing of Hell" occurred on this day. While his body lay in the tomb, Jesus is supposed to have visited hell to rescue the many just and good non-Christians held there. Christian tradition has it that the only way to Heaven is through Jesus, which relegates all the good people who lived before Jesus to eternal damnation. Jesus' descent to Hell created a way for them to be redeemed, thus eliminating the problem of teaching that good people would be tormented for all eternity.
In the very early Christian church, Christians would normally fast during the day and participate in an all-night vigil before a baptism of new Christians and celebratory Eucharist at dawn. During the Middle Ages many of the Holy Saturday events were transferred from the nighttime vigil to dawn services on Saturday.
Modern Catholic churches observe Holy Saturdy by severely restricting all religious observances. Altars are stripped bare. No sacraments are administered except in emergencies, for example, if someone is close to death. Neither weddings nor funerals are held. This is the only date in the liturgical calendar on which masses are not held.
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