Holy Saturday (redirected from Easter Eve)

Holy Saturday

Between March 21 and April 24 in the West and between April 3 and May 7 in the East; the day before Easter

The Saturday before Easter Sunday, also called Easter Even, is the last day of Holy Week and brings the season of Lent to a close. In the early church, this was the major day for baptisms. Many churches, especially those of the Anglican Communion, still hold large baptismal services on Holy Saturday. It is also known as the Vigil of Easter in reference to the fact that Jesus' followers spent this day, after his crucifixion on Good Friday, waiting. The Easter, or Paschal, Vigil, the principal celebration of Easter, is traditionally observed the night of Holy Saturday in many churches today. Another name for this day is the Descent into Hell, because it commemorates Jesus' descent into and victory over hell.
Slavic Orthodox Christians bring baskets of food to the church for the Blessing of the Pascha (Easter) Baskets on Holy Saturday. The baskets are filled with the foods from which people have abstained during the Lenten fast and which will be part of the Pascha feast. For many inhabitants of Mexican descent in Los Angeles, California, Holy Saturday is the day for a colorful ceremony known as the Blessing of the Animals, which takes place at the Old Plaza Church near Olvera Street.

CONTACTS:
Christian Resource Institute
4712 N. Hammond
Warr Acres, OK 73122
405-789-0449
www.cresourcei.org
El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument
845 N. Alameda St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-680-2525
www.olvera-street.com
Orthodox Church in America
P.O. Box 675
Syosset, NY 11791
516-922-0550; fax: 516-922-0954
www.oca.org

SOURCES:
AmerBkDays-2000, p. 238
BkFest-1937, pp. 24, 41, 70, 87, 96, 148, 168, 184, 211, 227, 260, 275, 292, 301, 339
BkHolWrld-1986, Apr 11
DictFolkMyth-1984, p. 258
EncyEaster-2002, p. 284
EncyRel-1987, vol. 3, p. 439
FestWestEur-1958, pp. 9, 60, 94, 108
FolkAmerHol-1999, p. 172
FolkWrldHol-1999, p. 224
IndianAmer-1989, p. 274
OxYear-1999, p. 620
SaintFestCh-1904, p. 161

Celebrated in: Australia, Belize, Chile, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Mexico, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Georgia, Seychelles, Zambia, Zimbabwe

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Holy Saturday (Mexico) (S‡bado de Gloria)

Between March 21 and April 24; day before Easter

In Mexico, Holy Saturday is observed by burning effigies of Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Jesus to the religious authorities for 30 pieces of silver. Street vendors sell the papier-mâchÉ effigies, which range from one to five feet in height and make Judas look as ugly as possible. The effigies designed for children are stuffed with candies and hung in the patios of private houses. Other effigies are suspended over the streets or hung from lampposts. All have firecrackers attached, which are ignited as soon as the Mass of Glory is over. As the effigies explode, kids jostle one another in an attempt to retrieve the candies and trinkets that are hidden inside.
The church bells, which have been silent since the Wednesday before Easter, ring on Holy Saturday, and there are folk beliefs associated with the ringing of the bells. For example, it is believed that plants or hair trimmed while the bells are ringing will grow back faster. Children are often smacked on the legs so that they'll grow taller.
See also Burning of Judas

CONTACTS:
Mexico Tourism Board
21 E. 63rd St., Fl. 3
New York, NY 10021
800-446-3942 or 212-821-0314; fax: 212-821-0367
www.visitmexico.com

SOURCES:
BkFest-1937, p. 227
BkHolWrld-1986, Apr 11
EncyEaster-2002, p. 406
FolkWrldHol-1999, p. 235

Celebrated in: Mexico