Publisher's Synopsis
The Vespers and Divine Liturgy of Holy Saturday is celebrated in the stillness of Christ's burial, it marks the day when the Lord, having been laid in the tomb, descends into Hades-not as a captive, but as a victorious King. It is the quiet turning point of salvation history: the moment when death begins to be undone from within.
Central to this service are the Fifteen Old Testament Readings, which span from the creation of the world to the fiery furnace of Babylon. These readings unfold the divine plan of salvation, revealing Christ as the fulfillment of prophecy and the key to all Scripture. Woven through the readings is the growing sense of expectation, as the Church stands at the threshold between the sorrow of the Cross and the joy of the Resurrection. Among the most moving moments of the liturgy is the solemn chanting of "Let all mortal flesh keep silence," a hymn of profound reverence that prepares the faithful for the mystery of Christ's Body and Blood. Though the church begins the service in the dark hues of mourning, a liturgical transformation takes place: vestments and coverings are changed from dark to light, and the first notes of Paschal joy begin to ring out. This book includes the full text of the Vespers and Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great for Holy Saturday, with the appointed readings, hymns, and helpful liturgical notes. It is a guide to one of the most beautiful and hope-filled services of the entire Christian year-a foretaste of resurrection in the depths of the tomb.
