Most Christians easily recognize the importance of commemorating the Friday that Jesus was crucified and buried, and the Sunday that He rose from the dead. But what about Saturday? Most denominations acknowledge it as a time that is as holy and significant as Good Friday and Easter. But what is being recognized on this day and why is it significant?
What Is Holy Saturday and Where Does It Fit into Holy Week?
Holy Week, also known as Passion Week, begins with Palm Sunday, when Jesus rode into Jerusalem, signifying to the crowds that He was proclaiming Himself as King of the Jews–which God and the Holy Spirit had already corroborated at different points in His ministry. Holy Week ends with Easter on the following Sunday. Christians around the world celebrate the days in between as they are described in all four biblical Gospels.
The other days and happenings of Passion Week include:
Holy Monday–much to everyone’s surprise, Jesus made a whip and drove out those doing business in the Temple–buying and selling animals for Passover sacrifice.
Holy Tuesday–Jesus returned to teach at the Temple through parables, and spoke about His impending death.
Holy Wednesday–Jesus was anointed by Mary of Bethany for His burial, and Judas chose to betray Jesus to the Jewish leaders.
Holy Thursday–Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples for the last time, and told them that He would be handed over to death, would be raised, and then the Holy Spirit would come.
Good Friday–Jesus was handed over to Roman soldiers to be tortured and crucified, leading to His death.
Easter Sunday–God resurrects Jesus to new life, just as Jesus promised.
The ancient Roman church called the days that made up the last three days of Holy Week the Triduum–Latin for “a space of three days.” Holy Saturday was the interim between Jesus’ death and resurrection, a day that theologians have debated over the centuries. What was happening with Jesus on that day?
What Does the Bible Say about the Day Jesus Lay in the Tomb?
The Apostle Matthew tells us what happened to Jesus after he died on the cross:
As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away.
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.
The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate.“Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”
“Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard (Matthew 27:57-66).
Joseph and Nicodemus, both Pharisees who were part of the Jewish ruling body–the Sanhedrin–were “secret” disciples of Jesus. Secret because they were afraid of reprisal from the Jews who didn’t believe in Jesus. But on this day, they proclaimed their faith by asking Pilate for Jesus’ body so they could bury him in a new tomb owned by Joseph’s family. They had to prepare Jesus’ body quickly because Friday evening was the beginning of the Sabbath, and Jewish law prohibited any work on the Sabbath–including burial of the dead.
Once Jesus was in the tomb, and the stone was rolled in front of it to close Him in, what happened before he rose two days later? His body was dead, but His spirit would have been very much alive. Since He told Mary Magdalene on Easter morning, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father” (John 20:17), that means He didn’t ascend to heaven during Holy Saturday. Did His spirit remain in the tomb awaiting Easter morning, or was He doing something that day? Does the Bible tell us what happened on Holy Saturday?
There are two verses that allude to Jesus visiting hell before He rose on Easter:
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits– to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,” (1 Peter 3:18-20).
"What does 'He ascended' mean except that He also descended to the lower, earthly regions?" (Ephesians 4:9-10)
Also, the Apostles Creed–written and edited over several hundred years of early church history–includes the following: “... [Jesus] was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again;...”. Some versions said “...he descended into hell.”
So is that gospel? Did Jesus descend into hell on Holy Saturday? There is much debate, as there is no direct record from the disciples on this matter. Wouldn’t it have been likely that Jesus would have shared this experience with them during the 40 days after His resurrection if it had occurred? Candice Lucey writes about this debate, quoting several different sources for their beliefs on the subject.
Whether we know for certain or not, Jesus went through unimaginable experiences for us, so if descending to hell helped to purchase our salvation, then that is what He did. And there is so much to observe on Holy Saturday nonetheless.
How Do Christians Observe and Reflect on Holy Saturday?
Holy Saturday tends to be the most overlooked day of Holy Week, as it’s easier for believers to jump right from the crucifixion to the good news of Easter, yet it holds deep meaning and significance. For those who observe it, Holy Saturday is a day marked by silence, waiting, and uncertainty. For the disciples, this was a time of profound grief and confusion. The Gospels tell us they stayed hidden, fearing the same fate as their Rabbi (John 20:19). Everything they had hoped for seemed to have died with Him. They must have had so many unanswered questions, and overwhelming emotion as they struggled to reconcile what they had witnessed with what they believed the outcome of Jesus’ life would be.
In the life of the Church, Holy Saturday is recognized in various ways, but with the same depth of solemnity and reverence. In Roman Catholic and many liturgical traditions, it is a day of quiet reflection that culminates with the Easter Vigil that occurs on Holy Saturday evening, when the church first proclaims the Resurrection to the congregation. The Eastern Orthodox Church calls it Great and Holy Saturday, remembering Christ’s descent to the dead to proclaim victory over sin and death. Many Protestant denominations keep the day in personal prayer and contemplation, while some Anglican and Lutheran congregations hold evening vigils. A vigil is normally a time of intentional waiting, when members of the church gather at night/overnight to share special prayers by candlelight.
How Does Holy Saturday Prepare Us for Easter Sunday?
Holy Saturday prepares us for Easter Sunday by slowing us down to fully feel the weight of the cross before we marvel at the empty tomb. It’s the day that sits between grief and joy—and in the quiet of this day, we remember that Jesus’ death was real, the tomb was sealed, and His followers genuinely believed all hope was lost. Holy Saturday is the pause we need to enter into their experience of uncertainty and loss, so that when we remember the stone was rolled away, we can feel the triumph of Jesus’ victory in a life-changing way.
Spiritually, Holy Saturday trains our hearts in patient trust. It reminds us that God often works in unseen ways, and that silence does not mean absence. Just as Jesus’ body lay in the tomb while His spirit proclaimed victory to the dead (1 Peter 3:18–19), God is often bringing life out of death in ways we cannot always see. Sitting in that stillness deepens our gratitude for Easter morning—because resurrection joy is most powerful when it follows the dark valley of waiting–a valley that many of us can relate to in our own lives.
Scriptures For Holy Saturday to Prepare Our Hearts for Easter
If we enter into the experience like a disciple on Holy Saturday, we consider the grief of Jesus’ sacrifice, sit in silence waiting, wonder what God is doing, and whether Jesus’ promises were true. The following scriptures can help us as we meditate in prayer:
“When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things. The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment” (Luke 23:48-56).
“He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24).
“The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord” (Lamentations 3:25-26).
“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” (Isaiah 30:18).
“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord” (Psalm 27:14).
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9).
“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 1:20).
“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (John 11:25-26).
A Devotion for Holy Saturday
“The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord” ( Lamentations 3:25–26).
Holy Saturday is a day that doesn’t get much attention. It sits between the pain of the cross and the joy of resurrection. From the outside, it looks like nothing is happening—but God is always working, even when we can’t see it. Sometimes life feels like that, too. Prayers seem to go unanswered, or our circumstances don’t change. It can be tempting to believe God has forgotten us. But in these “waiting room” times, He is still moving, still faithful, still keeping every promise.
This day reminds us that trust is not just for the moments when God’s plan is clear. Faith and trust in God are for the times when everything looks dismal, or even hopeless. God’s silence does not mean His absence. In fact, He is always working on behalf of those who love Him. He knows the whole story, and His timing is always right. Trust means we lean into His character, even when the outcome seems uncertain.
If you’re in a “Holy Saturday” season, where you feel stuck between what you’ve lost and what you’re longing for, remember this: the tomb wasn’t permanent, and neither is your current struggle. God’s promises are sure, and “He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it…” (Philippians 1:6). The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in you, even now. Keep trusting. Keep praying. Keep watching. Sunday always comes.
Learn More about Holy Saturday and the Easter Vigil:
Holy Saturday Date Traditions Meaning
What Is Easter Vigil?
What Really Happened on Holy Saturday?
Holy Saturday Prayers for Jesus' Burial and Easter Eve
Photo credit: ©Getty Images
Mary Oelerich-Meyer is a Chicago-area freelance writer and copy editor who prayed for years for a way to write about and for the Lord. She spent 20 years writing for area healthcare organizations, interviewing doctors and clinical professionals and writing more than 1,500 articles in addition to marketing collateral materials. Important work, but not what she felt called to do. She is grateful for any opportunity to share the Lord in her writing and editing, believing that life is too short to write about anything else. Previously she served as Marketing Communications Director for a large healthcare system. She holds a B.A. in International Business and Marketing from Cornell College (the original Cornell!) When not researching or writing, she loves to spend time with her writer daughter, granddaughter, rescue doggie and husband (not always in that order).
