Cultural aspects in Christian and Islamic religions - unesdoc - Unesco

Holy Saturday
Holy Saturday, or Great Saturday, is a day of rest
for Christ after His agony and His death. On this
day, he is said to have preached the Good News
to the departed. He announced Resurrection that
may fill the universe with light, and man with joy
and new life.
Holy Saturday is the last day of Holy Week and
is a special day in the liturgical year as no Mass
is celebrated. In Byzantine Churches, Mass is
celebrated on Holy Saturday. It is the only day on
which fasting is compulsory whereas the breaking
of fast is allowed on all the other Saturdays of
Lent. Holy Saturday liturgy in all Syriac liturgies is
characterized by the ‘prayer of forgiveness’ (Salat
al-Ghufran). It is a rite of communal reconciliation
and repentance completely different than the rest
of prayers during Holy Week. At the time of this
prayer, mourning in church is lifted and the Priest
gives the blessing once again after having been
stopped during the Holy Week. Traditionally, the
Priest says at the end of the rite: ‘Christ is risen!’
and the congregation answer: ‘Truly, He is risen’.
Then starts the joy of Resurrection.
The core of this liturgical rite comprises two
elements: asking God for forgiveness and one’s
brothers for pardon. The communal aspect of this
rite is essential to the concept of repentance as
the sinner returns to God and to the community of
the Church. On this Holy Saturday, catechumens
would be prepared to the Sacrament of Baptism
and a special paschal evening would be held for
prayer.
Easter
In the Old Testament, this Holiday had the
same name, Easter and Passover. It was a yearly
compulsory religious celebration and the ritual of
lamb eating for the Holiday was also compulsory
on the fourteenth of April (based on the Lunar
Calendar). Christ celebrated Passover with His
Disciples. But on the Last Supper, he ended
this symbol, and He became the Lamb of God.
Passover was celebrated every Sunday, the Day
of God, and it remained so until the end of the
second century. Since then, there appeared the
desire to consecrate one Sunday of the year for
a special celebration, as Passover feast. It was
agreed in the East and the West that Easter should
be commemorated on the Sunday following the
full moon after the spring equinox, i.e. between
March 22 and April 25.
In 1582, after the reform introduced by Pope
Gregory XIII to the Julian calendar which had
been used so far, ten days were ruled out of the
year. States and Churches adopted this Reform, as
concerns the civil year as well as the liturgical year
for fixed Holidays such as Christmas, Epiphany,
Assumption, and the Exaltation of the Cross. The
problem remained only for Easter and has been
so ever since. Contention is only about the date
of the Holiday and not the essence or the liturgy
of the Holiday that are the same in both the east
and the West. Resurrection Sunday is THE Holiday
in the faithful Church. It has become the center of
all other Holidays that have gradually arisen in the
Church. They set off from this day and to it they
return.
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