In ancient times the Liturgy of the Great Saturday as other Lenten Liturgies took place at sunset and so it begins with Vespers. As Vespers is always the beginning of the service of the next day, and the next day is Easter, the Liturgy of the Great Saturday combines two moments: on the one hand it completes the services of the Passion Week, and on the other hand it begins the solemnity of Easter. These opposite features of grief and joy, tears and bright exultation are miraculously combined in the course of the service. In the middle of the Church there is still the Holy Shroud of Our Saviour, but the choir is already praising in song His Victory over Death.

At the beginning of the service after sticherons singing “Lord, call upon You” and the little Entrance in front of the Holy Shroud fifteen paremiis are read. The paremiis include antitypes of suffering, death and resurrection of Christ and prophecies about coming of gracious Kingdom of the Lord and glory of the New Testament Church. In ancient times on the Great Saturday there took place the baptism of catechumen, the persons ready to adopt Christianity. Long reading of paremiis gave time to perform the sacrament of baptism over many catechumens and for the newly baptized the choir instead of the Thrice Holy sang “Those who were baptized into Christ have clothed themselves with Christ”.

The Apostle reading calls Christians to die for sin in order to live with Jesus Christ. And here comes the critical moment from passion to Easter service: the altar closes and dark clerical garments are changed for white ones “Arise, God, judge the world for all nations belong to you”.

In ancient times the Great Saturday was distinguished not only by rigorous fast but by particular inner concentration and solemn silence in Church life. “What is it?” wrote saint Epiphanius in his sermon on the Great Saturday.

“Today there is a great silence and peace on the earth. There is deep silence because the King has reposed. The earth fears and rests because God is reposing in flesh and rising from the dead those who died long ago. God died in flesh and hell trembles. God has reposed for short time in order to wake up those who are in hell.”

“Christ is dead today, but He is alive. He is already overcoming death giving life for those who are dead”. And there is nothing for us to do but to live the Blessed Saturday to the end, to that hour when there will come the bright day of our Lord Jesus Christ, Holy Easter, and with Angel we’ll proclaim “He is risen. He is not here. Here is the place where they laid Him”. (Mark16, 6).