Great Saturday in 2025

When is Orthodox Holy Saturday?

Orthodox Holy Saturday takes place on the day before Orthodox Easter.

Easter is the principal festival of Greece and the Orthodox Church.

Traditions of Orthodox Holy Saturday

In Eastern Orthodoxy the Saturday before Easter is known as Holy Saturday or Great Saturday.

It may also be called 'The Great Sabbath' since it is on this day that Christ "rested" physically in the tomb. But it is also believed that it was on this day he performed in spirit the Harrowing of Hell and raised up to Paradise, having liberated those who had been held captive.

In the Coptic, Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox Churches, this day is known as Joyous Saturday, otherwise known as the night of light and joy.

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. 

Holy Saturday Service

Just before midnight, the church goes totally dark. After midnight, the church begins to glow up with candlelight as people light their candles from the candle of the person beside them and start chanting "Christos Anesti."

The traditional hymn for the Easter is also sung. Translated, it means "Christ is risen from the dead. By his death, he has trampled down death. To those in the tomb, he gave eternal life." This hymn is sung for some weeks after Easter for the duration of the church services.