Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

On Holy Saturday, Christ descends into hell to save the righteous

Photo: Archive

Holy Saturday services begin on Friday evening with Vespers. The Church commemorates the burial of Christ the Saviour and His descent into hell to save the righteous who had died before His work of redemption.


Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, with Pilate's permission, took down Christ's body from the cross, anointed it with fragrant myrrh, wrapped it in a new shroud, and placed it in a new tomb hewn out of the rock in the Garden of Gethsemane. The women, His followers, and the Blessed Virgin Mary, who was overwhelmed with grief and whose heart was pierced with sorrow, were present at the laying of His body in the tomb.

Погребението на Христос – стенна мозайка в църквата на Божи гроб в Йерусалим

After His body had been laid in the tomb, the Jews sealed it with a large stone and set a guard, fearing that the disciples might steal the body and claim that He had risen. They refused to accept that the Lord of life was in the tomb, but would soon be glorified through the miracle of the resurrection.


For the Church, Holy Saturday is the 'most blessed seventh day', when the Word of God lies as a dead man in the tomb and at the same time saves the world and opens the tombs of the righteous to eternal life.

On the morning of Holy Saturday, the Vespers Divine Liturgy is celebrated. At this time the priests change from their dark vestments to their bright Easter vestments. They give communion to the elderly and the physically weak or ill who cannot wait until the Easter midnight service on Saturday night. The curtains of the Royal Doors to the altar are also changed. During the service, the priest throws flowers from the shroud to the faithful as an expression of joyful anticipation of the glorious resurrection".


In the evening, the festive Easter service begins, leading into the early hours of Christ's resurrection.




Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

The Slavic alphabet, created by Saints Cyril and Methodius, was written in Old Bulgarian

Every tree has roots. The bigger the tree, the deeper its roots. We are all united here in Southeast Europe. It is our saints that unite us, not divide us. This was stated in an interview with Radio Bulgaria by Prof. Konstantinos Nichoritis. A graduate..

published on 5/24/25 8:25 AM
Metropolitan Arseniy of Sliven

The Sliven Metropolis is opposed to the Nestinarstvo tradition

Metropolitan Arseniy of Sliven has spoken out against the nestinari (fire dancers), prohibiting them from using icons during their rituals. This announcement was made on the Sliven Metropolis's official website and Facebook page. In his statement,..

published on 5/21/25 2:15 PM
The Cyril and Methodius monument in front of the National Library in Sofia.

Scientists from 14 countries meet to discuss the legacy of Christian missions in the Middle Ages

An international scientific conference will be held in Sofia from 21 to 24 May, the days preceding the celebration of Saints Cyril and Methodius, announced the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS). The conference, titled "Christian Missions in the European..

published on 5/21/25 9:10 AM