Holy Saturday

Holy Saturday ( Old High German kara, action ',' grief ',' sorrow ') is the last day of Holy Week and the second day of the Paschal Triduum. On Easter Sunday follows him. Holy Saturday is regionally referred to as Karsonnabend or silent Saturday. According to traditional Christian idea of the Holy Saturday is the day of the Descent into Hell, was descended on Jesus in the night after his crucifixion in the underworld and have freed there in limbo, the " bosom of Abraham ", the souls of the righteous from Adam. The occurring colloquial name of Karsamstages as " Easter Saturday " or as Easter Saturday deviates from the tradition of the Church: The Easter Saturday in the Christian parlance, the Saturday of the Octave of Easter and that the day before the White Sunday, a week after Easter.

Holy Saturday is the day on which the Church of the Holy Sepulchre peace of Christ intends and expects to fasting and prayer resurrection. There are no sacraments celebrated on Holy Saturday, associated with festive joy, especially no celebration of the Eucharist, Holy Communion is served only as Viaticum ( Communion death ). Since the celebration of the Easter Vigil is a Vigil to be held entirely in the dark, it begins in many churches in the late evening of Holy Saturday.

Especially at the cathedral churches are sung with the community on the morning of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday ceremony Karmetten. The other Tagzeiten Liturgy of the Hours and special devotions like the Stations of the Cross devotion are also celebrated.

The altar of the church is not adorned with an altar cloth, candles or flowers, but shows the bare stone, mark the " cornerstone " of Christ. For the veneration of the faithful in the churches of the Cross is always prepared, often also an icon of Christ's descent to the underworld or a Pietà ( Pieta ). From the unveiling of the cross in the Celebration of the Passion and death of Christ to the Easter Vigil, the cross will be honored during pre- stepping through a double or single squat, as otherwise the exposed Blessed Sacrament.

On Holy Saturday you prepare with the Easter fasting prior to the feast Easter. Holy Saturday ends with the beginning of the celebration of the Easter Vigil, which already belongs to the liturgy as a vigil of Easter Sunday.