Holy Saturday

Are there hymns for Holy Saturday? My experience has always been that no Mass is said, and so no hymns are sung. We have only secular comforts.

Well here is one of those. It's a mournful song, but the singing itself means something.



And here is Elvis -- I don't think I've ever posted an Elvis piece before, in spite of all the rockabilly I've put up over the years. It's secular, except for being addressed to the Lord; and you can imagine a similar objection being raised in the face of the crucifixion, by a man who would have preferred a different cup.

8 comments:

Elise said...

Apparently, Holy Saturday is observed in the Greek Orthodox church: https://www.goarch.org/holysaturday

When I was given a tour of a local Greek Orthodox Church last year, one of the icons showed Christ descending into Hades. I was puzzled but, yeah, that's part of the Apostles' Creed: He descended into hell. My church just always sort of skipped over that part.

Dad29 said...

A Mass is said in the evening, following the blessing of the new fire, the blessing of the holy water, and the procession into the church with the Easter candle. Since the entire service lasts 2-3 hours, many people don't go.

Dad29 said...

....and there are no specific "Holy Saturday" hymns, although JSBach wrote a lovely chorale "Christ Lag in Tobesbanden" which fits.

Grim said...

That’s the Easter Vigil Mass, which I have attended. I just think of it as the Easter Sunday service rather than a Saturday service. But it is, as you rightly say, held on Saturday after dark. Kind of like the Jewish Sabbath begins at sundown.

Quasirenaissanceman said...

I'd suggest the Exultet, from the Easter Vigil, is THE hymn for today. The Vigil starts after dark, but before midnight, and since this happens towards the beginning, I think it would qualify.

Dad29 said...

Kind of like the Jewish Sabbath begins at sundown.

That is NOT coincidence.

Dad29 said...

Quasi- is technically correct about the Exultet, but I think Grim was looking for a more conventional "hymn." Metered, verses, refrain, and all that.

Grim said...

That is NOT coincidence.

Yes, I know. It’s not kind of like, it’s exactly like.