“By the grace of God” Jesus tasted death “for every one”. In his plan of salvation, God ordained that his Son should not only “die for our sins” but should also “taste death”, experience the condition of death, the separation of his soul from his body, between the time he expired on the cross and the time he was raised from the dead. The state of the dead Christ is the mystery of the tomb and the descent into hell. It is the mystery of Holy Saturday, when Christ, lying in the tomb, reveals God’s great sabbath rest after the fulfillment of man’s salvation, which brings peace to the whole universe.

–The Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church, para. 624

The Lamentation of Christ. #HolySaturday #HolyWeek pic.twitter.com/CIDRagT5Ru

— Marlene T. Diaz (@academicknight) April 3, 2021

HOW life and death in Thee
Agree !
Thou hadst a virgin womb
And tomb.
A Joseph did betroth
Them both.

–Richard Crashaw (1613-1649)

BUON SABATO SANTO AGLI AMICI DELLA PAGINA DELL'ARTE

Caravaggio, Deposizione nel sepolcro, 1602-1604. Olio su tela, 300×203 cm. Città del Vaticano, Pinacoteca Vaticana. pic.twitter.com/WN5GyceWj2

— La Pagina dell'Arte (@LaPaginaArte) April 4, 2026

O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath, so we may await with him the coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

For Holy Saturday, a pyx, c500 AD, with the women at Christ’s tomb

(Met Museum) pic.twitter.com/zNMpCmnFI2

— John McCafferty (@jdmccafferty) April 4, 2026

“I have been hunted like a bird
    by those who were my enemies without cause;
 they flung me alive into the pit
    and cast stones on me;
 water closed over my head;
    I said, ‘I am lost.’

–Lamentations 3:52-54

There's something eery about the Cathedral with no main lights. #HolySaturday pic.twitter.com/O5IvoSWP5L

— OurCofE (@OurCofE) March 26, 2016