Holy Saturday Vesperal Liturgy

There are many different practices for the Holy Saturday Liturgy. Fifteen Old Testaments are prescribed. Unfortunately, some churches read the even numbered lessons in even numbered years and the odd numbered lessons in odd numbered years. Other churches read all of them. This is my preference.

Some churches celebrate the Liturgy on the tomb in the middle of the church. This is a Jerusalem practice which apparently is spreading.

Another practice that is popular is for the children to read all fifteen lessons. Of course, the older children read the longer ones and the ones which have verses at the end. A sub-practice is for the child to read the lesson and then when it comes to the verses, a reglar parish reader reads the verses.

Of course, you can have combinations of these practices. When I was there, my cathedral in Washington did only half of the lessons and the Liturgy was celebrated from the tomb. A parish in New Jersey did all the lessons and the Liturgy was celebrated from the tomb. My previous parish did only half of the lessons, and they were read by the children, and the Liturgy was celebrated at the tomb.

My parish has the children read the lessons. Some children read several lessons, depending on how many children are available. I read the Epistle and "Arise, O Lord, and judge the earth" after the Epistle.

Twenty years ago I would not had dreamed of reading the Epistle at this Liturgy. It was not until I came to Baltimore in 1993 and after the then current priest left my previous parish that I actually read the Epistle during Sunday Divine Liturgy in my own parish. In 1988 I read the Epistle on Sunday at a parish in Mississippi when I was there on military duty for six weeks.

Another tradition in the Orthodox Church is to have bread and wine after the Liturgy. Traditionally this Liturgy was celebrated in the afternoon and the faithful would stay in the church all day until the midnight service ends. Some practices also have figs. During this time the Acts of the Apostles is read. Often people would read it in various languages. Our choir director reads it in Latin.

After the Liturgy we blessed the Pascha baskets for those who were at this Liturgy but cannot return in the evening for whatever reason.

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