Holy Saturday 2027 (March 27): What Catholics Do, Fasting, Prayers and the Easter Vigil

By /
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Holy Saturday is the day between Good Friday and Easter, when the Church waits in silence at the tomb of the Lord, meditating on his death and his descent among the dead. There is no Mass during the day; the altar is bare and the tabernacle empty. After nightfall the Church celebrates the Easter Vigil, “the mother of all vigils,” and the joy of the Resurrection begins. In 2027 Holy Saturday falls on Saturday, March 27, and Easter Sunday on March 28.

What Holy Saturday means

On Holy Saturday the body of Jesus lay in the tomb, while, as the Apostles’ Creed says, “he descended into hell”: not the hell of the damned, but the realm of the dead, where the just who had died before him awaited their Redeemer. St. Peter writes:

Because Christ also died once for our sins, the just for the unjust: that he might offer us to God, being put to death indeed in the flesh, but enlivened in the spirit,
In which also coming he preached to those spirits that were in prison:

The Catechism teaches that Christ “went down into the depths of death” so that the dead might hear his voice and live, and it quotes an ancient homily for this day that begins, “Today a great silence reigns on earth” (CCC 633–635). In Eastern icons of the Resurrection, Christ stands on the broken gates of hell, pulling Adam and Eve from their tombs.

For the disciples it was the darkest day: their Master was dead and buried. Mary is traditionally honored on Holy Saturday as the one who kept faith while everyone else despaired.

What Catholics do on Holy Saturday

  • No Mass is celebrated during the day, and Holy Communion may be given only as Viaticum to the dying. The sacrament of confession may be celebrated.
  • The Church prays the Liturgy of the Hours, especially the Office of Readings and Morning Prayer, which some parishes celebrate publicly with the people.
  • The paschal fast. The Second Vatican Council recommended that the fast of Good Friday be prolonged, where possible, throughout Holy Saturday, so that we come to the joy of Easter “with uplifted and clear mind” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 110). It is recommended, not required.
  • Preparing for Easter. Families decorate eggs, prepare the Easter meal and clean the church, and catechumens make their final preparation for Baptism.
  • The blessing of Easter food. In Polish and other Central European traditions, families bring baskets of eggs, bread, salt, ham and sausage to church to be blessed (Święconka), to be eaten at Easter breakfast.
  • The Easter Vigil. The great liturgy begins after nightfall with the blessing of the new fire, the paschal candle and the Exsultet. See the Easter Vigil.

Can Catholics eat meat on Holy Saturday?

Yes. Holy Saturday is not a day of required fasting or abstinence; the obligatory fast and abstinence fall on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. The Church recommends extending the Good Friday fast through Holy Saturday as a voluntary “paschal fast,” but it is not binding. See Lent 2027: fasting rules.

A prayer for Holy Saturday

Written for this page:

Lord Jesus, today your body rests in the tomb, and the world is silent.
You went down to those who sat in darkness and the shadow of death,
to set free all who had waited for you.
Go down into the dark places of my heart and of our world,
and raise us with you to new life.
Mary, Mother of Sorrows, you kept faith when all was lost; keep us faithful as we wait for Easter. Amen.

Holy Saturday in the old rite

Before Pope Pius XII restored the Holy Week ceremonies in 1951–1955, the Easter Vigil was celebrated on Holy Saturday morning, with the new fire, the Exsultet and the prophecies read in daylight, so that by noon the Easter Alleluia had already been sung. The restoration returned the Vigil to the night, so that Holy Saturday is once again a day of silent waiting.

Frequently asked questions

When is Holy Saturday 2027?

Saturday, March 27, 2027. Easter Sunday is March 28.

Is there Mass on Holy Saturday?

Not during the day. The first Mass of Easter is the Easter Vigil, which begins after nightfall on Holy Saturday.

Is Holy Saturday part of Lent?

Lent ends on the evening of Holy Thursday. Holy Saturday belongs to the Easter Triduum, with Holy Thursday evening, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

Can I go to confession on Holy Saturday?

Yes. Many parishes offer confessions on Holy Saturday morning, a fitting preparation for Easter.

More Holy Week pages

Texts and sources