Great Sabbath


The Great Sabbath is the Sabbath immediately preceding Passover. It "is commemorated in the Christian calendar as Holy Saturday".

Jewish traditions

Known as Shabbat Hagadol, it is the Sabbath immediately preceding Passover. It is customary for the rabbi to deliver an address to the congregation on this day. The first half of the haggadah is recited in the afternoon. The Haftarah is taken from the prophet Malachi and speaks about the coming of Elijah the prophet to announce the Great Day of God. The Babylonian Talmud, citing Exodus 12:42, states, “That was for the Eternal a night of vigil for bringing them out of the land of Egypt; that same night is a night of vigil for all the Israelites throughout their generations.”
A customary greeting in some Sephardic communities is Shabbat haGadol mevorach,.

Christian traditions

Eastern Orthodox traditions

In Eastern Orthodoxy this day, known as "Holy and Great Saturday", is also called "The Great Sabbath" since it is on this day that Christ "rested" in the tomb. Matins of Holy and Great Saturday takes the form of a funeral service for Christ. The predominant theme of the service is not so much one of mourning, but of watchful expectation: