After Jesus' crucifixion a wealthy follower, Joseph of Arimathea, received permission from Pontius Pilate to take possession of Jesus' body after it was removed from the cross.  Joseph wrapped it in a white cloth and placed Jesus' body in his own tomb where it lay until Easter morning.

The day between Christ’s crucifixion and His resurrection was full of grief and shock. The disciples had scattered when Jesus was arrested and they probably spent the first Holy Saturday hiding, afraid that they would be arrested, too. The disciples tried to understand the betrayal by their friend Judas and the murder of Jesus, and  what all of it meant for their lives and the future of His message. 

The only biblical reference to what happened on Holy Saturday is found in Matthew. The chief priests and Pharisees visited Pontius Pilate. They asked Pilate for a guard at Jesus’ tomb. They remembered Jesus saying that He would rise again in three days and wanted to do everything they could to prevent that. Christ had risen!

Some churches place special emphasis on Holy Saturday as a day of reflection on what life would be like without the salvation provided for us by Christ.  In the Greek Orthodox Church, Holy Saturday is a day of mourning over Jesus' death but also a day of gratitude. In order for us to receive assurance of our salvation through His resurrection, Jesus had to die. What greater gift could we have been given?  What greater sacrifice than his own human life could the Son of God have made?  In western Christian churches, Saturday night is a time for a vigil, as people gather in anticipation of the resurrection and the salvation that was assured to us on Easter morning.