Holy Saturday

American

noun

the Saturday in Holy Week.

Holy Saturday British

noun

the Saturday before Easter Sunday

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Holy Saturday

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

On Holy Saturday, the Easter Vigil will be held in the atrium of St Peter's Basilica.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

At the heart of the Good Friday and Holy Saturday sections were four responsories from Carlo Gesualdo’s 1611 collection for Holy Week.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 4, 2025

Archbishop of Los Angeles José Gomez celebrated Holy Saturday with a blessing of the animals on Olvera Street.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2024

It is observed from Ash Wednesday through Holy Saturday, the day before Easter, which marks their belief in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 23, 2023

He’s up early on Holy Saturday and I have tea with him by the fire.

From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023