Holy Saturday and Jesus’ tomb

Holy Saturday has been described as a “pregnant pause” between the horrific events of Good Friday, when Christ suffered and died on the cross, and the joyful celebration of his resurrection on Easter Sunday. 

During Holy Saturday Catholics remember Jesus’ entombment. It is a preparation day and a time of quiet and prayerful reflection on the true gravity of the crucifixion and Jesus’ redemptive sacrifice. 

The account of Jesus’ burial in St. Matthew 27:57-61 states:

“When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who was himself a disciple of Jesus. 

“He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be handed over.

“Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it (in) clean linen and laid it in his new tomb that he had hewn in the rock. Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance to the tomb and departed.

“But Mary Magdalene and the other Mary remained sitting there, facing the tomb.”

Joseph of Arimathea, described as rich, virtuous and likely a member of the Great Sanhedrin in Jerusalem, donated his new tomb as a place for Jesus to be buried. This fulfilled the prophecy in Isaiah 53:9 “He was given a grave among the wicked, a burial place with evildoers, though he had done no wrong, nor was deceit found in his mouth.”

On Holy Saturday, Catholics enter into the mystery and contemplate Jesus in the silence of the tomb, dead. That is until Easter Sunday, with the discovery of burial cloths and a cloth that covered Jesus’ head left behind as a “surprise” victory sign.

In fact, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, which is built over what is considered the traditional burial site of Jesus, is a major Christian pilgrim destination.

The burial site was sealed in 

1555 in order preserve it and prevent pilgrims from touching the actual bedrock where it is believed Jesus’ body was laid and installed a slab of marble over the limestone burial. In October 2016, the world watched as the tomb was opened for the first time in centuries.

The project was carried out by a team of scientists from the National Technical University of Athens in an effort to restore the site’s Edicule – the chapel-like structure that encloses the tomb.

The research team had not initially planned on opening the actual tomb until they realized they needed to complete work inside the site to prevent later damage. The patriarchs agreed the work was necessary.  When the work began, the doors to the church were locked and team members went inside to lift a slab that covers the holy bed. 

“When the riggers went in to actually open the stone covering, it was library silence,” said Dr. Fredrik Hiebert, archaeologist-in-residence for National Geographic, reportedly said. “It was incredible. It was almost like you could hear people breathing. It was almost like we were listening to (see) if we could hear the riggers move the marble slab.”

Among the first people to examine the inside of Christ’s tomb were leaders and representatives from three major Christian denominations: Roman Catholic, Armenian and Greek Orthodox. They were reportedly “all smiles” when they came out. When it was the National Geographic team’s turn, they were simply overwhelmed, according to Hiebert.

 “I continue to be an archaeologist in residence at National Geographic and I continue to go on my digs,” Hiebert had said. “But I don’t think in my life I will ever encounter something that had such a personal resonance. It’s changed me a lot.”

After removing the marble slab, researchers found a layer of fill debris and below that another marble slab engraved with a cross, likely from the Crusaders era. When the final layer was removed, a rough-hewn limestone slab was revealed. 

This is believed to be the actual rock where Jesus was laid before his resurrection.

In an analysis after the discovered mortar, and its quartz mineral within dating to the fourth century, making the Church of the Holy Sepulchre the most probable burial site of Jesus, according to the experts.

The restorers cut a small window from the shrine’s marble walls for pilgrims to see the bare stone of the ancient burial cave.

And this, itself, is an invitation for people looking for facts about the historical Jesus to also see him through the eyes of faith and be open to the wonder of the good news of Easter.