After a brief rest of several hours, Vespers for Holy Saturday is served with many Old Testament readings and the Prokeimenon, “Arise, O God…,” during which all the coverings in church and the altar as well as the vestments of the clergy are changed to Paschal white. Thereupon we proceeded with the Liturgy of St. Basil with the chanting of “Let all creation be silent…” in place of the usual Offeratory Hymn. It is also monastery tradition that on this day all partake of the Holy Mysteries.
At the end of the Liturgy, according to and in remembrance of ancient practice, large loaves of bread were blessed and distributed to the faithful which were eaten with some wine, in memory of the fact that in the early Church, Christians remained in church all day, awaiting the Resurrection of the Lord.
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