April 11, 2026, is the last day of Great Lent, which is called Quiet or Great Saturday.
On this day, the whole world holds its breath in anticipation of the Resurrection of the Son of God. On this day, one cannot rejoice or work. It is time to bless the kulich and eggs and make the final preparations for Easter. In the evening, one is to go to the Temple for the main service of the church year. In the evening of this day, the Holy Fire descends at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Jerusalem.
What is remembered in the Church on April 11, 2026
On this day, Great Lent comes to an end — a long and difficult period before the joyful and happy holiday of Easter for all Orthodox Christians.
On this day, a number of important events are remembered. First — the removal of Jesus' body from the cross, then — the descent of His soul into hell and the proclamation to all the souls there about the victory over death.
The Church calls this day the Great Blessed Saturday. In Holy Week, it is the greatest, the darkest day.
At the beginning of this day, the body of Jesus was taken down from the cross and placed in the tomb that belonged to Joseph of Arimathea, a secret Christian. Before the burial, the body of Christ was, according to custom, anointed with spices and wrapped in a shroud. After this, the entrance to the tomb was sealed with a huge stone. A guard was assigned to the tomb by the authorities — thus, the Jewish leaders wanted to prevent the removal of the body from the burial place.
The second theme of this day is the descent of Christ into hell. It is ideologically connected with the theme of Christ's burial — because the events occurred almost simultaneously. When the body of Christ was in the tomb, at that very moment, He, with His human soul, finds Himself in hell (where all souls from Adam and Eve had gone until that moment), and He destroys the power of hell, bringing out all the righteous of the Old Testament.
In the tomb of the Lord, a new creation of man takes place — there He restores the fallen man and recreates human nature.
Then, the motif of the Resurrection of Christ becomes increasingly evident, and the anticipation of this miracle is felt more strongly.
The meaning of the holiday
This is the quietest and saddest day of the entire Great Lent, and even of the entire church year. At this moment, many great miracles, rebirths, and transformations occur. We are left only to believe and pray.
Traditions of the service
During the Matins, the 17th Kathisma and "praises" are sung, while all the worshippers stand with lit candles. After this, the shroud is taken out of the church, and a procession is made around the church with it. The liturgy is served according to the rite of Saint Basil the Great and is combined with the evening service. During the liturgy, instead of the Trisagion, the hymn "All you who have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ..." is sung.
After the liturgy, there is a blessing of bread and wine. In the evening, the Book of Acts of the Apostles is read (in full), after which the Midnight Office follows, during which the Canon of Great Saturday is sung. At the end of the Midnight Office or during it, all the clergymen, in vestments, reverently carry the Shroud into the altar and place it on the altar table. The Shroud remains on the altar until the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, in memory of the forty days that Jesus Christ spent on earth after the Resurrection.
What can be done on April 11, 2026
— Go to the church during the day, and then at night.
— Bless the Easter and kulich.
— Engage in charity and treat those who are less fortunate than us with our products.
— In the evening, wear bright, clean clothes.
— If kulich and eggs were not made on Thursday, they can be baked and dyed on this day.
What cannot be done on April 11, 2026
— Work at the dacha.
— Perform heavy physical work.
— Clean the house.
— Participate in celebrations, celebrate a birthday.
