Orthodox Holy Saturday in Georgia

Orthodox Holy Saturday, known as "დიდი შაბათი" (Didi Shabati) in Georgian, marks the day before Orthodox Easter Sunday. In Georgia, a predominantly Orthodox Christian country, this day is steeped in religious significance and tradition.

Historical and Religious Context:

• This day commemorates Jesus Christ's entombment and his descent into Hades.
• It is the last day of Holy Week and the end of Lent, a period of fasting and penitence.
• Georgians observe this day based on the Julian calendar used by the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Traditions and Practices:

• Church Services: Many Orthodox Georgians attend a special church service known as the Midnight Office on Holy Saturday evening. The service concludes with a procession which celebrates Christ's resurrection.

• Preparation for Easter: Families are busy with last-minute preparations for Easter Sunday. They clean their homes symbolically to prepare for the "new light" that Easter brings.

• Easter Basket Blessing: Some may bring baskets filled with traditional food like "Paska" (Easter bread), eggs, wine, and cheese to be blessed by priests after the Holy Saturday service.

• Egg Decoration: Decorating eggs is an important tradition; these are often dyed red symbolizing the blood of Christ. The decoration process might begin on this day to be ready for Easter Sunday.

• Candlelight: At the stroke of midnight leading into Easter Sunday, churches are darkened and then illuminated by candles, representing Jesus's resurrection. Worshippers often light candles from the “Holy Fire,” believed to be miraculously lit at Jesus’s tomb in Jerusalem and then transported to other Orthodox countries including Georgia.

Holy Saturday in Georgia serves as a solemn preparation for one of Christianity’s most joyous celebrations – Easter Sunday – when believers rejoice over Christ's resurrection.