04/05/2026
Holy Saturday Homily from an ancient anonymous source
From an ancient homily for Holy Saturday: He descended into hell
Today there is a great silence over the earth, for the King sleeps. The earth has trembled and fallen still, for the Lord sleeps in his fleshly nature; in the netherworld he is arousing those who have slept for ages. God is dead in the flesh, and has shaken hell to its foundations.
He goes to seek our first parents like lost sheep. He wills to visit those who sit in the dark shadows of death, and to release Adam and Eve from their grievous captivity. The Lord takes Adam and Eve’s hands and says to them, “Awake, sleepers, and rise from the dead, and Christ shall enlighten you. I am your God. For your sake I became one of your sons; to you now and to all your posterity I say: “Go forth! You who are in darkness, look upon the light! You who sleep, rise up!
“I bid you: Awake sleepers! I did not create you to lie bound in hell. Arise from the dead, for I am life to those who have died. Rise up, work of my hands, my likeness, made in my image. Rise, let us go from this place.
“For your sake I put on your lowly shape. For your sake I came to earth and to hell. See the spittle on my face—it was for you, that you might have the breath of life again. See my cheeks reddened by the blows—it was for you, that you might be remade in my image. See my torn back—it was for you, that I might take the burden of sin from your shoulders. See the nail-marks in my hands—it was for you, because once you put your hand to the forbidden tree.
“Arise, let us go from this place. I have heavenly thrones prepared for you, and the cherubim shall bow down before you.”
