Holy Saturday: an empty day?

(Vatican Radio) - We bring you a reflection for Easter Saturday presented by Monsignor Peter Fleetwood.

In this brief reflection Monsignor Peter Fleetwood explains how the only time apart from occasional phrases in gospel readings that hell is mentioned in Church is when we recite the shorter version of the proclamation of faith, what we call the Apostle's Creed: "After Jesus was crucified, dead and buried, Christians have continued with the words: 'he descended into hell'. In other words after the crucifixion, death and burial of Jesus which we remember on Good Friday , the Apostle's Creed states that Jesus descended into hell before rising on Easter Sunday".

This explains why the day before Easter is such an empty day. It's the day when Jesus is totally absent from this world, the only day between his conception and his ascension into heaven..."

Listen to this programme produced by Veronica Scarisbrick :