Q: What are the prescribed practices for the elect on Holy Saturday before the Easter Vigil?
A: The day on which the elect are initiated into the Church ranks among the most important days of their lives. Marking this importance, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) states that the elect should be reminded that they are “to keep themselves free on Holy Saturday as far as possible from their usual tasks.” They are further instructed to give this time to “prayer and recollection” and, insofar as they are able, they are to fast (OCIA, 185).
The custom of fasting before Baptism—firmly established in antiquity—can be traced back to the apostolic age and the first-century document, The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles (Didache): “Before baptism, let the baptizer fast, and the baptized, and whatever others can; but thou shalt order the baptized to fast one or two days before” (Didache, ch. 7). It is noteworthy that in the practice of the early Church, not only the elect, but also the minister and the whole congregation were instructed to fast. The custom of the faithful observing Holy Saturday as a day of fasting has been preserved in current practice: “The elect, as well as those who assist them and participate in the celebration of the Easter Vigil with them, are encouraged to keep and extend the paschal fast of Good Friday, as determined by CIC [Code of Canon Law] canon 1251, through the day of Holy Saturday until the end of the Vigil itself” (National Statutes for the Christian Initiation of Adults, norm 12).
Since the fast of the elect is associated with their exorcisms in preparation for Baptism, it should be understood primarily as penitential. This is a time for the elect to await the outpouring of grace in baptismal rebirth and the strengthening of the unction in Confirmation, as well as the heavenly food of which they are about to partake. The prescribed fast for the faithful on Holy Saturday is not merely a penitential fast; it is also anticipatory. They are to be so focused on the great mystery of the Resurrection that they “lay aside all worldly cares” (Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom).
Besides fasting, the OCIA calls for Holy Saturday to be set aside as a day for prayer. This custom can also be traced back to the early Church. The church order known as the Apostolic Tradition (which until recently scholars attributed to St. Hippolytus and early third-century Roman liturgical practices) records that those to be baptized were to gather on Friday and Saturday: “On Saturday, those who are to receive baptism shall be gathered in one place at the bishop’s decision. They shall all be told to pray and to kneel. And he shall lay his hands on them and exorcise all alien spirits, that they may flee out of them and never return to them. And when he has finished exorcizing them, he shall breathe on their faces; and when he has signed their foreheads, ears, and noses, he shall raise them up. And they shall spend the whole night in vigil; they shall be read to and instructed” (Apostolic Tradition, 20).
In continuity with these ancient traditions, the OCIA sets forth three liturgical rites for the elect on the morning of Holy Saturday: 1) Recitation of the Creed, 2) “Ephphatha,” and 3) Choosing of a Christian Name (OCIA, 185).
The Recitation of the Creed: The Handing on of the Creed (traditio symboli) and the returning of the Creed (redditio symboli) can be traced back to early customs. The pilgrim Egeria attests that it was customary in fourth-century Jerusalem for catechumens to receive the Creed during Lent and then recite it to the bishop during Holy Week (Egeria’s Travels, 46). It is recorded as an authentic Roman tradition in the writings of John the Deacon (c. 500) and in the oldest sacramentary, the Gelasian Sacramentary (XXXV and XLII). The Recitation of the Creed should not take place if the Handing on of the Creed has not taken place (see OCIA, 186). This Handing on of the Creed usually occurs during the week following the First Scrutiny (see OCIA, 79, 104, 157-163).
“Ephphatha”: This rite, in which the celebrant touches the ears and lips of the elect, commanding them to be opened, was already referenced in the above citation from the Apostolic Tradition. It is also recorded in the writings of St. Ambrose (De Sacramentis I, 2). It is attested as an authentic Roman custom in the letters of John the Deacon and by its presence in the Gelasian Sacramentary (XLII).
Choosing of a Christian Name: The choosing of a Christian name is to be used at the discretion of the diocesan bishop (OCIA, 200). There are numerous examples of significant name changes in the Scriptures, such as Abram becoming Abraham, Jacob becoming Israel, and Simon becoming Peter. In each of these cases, the new name coincides with a new mission or commissioning from God.
These three optional rites are situated within a liturgical context on Holy Saturday. The OCIA says that they should take the following pattern: song, greeting, reading of the word of God, homily, celebration of the rites chosen, and concluding rites (OCIA, 187-192). The optional readings are listed in OCIA nos. 194, 197, and 201. Practically speaking, what the Church envisions for this immediate preparation for the sacraments of initiation could take the shape of a mini parish retreat for the elect.
The elect should set Holy Saturday aside as a day of prayer, recollection, and fasting. It would seem commendable for parishes to arrange a retreat for the elect on this day, with periods of silent prayer, Scripture readings, teaching, and fasting. It is an ancient Roman custom, prescribed in the modern Roman Rite, for the rites of the Recitation of the Creed, “Ephphatha,” and the Choosing of a Christian Name to take place on this day before the Easter Vigil.
