Orthodox Christians and Catholics Celebrate Holy Saturday

On April 19, 2025, both Orthodox Christians and Catholics observe Holy Saturday. As Easter approaches, the Christian community engages in its final preparations for the joyous celebration. Families gather in churches to pray, reflect, and remember Christ’s time in the tomb, while also blessing their Easter meals.

Families come together to bless their festive dishes, sprinkle themselves with holy water, and, above all, to pray. Notably, families often attend together, emphasizing the communal spirit of this sacred time.

Preceding this festive hustle is Holy Week, during which the faithful mentally accompany Christ on His path to the crucifixion. As the period of strict fasting nears its end, anticipation builds; just tomorrow, on April 20, the royal doors will be opened, and bells will ring out, marking another momentous page in the Christian calendar.

This year, Easter is celebrated by two confessions: Catholics and Orthodox Christians alike. This remarkable religious synchronization—a phenomenon occurring once every eight years—last took place in 2017. The coincidence of the Feast of the Resurrection in both the Orthodox and Catholic calendars is particularly symbolic, especially in light of the recent initiative by the President of Belarus to establish religious centers in the country, reaffirming the peaceful coexistence of diverse confessions in Belarus.

Currently, more than 20 churches operate in Minsk. Each has held pre-festive services and blessings of Easter foods. Later this evening, during the midnight service, Catholics and Orthodox Christians will partake in a procession. The sound of church bells will resonate over Freedom Square, and the faithful will proclaim the joyous words of the celebration: "Christ is Risen!"—"Indeed, He is Risen!"