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To understand the services of Holy Saturday it is necessary to recall the fact that for nearly a thousand years the discipline of the Latin Church forbade the offering of the sacrifice of the Mass on Holy Saturday as well as on Good Friday, in remembrance of the time when the body of Our Lord lay lifeless in the tomb. The offices which are celebrated on Holy Saturday morning were then performed during the night preceding Easter Sunday. With the relaxations in fasting came the anticipation of these offices, and about the 11th century the Mass was said on Holy Saturday instead of during the night. The object of the whole services on Holy Saturday is the baptism of the Catechumens, and all the ceremonies converge towards this centre.

The office comprises, first, the blessing of the New Fire and the incense; second, the blessing of the Paschal candle; third, the prophecies; fourth, the blessing of the Font; fifth, the Litanies; sixth, the Mass terminating with the Vespers.

The Blessing of the New Fire and Incense.

The lights having been all extinguished in the ceremonies at the preceding day, it is necessary to procure the means of again illuminating the desolate temple. Various means are adopted to this end. In some Churches the white candle of the Tenebrae was kept for the purpose of renewing the other lights; in others three large lamps were concealed, emblematic of the three