Easter Saturday

Easter Saturday, on the Christian calendar, is the Saturday following the festival of Easter, the Saturday of Easter or Bright Week. In the liturgy of Western Christianity it is the last day of Easter Week, sometimes referred to as the Saturday of Easter Week or Saturday in Easter Week. In the liturgy of Eastern Christianity it is the last day of Bright Week, and called Bright Saturday. Easter Saturday is the day preceding the Octave Day of Easter (also known as St. Thomas Sunday or Divine Mercy Sunday).

Terminology

The term "Easter Saturday" is also used to refer to Holy Saturday, the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter Sunday – a week before the religious holiday of Easter Saturday, probably because of references to the Easter weekend. Many people, especially religious authorities, regard this alternative meaning as inaccurate, but it remains in common usage. In Australia the alternative usage is mainstream to the extent that state governments usually actively define Easter Saturday as the day after Good Friday when gazetting public holidays for the Easter long weekend.