Editing Sabbath in Christianity (section)

===Eastern Christianity===
Eastern Orthodox, [[Eastern Lutheran]] and [[Eastern Catholic Churches]] distinguish between the Sabbath (Saturday) and the Lord's Day (Sunday), and both continue to play a special role for the faithful. Many parishes and monasteries will serve the [[Divine Liturgy]] on both Saturday morning and Sunday morning. The church never allows strict fasting on any Saturday (except [[Holy Saturday]]) or Sunday, and the fasting rules on those Saturdays and Sundays which fall during one of the fasting seasons (such as [[Great Lent]], [[Apostles' Fast]], etc.) are always relaxed to some degree. During Great Lent, when the celebration of the Liturgy is forbidden on weekdays, there is always Liturgy on Saturday as well as Sunday. The church also has a special cycle of Bible readings ([[Epistle]] and [[Gospel]]) for Saturdays and Sundays which is different from the cycle of readings allotted to weekdays. However, the Lord's Day, being a celebration of the Resurrection, is clearly given more emphasis. For instance, in the [[Russian Orthodox Church]] Sunday is always observed with an [[all-night vigil]] on Saturday night, and in all of the Eastern Churches it is amplified with special hymns which are chanted only on Sunday. If a [[feast day]] falls on a Sunday it is always combined with the [[Octoechos (liturgy)|hymns for Sunday]] (unless it is a [[Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church|Lord's Great Feast]]). Saturday is celebrated as a sort of [[afterfeast]] for the previous Sunday, on which several of the hymns from the previous Sunday are repeated.

In part, Eastern Christians continue to celebrate Saturday as Sabbath because of its role in the history of salvation: it was on a Saturday that Jesus "rested" in the [[Church of the Holy Sepulchre|cave tomb]] after the [[Passion (Christianity)|Passion]]. For this reason also, Saturday is a day for general [[prayer for the dead|commemoration of the departed]], and special [[Memorial service (Orthodox)|requiem hymns]] are often chanted on this day. Orthodox Christians make time to help the poor and needy as well on this day.

====Eastern Orthodoxy====
Orthodox Sunday worship is not a direct Sabbath observance. The [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] observes the first day (liturgical Sunday, beginning Saturday evening) as a weekly feast, the remembrance of Christ's resurrection, and a mini-[[Easter|Pascha]]. As such, it tends to hold the first place within a week's observances, sharing that place only with other major feasts which occur from time to time. The Divine Liturgy is always celebrated, joining the participants on earth with those who offer the worship in God's kingdom, and hence joining the first day to the [[The eighth day (Christian)|eighth day]], wherein the communion of the whole Church with Christ is fully realized. As such, it is never surpassed as a time for the Orthodox to assemble in worship.

The Church affirms its authority to appoint the time of this feast (and all observances) as deriving from the authority given to the apostles and passed to the bishops through the [[laying-on of hands]], for the sake of the governance of the Church on earth, and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.<ref>{{bibleverse|John|20:22|NKJV}}, {{bibleverse|John|14:26|NKJV}}, {{bibleverse|Rom.|6:14-18|NKJV}}, {{bibleverse|Rom.|7:6|NKJV}}</ref> It does not treat Sunday worship as a transference of Sabbath worship, but identifies the Sabbath, still on Saturday, as a Biblical "type", a precursor, realized fully only after Christ's fulfillment of the Mosaic Law.<ref>{{bibleverse|Matt|5:17-18|NKJV}}</ref> Thus, the Sabbath and the Mosaic Law both remain as a teacher, reminding Christians to worship in holiness, but now according to grace, in Christian observations and Sunday worship.

The grace received in baptism binds the Church to Christ, who has given his people the freedom to seek him directly in relationship, not to pursue whatever suits one's fancy. The goal of that freedom is always union with Christ in [[Divinization (Christian)|theosis]], and the maintenance of that union all the time, throughout this life and into the next, which is sometimes described as the "sanctification of time". Grace therefore never permits of whatever is sinful or unhelpful to salvation, such as laziness or hedonistic revelry. Rather, it becomes a stricter guide for behavior than any legal code, even the Mosaic, and disciplines the believer in some degree of ascetic endeavor.<ref>{{bibleverse|Rom.|6:14-18|NKJV}}</ref><ref>{{citation |title=Orthodox Study Bible |publisher=St. Athanasius Academy of Orthodox Theology |year=2008 |page=1533 |ref=none}}</ref>

Orthodoxy recognizes no mandated time for rest, a day or any other span, but the Church leads the individual to holiness in different ways, and recognizes the need for [[Economy (religion)|economy]] and for rest. Activities such as sleep, relaxation, and recreation become a matter of balance and proper handling, and acceptance of God's mercy. [[Basil of Caesarea|St. Basil the Great]] expresses thanks for this in a prayer often said by Orthodox Christians in the morning, after rising: "You do we bless, O Most High God and Lord of mercy, ... Who has given unto us sleep for rest from our infirmity, and for repose of our much-toiling flesh."<ref>{{citation |title=A Prayer Book for Orthodox Christians |publisher=Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Boston, MA |year=1987 |page=7 |ref=none }}</ref> In recognition of God's gifts, therefore, the Church welcomes and supports civil laws that provide a day away from labor, which then become opportunities for Christians to pray, rest, and engage in acts of mercy. In grace do Christians respond, remembering both the example of the Sabbath rest, and Christ's lordship.<ref>{{bibleverse|Mk.|2:21-28}}</ref>