The Sunday after Pascha is the Sunday of St. Thomas, also known as Antipascha. This does not mean "opposed to Pascha," but "in place of Pascha.". So, starting this Sunday, every Sunday is a "Little Pascha" celebration. The Church remembers the Apostle Thomas' vision of Christ after eight days.
In the Orthodox Church it is the custom for a single loaf of blessed bread (Greek Artos) to lie before the Iconostasis throughout Bright Week in memory of the Risen Christ, before it is shared out among the whole congregation. Depicted on the top of the Artos are either the symbol of Christ's victory over death the Cross, surmounted by a crown of thorns, or the Resurrection of Christ. On the first day of Pascha, during the Liturgy, after the Prayer Before the Ambo, the Artos is blessed by a special prayer and sprinkling with Holy Water. Throughout Bright Week, at the end of the Liturgy, the Artos is carried around the church in solemn procession. On the Saturday of Bright Week it is distributed as a blessing of the Archpastor to the congregation (sometimes after Sunday Liturgy on St. Thomas Sunday).
Bright Week is the first week following the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, which is celebrated each year at Pascha. It ends on the Sunday of St. Thomas. Bright Week begins a period of celebration that continues for fifty days until Pentecost.The celebration includes the practice of the faithful joyously greeting each other with the salutation of Christ is risen, followed by the response indeed He is risen or truly He is risen, as the whole of creation is renewed by our Lord and Savoir. The services of Bright Week are done with the Royal Doors fully open. This unblocked view of the altar symbolizes the open door of Christ's empty tomb as well as the rent veil of the Jewish Temple, which was torn apart at the moment Christ died. The entire week is considered to be one continuous day and the main reason why fasting is completely prohibited to all during the week.
