My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,CHRIST IS IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!
BRIGHT WEEK OR RENEWAL WEEK
(Greek: Διακαινήμος Εβδομάς) is the name used by the Eastern Orthodox Church for the period of seven days beginning on Pascha and continuing up to (but not including) the following Sunday, which is known as Saint Thomas Sunday. The entire Bright Week is fast free.
The week following Pascha is to be set aside by Orthodox Christians for the celebration of the Glorious Resurrection of our God, Savior Jesus Christ. According to the 66th Canon of the Council of Trullo:
"from the Holy Day of the Resurrection (Anastasis) of Jesus Christ Our God until the New Sunday (i.e., Thomas Sunday) for a whole week, the faithful in the holy churches and homes, should continually be repeating psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, rejoicing and celebrating Christ, and attending to the readings of the Holy Scripture and rejoicing in the Holy Mysteries (Sacraments). For in this way shall we be exalted with Our Lord Christ; raised up together with Him.
The entire Bright Week is considered to be one continuous day. The week's divine services are unique, varying greatly form those during the remainder of the ecclesiastical year. The holy services are completely chanted, and the Paschal hymns are included with the stichera taken from the Sunday Resurrection.
During all of Bright Week, the Holy Doors on the Iconostasis are kept open--the only time of the year when this occurs. The open doors represent the stone rolled away from the Tomb of Christ, and the Epitaphios, representing the burial clothes, is visible through them on the Holy Altar Table. The doors are closed before the Ninth Hour on the Eve of Thomas Sunday. However, the Afterfeast of Pascha will continue until the Eve of the Ascension.
On April 23rd we celebrate the Feast-Day of Saint George the Great Martyr and there is a Divine Liturgy on the day. On Bright Friday, a service in honor of the Theotokos (Mother of God) and Ever-Virgin Mary as the "Life-Giving Spring" is included in the Paschal service. This divine service is not found in the Typikon, but was composed in the 14th century by Nikita Kallistos Xanthopoulos, in commemoration of the renewal, i.e., the consecration of the temple known as the Life-Giving Spring.
Bright Week begins the liturgical season known as the Pentecostarion, the period of 50 days which begins on Holy Pascha and continues to the Great Feast of Pentecost and its Afterfeast (Apodosis). The day of Pascha determines liturgical cycles as well as the Epistle and Gospel readings for the subsequent year.
Funeral services held during Bright Week have a special rite, consisting of joyous Paschal hymns with only the litanies remaining funereal.
Orthodox Christians greet one another with Christ is Risen! and respond by saying, Truly He is Risen!
Thursday, April 23rd - Feast of Saint George the Great Martyr:
Orthros (Matins) at 9:00 a.m.
Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m.
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Friday, April 24th - Feast of the Life-Giving Spring:
Orthros (Matins) at 9:00 a.m.
Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m.
KALI ANASTASI TO ALL OF YOU! A BLESSED RESURRECTION TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES.
With sincere love in Our Risen Lord,
+ Father George