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Quick Facts: Learn About The Bright Week and Tell Us Your Facts, Traditions and Stories...


The first week after the Resurrection of our Lord or Pascha is called The Bright Week. There is no lent throughout the week even on Wednesday and Friday because the entire week is considered to be one continuous day, instead of morning and evening payers the Paschal Hours are read and people try to attend church services more often and partake of the Holy Mysteries. Here are some other facts and interesting traditions that occur during the Bright Week:

Bright Week Fact 1


Beginning from the first day of Pascha the faithful Orthodox Christians greet each other with a joyous salutation of Christ is Risen, followed by a response Indeed(or truly) He has Risen.




Bright Week Fact 2

During the bright week the church services follow a special festive and paschal rite. All of the daily services occur with open Royal and Deacon Doors, which allows the pious Christians to observe the entire service without the Royal Doors being closed. The open Royal doors symbolize the opened tomb of Christ. 




After each Devine Liturgy, a procession is held around the church, which symbolizes the myrrh-bearing women who walked to Christ’s tomb. During the procession, all participants carry lit candles.



Bright Week Fact 3

In monasteries and in churches with a bell tower, anyone can come up and ring the bells. According to tradition, with the blessing of the rector, laypeople can climb up to the bell tower and ring the bells.



Bright Week Fact 4

On Bright Friday, the church remember the icon of the Mother of God ofthe Life Giving Fountain. On this day, there is a special blessing of the water after the Divine Liturgy.




Bright Week Fact 5

Another tradition at the feast of the Pascha, is the consecration of a bread stamped with the image of the Cross, or of the Resurrection, called Artos. This special Artos is consecrated at the close of the Paschal Liturgy in memory of the Risen Christ, Who is "the Bread of Life Eternal descended from Heaven and nourishing us with the food of His divine mercies." On the next Saturday, after the Liturgy, it is broken and distributed in the place of Antidoron.

Bright Week Fact 6

There are also no prostrations during the week and all the way until Pentecost prostrations are not permitted. Wedding and prayers for the dead are not held during the Bright Week. If a funeral service is held during The Bright Week, most of the hymns are taken from the paschal service.


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