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The First (Bright) Monday of Pascha. Renewal Week, the Brightest and Most Resurrectional of the Year

ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ! CHRIST IS RISEN! ~Protopresbyter Antonios Christou My dear readers, CHRIST HAS RISEN!  After Great Lent, we entered Holy Week, and after Easter Sunday (the evening of Great Saturday) we’re now into the ‘Rose’ Triodio, that is the period of the Pentikostario (the book of Pentecost). This is the preeminent time of the resurrection in the Church and lasts until the Sunday of All Souls. The first week of the Pentikostario, that is the

Renewal (Bright) Wednesday, Christos Anesti! Christ is Risen!

Beloved brothers and sisters in Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ, CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN! ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ! ΑΛΗΘΩΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ! ΔΙΑΚΑΙΝΗΣΙΜΟΣ ΕΒΔΟΜΑΔΑ OR BRIGHT OR RENEWAL WEEK [The Week following Holy and Great Pascha] We Orthodox Christians greet one another for the next 40 days until Ascension Thursday with the words: “Christ is Risen! and the response to the Paschal greeting is: “Truly He is Risen!” During the Renewal Week, the Holy Doors leading

Renewal Thursday: ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ! CHRIST IS RISEN!

What is “Bright Week”? Bright Week, otherwise known as Renewal Week, begins on Pascha Sunday and ends on the following Sunday of Thomas. The name probably originates from the fact that the newly baptized catechumens from Pascha are newly illumined and bright. For them it is a time of regeneration and renewal. These newly baptized in ancient times wore all white for a week, hence the week sometimes being called White Week. The seven days