Christos Anesti! Christ is Risen!
Today is Renewal Monday or Bright Monday, the day after Holy and Great Easter Sunday, and the beginning of a continuous Renewal Week, also known as Pascha or Bright Week, which concludes next Sunday, the Feast Day of St. Thomas, known as Thomas Sunday.
The entire week following Holy and Great Easter is commemorated in Orthodoxy for celebration of the Resurrection of the Lord Savior Jesus Christ. For Orthodox Christians Bright Week commences a period of celebration that continues for 50 days until Pentecost.
This 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”.
The services of Bright Week are traditionally conducted with the Royal Doors fully open. This unblocked view of the altar symbolizes the open door of Christ’s empty tomb.