In the Christian liturgical calendar, the week known as Bright Week (also called Renewal Week, or the Week of Renewal; officially: Bright Week) is the week that begins on Easter Sunday and ends on the following Sunday, Thomas Sunday.
Its name comes from the fact that, on the night of Holy Saturday leading into Easter Sunday, the catechumens were baptized together, and thus their spiritual renewal began. As a sign of this renewal—at the same time a rebirth and “spiritual purity”—the newly baptized wore white garments throughout this week; hence it is also called the “White Week.” Augustine also refers to the same week as the “eight days of the neophytes” (that is, of the newly baptized, or newly illumined).
During Bright Week, the consumption of all foods is permitted, while in earlier times the entire week was considered a holiday from all work (according to the canon of Nicephorus the Confessor). The seven days of Bright Week are regarded as “one” day, like Easter Sunday.
In Constantinople, Bright Week was celebrated with particular splendor and magnificence. The Emperor invited the newly illumined, as well as the poor, to a rich meal; and on Thursday of Bright Week he received the clergy, offering an honorary banquet to the Patriarch and those with him. The Emperors also distributed many and valuable gifts during official visits they made that week. They even released from prison those convicted of minor offenses.
During Bright Week, and also on the day of the Apodosis (Leave-taking) of Pascha, our Church, instead of the services of Midnight Office, the Hours, and Compline, uses a brief Paschal Service.
Paschal Day-and-Night Service
Christ is risen from the dead,
by death trampling down death,
and to those in the tombs bestowing life. (three times)
Having beheld the Resurrection of Christ, let us worship the holy Lord Jesus, the only sinless One. We worship Your Cross, O Christ, and we hymn and glorify Your holy Resurrection; for You are our God—besides You we know no other; we call upon Your Name. Come, all you faithful, let us worship Christ’s holy Resurrection; for behold, through the Cross joy has come to all the world. Ever blessing the Lord, we hymn His Resurrection; for having endured the Cross for us, He has destroyed death by death. (three times)
The women with Mary arose before dawn and, finding the stone rolled away from the tomb, heard from the Angel: “Why do you seek among the dead, as a man, Him who abides in eternal light? See the burial cloths; run and proclaim to the world that the Lord has been raised, having slain death, for He is the Son of God who saves the human race.”
Though You descended into the tomb, O Immortal One, You destroyed the power of Hades; and You rose as victor, O Christ God, saying to the myrrh-bearing women, “Rejoice,” and granting peace to Your Apostles, You who give resurrection to the fallen.
In the tomb bodily, in Hades with the soul as God, in Paradise with the thief, and on the throne You were, O Christ, with the Father and the Spirit, filling all things, You who are beyond description.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
As life-giving, as more beautiful than Paradise, truly more splendid than any royal bridal chamber, Your tomb, O Christ, has been shown to be brighter—the source of our resurrection.
Both now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Rejoice, sanctified divine dwelling-place of the Most High; for through you joy has been given, O Theotokos, to those who cry: “Blessed are you among women, O all-blameless Lady.”
Christ is risen from the dead,
by death trampling down death,
and to those in the tombs bestowing life. (three times)
