On Easter Sunday the atmosphere of the Church switches gears, and instead of a focusing on death and sorrow, the Church is alive and resplendent with joy. Jesus is risen!

This is emphasized in a particular in many Eastern Churches. The week following Easter Sunday is called “Bright Week,” and refers to the light that Jesus has brought into the world.

In biblical terms, Jesus rose on the “eighth day,” which symbolically represents the new creation and the promise of Heaven. Eastern Christians reflect on this promise of future joy by referring to “Bright Week” as “one continuous day.” Roman Catholics have a similar custom, treating each of the days in the Easter Octave as if it were Easter Sunday.

Fasting is strictly prohibited during this time, and it is in many ways a small foretaste of the glories of Heaven.

Above all, the week after Easter is a time of intense rejoicing, reveling in the beauty and glory of Christ’s resurrection.