Today is Bright Tuesday, a day dedicated to honoring the Holy Virgin Mary, also known as the Theotokos. This day falls within Bright Week – the week following Easter – which is named for the spiritual light brought by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. It symbolizes enlightenment and the promise of eternal life for all believers.

Bright Week concludes with Thomas Sunday, when the Gospel recounts the appearance of the risen Christ to His disciples. Among them was the Apostle Thomas, known for his initial disbelief in the Resurrection. When word spread that Christ's body was missing from the tomb, Thomas alone expressed doubt, declaring he would not believe until he touched the wounds left by the nails of the crucifixion.

Eight days after the Resurrection, Jesus appeared before Thomas, inviting him to touch His wounds. Overwhelmed and convinced, Thomas fell to his knees, asking for forgiveness. This moment earned him the name "Thomas the Unbeliever" – a reminder of the struggle between doubt and faith.

Throughout Holy Week, including Bright Week, the Orthodox tradition refrains from hosting weddings or festive celebrations, as the focus remains on the Resurrection of Christ. Although these are celebratory days, they are not accompanied by fasting.

In Bulgarian tradition, this week is sometimes called "empty" due to the absence of labor and worldly distractions, as believers turn their attention entirely to faith and reflection.

For forty days, until the Ascension of the Lord, the faithful will continue to greet one another with the joyous exclamation: "Christ is Risen!" – a declaration of the central truth of the Christian faith.