It’s Bright Tuesday - the Day Dedicated to Honouring the Holy Mother of God

April 22, 2025 is Bright Tuesday, a day on which the Holy Mother of God is especially venerated. The week is called Bright Week because Christ’s Resurrection brings light and enlightenment to all, along with the hope of eternal life. This is the second day of Bright Week, during which the saints are blessed and commemorated.

Bright Week concludes on Thomas Sunday, so named because the Gospel reading for that day recounts Christ’s appearance to His disciples, including the Apostle Thomas. Thomas, one of the twelve apostles, initially did not believe in Christ’s Resurrection. When word spread of the empty tomb, he alone doubted the miracle and insisted that he would believe only if he personally touched the wounds from the nails in Jesus’ crucified body.

Eight days after the Resurrection, Christ appeared before Thomas, who then became convinced of the truth, fell to his knees, and begged God for forgiveness. From this moment comes the well-known expression “Doubting Thomas.”

During Bright Week, weddings are not performed, as these days are entirely dedicated to the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ, and no other festive events are held. Fasting is not observed during this time.

In Bulgarian tradition, this week is also known as “Prazna sedmitsa” ("the empty week") because no work is to be done—a time reserved solely for spiritual joy and rest

For 40 days, until the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, believers greet one another with the Paschal greeting:
“Christ is Risen!” – “Truly He is Risen!”

source: BNR