One of the most distinctive days in the Paschal cycle of services is the Sunday of Antipascha. On this day, the Holy Orthodox Church commemorates the appearance of the Risen Christ to His disciples, to whom the holy Apostle Thomas said that unless he himself saw Christ, he would not believe in His Resurrection.

“After eight days again His disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said: Peace be unto you. Then saith He to Thomas: Reach hither thy finger, and behold My hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into My side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto Him: My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him: Because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:26–29).

The word “Antipascha” literally means “after Pascha” or “in likeness of Pascha,” as is also reflected in the liturgical order of this Sunday, which resembles that of a Great Feast, though it is not numbered among them.

The All-Night Vigil is served solely according to the Triodion; therefore, the usual воскресные readings from the Octoechos are not appointed. At the Polyeleos, in accordance with the Typikon, instead of the usual воскресные troparia “The Angelic Council…”, the magnification to the Risen Christ is sung: “…Who for our sake descended into Hades and raised all with Himself.”

At the Liturgy, the Paschal antiphons are sung instead of the воскресные ones, and the Sunday of Antipascha has its own proper troparion.