The Sunday following Easter is called Antipascha in the Christian Orthodox tradition and culture. Otherwise, this day is called Fomina week. This holiday is the historical memory of the Church about the appearance of the risen Christ to his disciples.
The very naming of the holiday Anti-Easter can be translated as "standing opposite Easter" or "instead of Easter". This name speaks of the time of the celebration of the Christian celebration. The name of the holiday, Thomas Week, announces the appearance of the risen Christ to the apostles, among whom special attention is paid to the confirmation of the Apostle Thomas in faith in the miraculous resurrection of Christ.
The Gospels tell about several appearances of the risen Jesus Christ to his disciples. So, in one of the Gospel narratives, it is said about the appearance of Christ to the apostles directly on the evening of the Resurrection. The apostle Thomas was not among the closest disciples of Christ. The other apostles announced to Thomas about the reality of the Savior's resurrection, but Thomas did not believe the story he heard. The Apostle expressed a desire to see the risen Christ with his own eyes and even to touch him, putting his hand "in the ribs", and to witness the wounds on the hands of Christ.
Eight days after this miraculous appearance to the apostles, Christ again appears to his disciples, among whom Thomas was already present. Christ himself invited the apostle, who was not confirmed in faith, to see with his own eyes the wounds on his hands. Also, Christ asked the Apostle Thomas to put his hand to the ribs of the risen Savior. Christ asked the Apostle Thomas "not to be an unbeliever, but a believer." The miracle of the resurrection of Christ seen with his own eyes made the apostle to be firmly established in the faith forever, as evidenced by the exclamation of the disciple of Christ, which testified that Christ is Lord and God.
It should also be mentioned that Christ asked the apostles for food in order to prove the reality of his resurrection, refuting possible thoughts that the disciples saw a ghost.
Particular attention is drawn to the words of Christ that Thomas saw and believed, but blessed are those who have not seen and believed. This promise of the Savior applies to all those who, with their hearts and souls, perceive faith in the resurrection of Christ without real visible evidence.
This gospel story is a reminder to every person not only of the very fact of Christ's resurrection, but also of the saving necessity of man's perception of the very miracle of Christ's resurrection, since if Christ is not resurrected, then all man's faith in the Savior is futile.
