St. Thomas Sunday: The Antipascha

Apolytikion in the Grave Tone

Christ our God, You are the Life that dawned from the grave, though the tomb was sealed. Through closed doors You came to the Apostles. You are the Resurrection of all. And, You renewed us through them with an upright spirit, according to Your great mercy.

Tomorrow is St. Thomas Sunday. In Orthodoxy, Thomas is seen not as Thomas the 'doubter' but Thomas the 'believer', who laid aside his disbelief when he touched the living Christ!

Always held the Sunday after Pascha, the 8th day after the resurrection when Thomas first saw Jesus (John 20:26-29), it is custom for some cultures and parishes to travel to the cemetery with their pashcal candles lit and cry out "Christ is risen!" and leave a Paschal egg on the grave.

Other activities for the day:

• Saint Thomas the Believer Cookies: Make your favorite sugar cookie dough. Roll out the dough and cut out in the shape of hands. To do this, trace a child's hand on a piece of thick cardstock paper and cut out. Place this over the dough and cut around with a knife. Have your child press his thumb into each hand and fill the hole with red jam. Then bake according to your recipe. The hands are representative of Christ's hands which St. Thomas touched.

• Make Koliva and discuss with your children why we make it. Goarch provides a good discussion outline here.

• If you will not be visiting graves, have a special service at home. Remember the names of loved ones departed and cry out, "Christ is risen!" after each name.