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Second Sunday of Easter
Second Sunday of Easter
Second Sunday of Easter
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Second Sunday of Easter
Observed byChristians
ObservancesChurch services
DateSunday after Easter Sunday
2025 date
  • April 27 (Western)
  • April 27 (Eastern)
2026 date
  • April 12 (Western)
  • April 19 (Eastern)
2027 date
  • April 4 (Western)
  • May 9 (Eastern)
2028 date
  • April 23 (Western)
  • April 23 (Eastern)

The Second Sunday of Easter is the eighth day of the Christian season of Eastertide, and the seventh after Easter Sunday.[1] It is known by various names, including Divine Mercy Sunday,[2][3] the Octave Day of Easter, White Sunday[a] (Latin: Dominica in albis), Quasimodo Sunday, Bright Sunday and Low Sunday.[1][4] In Eastern Christianity, it is known as Antipascha, New Sunday, and Thomas Sunday.

Biblical account

[edit]
The Incredulity of Saint Thomas by Caravaggio.

The Second Sunday of Easter is the eighth day after Easter using the mode of inclusive counting, according to which Easter itself is the first day of the eight. Christian traditions which commemorate this day recall the Biblical account recorded to have happened on the same eighth day after the original Resurrection.

Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."

— John 20:26–29

It is because of this Scriptural episode that this day is called Thomas Sunday in the Eastern tradition.[5]

Western Christianity

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Names

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White Sunday

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In early Roman Rite liturgical books, Easter Week used to be known as "White Week" (Latin: Ebdomada alba), because of the white robes worn during that week by those who had been baptized at the Easter Vigil.[6] A pre-Tridentine edition of the Catholic Church's Roman Missal, published in 1474, called Saturday in albis, short for in albis depositis or in albis deponendis (of removal of the white garments), a name that was kept in subsequent Tridentine versions of the missal for that Saturday. In the 1604 edition of the Tridentine missal (but not in the original 1570 edition), the description in albis was applied also to the following Sunday, the octave day of Easter.[7]

The 1962 Roman Missal (still in limited use today) refers to this Sunday as Dominica in albis in octava Paschæ.[8] The name in albis was dropped in the 1970 revision.

Quasimodo Sunday

[edit]
Gregorian chant notation (from the Liber Usualis) of the incipit of this day's introit, from which this day gets the name "Quasimodo Sunday."

The name Quasimodo (or Quasimodogeniti) originates from the incipit of this day's traditional Latin introit,[4] which is based on 1 Peter 2:2.

Quasi modo géniti infántes, allelúia: rationábile, sine dolo lac concupíscite, allelúia, allelúia, allelúia.[8]

Translated into English:

As newborn babes, alleluia: desire the rational milk without guile, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Low Sunday

[edit]
The sequence Laudes Salvatori voce modulemur supplici (in Codex Einsidlensis 121), from whose initial word the term "Low Sunday" may derive.

Another name traditionally given to this day in the English language is Low Sunday. The word "low" may serve to contrast it with the "high" festival of Easter on the preceding Sunday.[9] Or, the word "low" may be a corruption of the Latin word laudes, the first word of a sequence used in the historical Sarum Rite.[10]

Divine Mercy Sunday

[edit]
Divine Mercy by Eugene Kazimierowski (1934)
Main article: Divine Mercy Sunday

On April 30, 2000, Pope John Paul II designated the Second Sunday of Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday, based on a petition by St. Faustina Kowalska (1905–1938), who said that Jesus had made this request of the Church in an apparition. In the Roman Missal, the official title of this day is "Second Sunday of Easter; or, Sunday of Divine Mercy" (Latin: Dominica II Paschæ seu de divina Misericordia[11]).

Five years later, Pope John Paul II died the evening before Divine Mercy Sunday, on Saturday, April 2, 2005. His successor, Pope Benedict XVI, beatified him also on a Divine Mercy Sunday, on May 1, 2011.[12]

Celebrations

[edit]
A celebration of La festividad de Cuasimodo in Chile.

In the Catholic Church, special Divine Mercy celebrations often take place on this day, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation is often administered.[13]

The Italian feast of Our Lady of the Hens[14][15][16][17] and the Chilean Cuasimodo [es] festival[18] are held on this day. Both festivals include Eucharistic processions.

In the Lutheran Churches, the Second Sunday of Easter (or Quasimodogeniti), according to The Lutheran Missal, "recounts the appearance of Our Lord to the apostles in the locked upper room, together with Thomas’ confession."[1]

Dates

The Second Sunday of Easter falls 7 days after Easter, between March 29 and May 2 respectively.

Eastern Christianity

[edit]

In Eastern Christianity, this Sunday is called Antipascha, meaning "in place of Easter".[19] It is also called Thomas Sunday due to the Gospel passage read in the Divine Liturgy.[20] Another name for this day in Eastern Christianity is "New Sunday".[21] This Sunday has many hallmarks of a Great Feast, despite not actually being one. For example, no Resurrection texts from the Octoechos are sung, there is a Polyeleos and magnification, the Matins Gospel is read from the Royal Doors and there is no veneration of the Gospel Book, and the Great Prokimenon 'Who is so great a God as our God?' is sung at Vespers on Sunday evening.

[edit]
  • Quasimodo, the fictional protagonist of Victor Hugo's 1831 French novel Notre Dame de Paris (or The Hunchback of Notre Dame), was, in the novel, found abandoned on the doorsteps of Notre Dame Cathedral on the Sunday after Easter.[22] In the words of the story: "He baptized his adopted child and called him Quasimodo, either because he wanted to indicate thereby the day on which he had found him, or because he wanted the name to typify just how incomplete and half-finished the poor little creature was."[23]

See also

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Notes

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References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Second Sunday of Easter

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from Grokipedia
The Second Sunday of Easter, known as in the Roman Catholic Church, is an observance in the Christian liturgical calendar, falling on the Sunday immediately following Sunday and concluding the . It is observed in various Christian denominations, with specific emphases in Western and Eastern traditions. This day celebrates the Christ, with a particular emphasis on themes of divine mercy, the forgiveness of sins through the , and the invitation to faith, as exemplified in the Gospel account of the doubting apostle . Historically, this Sunday has been known by several names reflecting its evolving liturgical and devotional significance. Prior to the Second Vatican Council, it was commonly called Low Sunday, denoting a contrast to the solemnity of Sunday itself, or Sunday, derived from the Latin introit "Quasi modo geniti infantes" (As newborn babes) from 1 Peter 2:2, which addressed the spiritual nourishment of newly baptized Christians. It was also referred to as Thomas Sunday due to the perennial Gospel reading from :19-31, which recounts ' appearance to the apostles and Thomas's upon seeing the wounds of the risen Christ. In 2000, officially named it in the , fulfilling the visions of , the Polish mystic who received private revelations in the 1930s urging a feast dedicated to God's mercy on this date, and he canonized her on the same occasion. The liturgical readings for the Second Sunday of Easter in the Roman Catholic underscore its core themes, with the Gospel fixed across years. The first reading from the varies by (Acts 2:42-47 in Year A, Acts 4:32-35 in Year B, Acts 5:12-16 in Year C), describing aspects of the early Christian community. The responsorial psalm is , proclaiming God's enduring mercy and the joy of salvation. The second reading varies by year (1 Peter 1:3-9 in Year A, 1 John 5:1-6 in Year B, Revelation 1:9-11a,12-13,17-19 in Year C), praising the hope and faith from Christ's . The Gospel from :19-31 narrates ' bestowal of peace, the , and the power to forgive sins, culminating in the beatitude for those who believe without seeing. A key devotional aspect in the is the plenary granted on , established to encourage participation in mercy-focused devotions. To obtain it, the faithful must fulfill conditions including sacramental confession, reception of Holy Communion, prayer for the intentions of the , and detachment from sin, typically through attending , , or specific prayers like the Chaplet of . Special provisions extend this indulgence to the sick or homebound who unite their sufferings with the devotion before an image of the . This observance thus serves as a profound call to renewal, mercy, and trust in God's infinite compassion.

Biblical and Historical Foundations

Scriptural Basis

The Second Sunday of Easter draws its primary scriptural foundation from the Gospel of John, chapter 20, verses 19–29, which recounts Jesus' post-Resurrection appearances to his disciples. On the evening of the first day of the week (Easter Sunday), Jesus appears to the gathered disciples, except Thomas, showing them his hands and side, and bestowing peace and the Holy Spirit upon them (John 20:19–23). Eight days later, corresponding to the octave day of Easter, Jesus appears again in the same room, this time with Thomas present, who had previously doubted the reports of the Resurrection (John 20:24–25). Jesus directly addresses Thomas' skepticism, inviting him to "Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side," and urging, "Do not be unbelieving, but believe" (John 20:27). In response, Thomas makes a profound confession of faith: "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28). Jesus then blesses those who have not seen yet believe, stating, "Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed" (John 20:29). This fits within the broader narrative, marking a progression from the initial appearances to a deepened of among the apostles, emphasizing the transition from empirical to spiritual conviction on the eighth day after . Early Church interpretations linked this event to the Sunday's themes of overcoming and the universal call to belief. For instance, St. Augustine, in his Tractates on the Gospel of John (Tractate 121), expounds on Thomas' as a pedagogical tool ordained by to strengthen the of future believers, highlighting Jesus' words as a beatitude for the Church. Similarly, St. , in his Commentary on the Gospel of John (Book 12), views the appearance as fulfilling the symbolism of the number eight, representing renewal and the new creation in Christ, thus tying the scriptural account to the liturgical observance.

Early Development and Historical Observance

The observance of the Second Sunday of Easter emerged in the early Church as the octave day of , marking the culmination of an eight-day period of intensified celebration following the . This practice is attested in 4th-century liturgical sources, including the pilgrim Egeria's account of her journey to the around 381–384 CE, which describes daily Easter processions and liturgies extending through the week to the following Sunday, emphasizing communal joy and scriptural reflections on the Resurrection appearances. Similarly, St. , in his sermons from the early 5th century, refers to the octave as a longstanding ecclesial consensus, comparable in antiquity to the Lenten fast, underscoring its role in prolonging the for the faithful. Central to this early development were baptismal practices tied to the , where catechumens were initiated into the Church through , , and . The served as a formative period for these neophytes, who participated daily in liturgical assemblies focused on their incorporation into Christ's death and , as evidenced in 4th-century patristic writings such as those of , who highlights the white garments bestowed upon the newly baptized as symbols of their purified state during this time. This association reinforced the Second Sunday as a day of communal affirmation for the baptized, linking the 's end to the narrative of ' appearance to the disciples, including Thomas, on the eighth day after the . By the 6th to 8th centuries, the Second Sunday of Easter had solidified as a major feast in both the Roman and Byzantine rites, integrated into evolving sacramentaries and typika that structured the paschal season. In the Roman tradition, early missals reflect its status within the Easter octave, with collects and readings emphasizing renewal and faith, as seen in the Veronese Sacramentary (ca. 7th century), which includes proper prayers for the Sunday post octavam Paschae. In the Byzantine rite, formalized by the 6th century under Emperor Justinian's influence, the day concludes Bright Week (the octave), featuring vespers and matins with resurrectional themes, as documented in the early euchologia that extended paschal hymnody through the eighth day. Medieval customs further emphasized the octave's conclusion on this Sunday, particularly through rituals symbolizing the end of the neophytes' initial formation. In from the onward, the newly baptized, who had worn white linen garments throughout the to signify their new life in Christ, publicly removed these on the Second Sunday during a rite of deposition, often accompanied by prayers of and the distribution of blessed milk and honey to recall their spiritual infancy. This practice, rooted in earlier Gallican and Roman traditions, underscored the transition from intensive post-baptismal to full integration into the Christian community. A pivotal moment in its formalization occurred with the , an 8th-century Roman liturgical compilation attributed to Pope Gelasius I's era (though likely compiled later), which prescribes specific masses for the Sunday after the paschal octave, including alleluias and sequences like "Post dies octo" drawn from the pericope, establishing it as a distinct within the cycle. This text influenced subsequent medieval ordines, ensuring the day's prominence in the octave's structure across Latin Christendom.

Names and Designations

In Western Christianity

In , the Second Sunday of Easter has been known by several names reflecting its historical and liturgical significance, particularly in the Roman Catholic tradition, with variations in Anglican and Lutheran usage. One of the earliest designations is "White Sunday" or Dominica in albis depositis, originating from the custom of neophytes—those newly baptized at the —wearing white baptismal robes for the and laying them aside on this day, symbolizing their integration into the community. This name appears in liturgical texts as early as the , such as in references to the rite's emphasis on the newly baptized's white garments. Another traditional name in the before the 1969 liturgical reforms is " Sunday," derived from the introit's opening words, Quasi modo geniti infantes ("As newborn babes"), taken from 1 Peter 2:2, which addressed the spiritual infancy of the neophytes. This designation highlighted the day's focus on recent converts and was standard in the pre-Vatican II until the revisions emphasized the Second Sunday of Easter nomenclature. Similarly, "Low Sunday" emerged in English-speaking contexts from the onward, signifying a period of lesser festal intensity following the solemnity of , akin to a "" in contrast to the "high" celebration. In 2000, established "" as the official title for this day in the , proclaimed during the canonization of St. Faustina Kowalska on April 30 of that year, linking it to her visions of in emphasizing God's mercy. This name, rooted in the 1980 encyclical Dives in Misericordia, has since been widely adopted, though older terms like Low Sunday persist in some contexts. In Anglican traditions, the day is typically called the Second Sunday after or simply Low Sunday in historical calendars like the , maintaining a focus on post-Easter reflection without the emphasis. Lutheran churches generally refer to it as the Second Sunday of in modern lectionaries such as the Lutheran Book of Worship, occasionally using Low Sunday or incorporating themes in contemporary practice. Over time, these names have evolved from ancient catechetical roots to modern emphases on mercy, with Roman Catholic usage showing the most formalized shifts post-1969 and post-2000.

In Eastern Christianity

In Eastern Christian traditions, the Second Sunday of Easter is predominantly known as , a designation that directly references the and his encounter with the resurrected Christ, as described in the Gospel of John. This name has been emphasized in Orthodox lectionaries since the , as evidenced by early liturgical practices in documented by the pilgrim Egeria, where the Sunday featured Gospel readings focused on Thomas to instruct newly baptized Christians. Another common appellation, particularly in Slavic Orthodox churches, is Antipascha, derived from term meaning "in place of Pascha" or "instead of ," which underscores the day as a fulfillment and extension of Easter's rather than opposition to it. This title highlights the liturgical renewal of the theme at the conclusion of Bright Week, the octave following Pascha. The feast is also referred to as New Sunday, symbolizing spiritual renewal and the dawn of faith, with its roots traceable to early Byzantine hymnody composed by figures such as St. John of Damascus, who portrayed the day as a "springtime of souls" in troparia that link Thomas's confession to the believer's new life in Christ. In Oriental Orthodox traditions, such as the Coptic Church, the Sunday retains similar nomenclature, including Thomas Sunday and New Sunday, emphasizing its role as the eighth day of paschal joy and the transition from the intensive celebration of Bright Week to the broader fifty days of . These names reflect a shared Eastern focus on apostolic witness and renewal, distinct from Western designations like . The historical adoption of these names is formalized in the and festal calendars from the onward, as seen in the Georgian lectionary, which integrated Antipascha into rites and influenced subsequent Byzantine liturgical .

Liturgical Celebrations

Western Traditions

In the Roman Catholic Church, the liturgical celebration of the Second Sunday of Easter centers on the , which includes readings from the describing the early Christian community's unity, a responsorial psalm proclaiming God's , an such as 1 Peter emphasizing new birth through faith, and the Gospel from John 20:19-31, where the risen appears to the disciples, breathes the upon them, and grants the apostles authority to forgive sins. This Gospel passage underscores the institution of the Sacrament of Penance (also known as ), as declares, "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained," highlighting themes of peace, forgiveness, and the role of the Church in mediating . Priests often encourage the faithful to receive this sacrament during the season, viewing it as a renewal of baptismal grace and a direct response to the day's scriptural mandate for . Since its designation by Pope St. John Paul II on April 30, 2000, during the canonization of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, the Second Sunday of Easter has been widely observed as in the . Devotions promoted on this day stem from visions received by St. Faustina in the 1930s, including the depicting with rays of red and white light emanating from his heart, symbolizing blood and water from the ; the recitation of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, a rosary-like offered for the of souls and on the whole world; and specific prayers such as "Jesus, I trust in you," drawn from her diary. These practices are incorporated into parish liturgies. A plenary indulgence is available on under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Holy Communion, prayers for the Pope's intentions, and detachment from sin) plus of the or recitation of the Chaplet in its presence. Parishes worldwide incorporate these elements into Masses and hours, fostering a focus on God's boundless . Regional customs enrich the observance in various Western cultures. In Pagani, Italy, the Feast of Our Lady of the Hens (Madonna delle Galline) features a procession on the Second Sunday of Easter, where a statue of the Virgin Mary is adorned with live hens—recalling a local legend of hens heralding a miracle—and families offer blessed eggs as symbols of resurrection and new life, with children receiving blessings for protection. In Chile, the Cuasimodo festival, rooted in 19th-century missionary efforts, involves huasos (Chilean cowboys from rural and indigenous communities) leading eucharistic parades on horseback through countryside parishes, carrying the Blessed Sacrament to the sick, elderly, and homebound who cannot attend Mass, blending horseback processions, traditional attire, and communal meals to extend Easter joy. Among Anglican and Protestant communities, the day retains its historical title of Low Sunday, marking a quieter continuation of with low-key renewal services that reflect on the narrative from , emphasizing personal , communal , and post-resurrection without the intensity of celebrations. These observances often include sermons on spiritual recovery and simple liturgies tied to the traditional , maintaining continuity with early Church practices of catechetical instruction. Post-Vatican II reforms integrated the Second Sunday more fully into the Easter octave, extending the solemnity from Easter Sunday through the following week to culminate on this day, with priests wearing white vestments symbolizing baptismal purity and joy. This change revives ancient themes of neophytes (newly baptized adults) laying aside their white baptismal garments ("in albis depositis"), now reoriented toward universal renewal, mercy, and the ongoing for all the faithful.

Eastern Traditions

In , the Second Sunday of Easter, also called Thomas Sunday or Antipascha, features a solemn preceded by an of Great and , structured according to the to highlight the Resurrection's enduring joy and the Apostle Thomas's transformative encounter with Christ. The Polyeleos service forms a centerpiece of , involving the solemn chanting of 134 and 135 ("Praise the Lord, for He is good"), full censing of the church, and the opening of the royal doors with all lamps illuminated, marking it as a festal observance of and renewal. This Polyeleos rank, as prescribed in historical typika including the 9th-century Studite tradition, elevates the day with trezvon bell tolls and excludes ordinary weekday elements to focus on paschal themes. The Matins Gospel, John 20:19-31—the ninth in the Eothinon cycle—recounts Christ's appearance to the disciples, including the doubting Thomas, and is read from the holy altar after the canons, underscoring the vigil's meditative progression from vespers' "Lord, I have cried" stichera to matins' resurrectional hymns. Hymnography integrates tropes and kontakia from the Octoechos cycle, tailored to the week's tone, with Pentecostarion selections like the kontakion "Thomas touched Your most pure side with his finger, O Christ God, and he cried out: You are my Lord and my God!" to poetically explore Thomas's journey from skepticism to confession, often sung after the sixth ode of the canon. These elements, drawn from the eight-ode canon and sedalia, weave a narrative of faith affirmed through direct witness to the risen Lord. In Slavic and Greek Orthodox communities, customs extend Bright Week's exuberance into Thomas Sunday, with no required—permitting dairy, eggs, and to sustain communal meals and processions that echo paschal vitality without the austerity of Lenten practices. The overall tone remains one of unceasing celebration, with in bright vestments and the absence of prostrations until later in the paschal season. Oriental Orthodox traditions adapt these emphases with regional nuances; in the Coptic Church, the day is known as New Sunday, a joyful eighth day of the feast where hymns and readings from the stress Thomas's faith as a catalyst for personal and communal renewal, proclaiming Christ's wounds as proof of victory over death and inviting believers to renewed devotion. Similarly, Syriac Orthodox liturgies highlight resurrectional themes through Thomas's story, using poetic sedro prayers and proclamations to portray his confession as a for overcoming , fostering a sense of ongoing spiritual rebirth amid the paschal fifty days.

Theological Themes

Faith and Doubt

The narrative of in :24-29 serves as a theological for the human experience of toward the , portraying him as a figure whose initial refusal to believe without models the rational common to believers and non-believers alike. ' invitation to touch his wounds transforms Thomas's into a profound of —" and my !"—emphasizing divine patience as an extension of grace that draws skeptics into . This episode underscores the transition from to conviction, inviting contemporary audiences to recognize their own questions as part of a divine rather than barriers to . Early Church Fathers interpreted Thomas's doubt as providential, designed to fortify the faith of subsequent generations. St. Augustine, in his Tractate 121 on the Gospel of John, argues that Thomas's doubt was providential, serving to confirm the faith of those who believe without seeing or touching. Similarly, St. Gregory the Great, in Homily 26 on the Gospels, explains that Thomas's tactile verification dispelled all uncertainty, thereby strengthening communal belief: "As he touches Christ and is won over to belief, every doubt is cast aside and our faith is strengthened." These patristic insights frame doubt not as a vice but as a pedagogical tool under divine providence. Liturgical homilies for the Second Sunday of Easter frequently highlight ' words in :29—"Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed"—as a beatitude affirming the superiority of faith grounded in testimony over sensory proof. , in his 2013 Regina Cæli address, described this as a call to trust in the apostolic witness, noting that it applies to all who encounter Christ through the Church's proclamation rather than direct vision. echoed this in a 1997 , portraying Thomas's journey as an exemplar for believers who must embrace unseen realities amid modern skepticism. Such preaching reinforces the theme that faith matures through communal witness, transcending individual doubts. In Eastertide catechesis, particularly during the mystagogy phase for neophytes baptized at the , the Thomas pericope plays a pivotal role in deepening understanding of the as a witnessed event that demands personal assent. Resources for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) emphasize reflections on Thomas's story to help new grapple with post-baptismal doubts, reinforcing the apostles' as the foundation for their own journey. This instructional focus, as outlined in mystagogy sessions aligned with the Second readings, aids neophytes in internalizing the 's reality through shared narratives of transition from unbelief to conviction. The motif of faith emerging from doubt in the Thomas narrative enjoys broad ecumenical resonance, appearing in lectionaries across Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant traditions as a shared reflection. Orthodox , such as in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese's commentary, views Thomas's evolution from unbelief to proclamation as emblematic of theosis, the deifying union with God through encounter. Protestant interpreters, including those from , stress ' compassion toward doubt as an assurance for believers facing evidential challenges, while integrates it into formation. This convergence highlights a unified Christian emphasis on as the catalyst for faith's triumph over skepticism.

Divine Mercy and Forgiveness

The Second Sunday of Easter forms the culmination of the Easter octave, a liturgical period that underscores the resurrection's central message of between and humanity, including the forgiveness of sins as instituted by Christ through the gift of the . This theme aligns with the sacrament of , where the risen commissions the apostles to forgive sins, emphasizing as an active force in restoring peace and unity. The devotion to , closely associated with this Sunday, originated from the private revelations received by St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, a Polish , between 1931 and 1938, in which Jesus instructed her to promote trust in his mercy and acts of mercy toward others. contributed to its early acceptance by blessing a in 1956 and permitting numerous bishops worldwide to grant imprimaturs to related writings, fostering local observances despite initial Vatican cautions. However, in 1959, the Holy Office suppressed the promotion of the devotion due to concerns over inaccurate translations of Faustina's writings; the ban was lifted in 1978, allowing renewed spread. elevated the devotion universally in 2000 by canonizing St. Faustina on April 30 of that year and designating the Second Sunday of as , integrating it into the Church's liturgical calendar to highlight mercy's role in Easter joy. Theologically, the feast links the encounter with the doubting Thomas in John 20 to the broader resurrection narrative of mercy, where Jesus' greeting of "peace be with you" extends forgiveness and reassurance, inviting belief as a prerequisite for fully receiving divine mercy. This is echoed in John Paul II's 1980 encyclical Dives in Misericordia, which portrays mercy as the heart of the Easter mystery, revealing God's love that triumphs over sin and death to bring eternal joy. Globally, inspires annual observances that encourage spiritual and corporal acts of mercy, such as prayers for sinners, fasting, and charitable works, drawing millions to shrines like the one in Krakow, . The feast's significance was further amplified in 2014 when canonized John Paul II on April 27, that year's , honoring the late pope's pivotal role in promoting the devotion worldwide.

References

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  2. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/041226.cfm
  3. https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2024/04/07/a-sunday-known-by-many-names/
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  19. https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/worship-texts-and-resources/book-common-prayer/collects-epistles-and-gospels-36
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  21. https://www.academia.edu/1419390/_Historical_Origins_of_the_Feast_of_Antipascha_St_Vladimirs_Theological_Quarterly_47_2_2003_157_182
  22. https://orthodoxwiki.org/Sunday_of_St._Thomas
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  24. https://suscopts.org/resources/interesting-facts/12/thomas-sunday-the-new-sunday
  25. http://www.holytrinitymission.org/books/english/liturgics_averky_e.htm
  26. http://www.holytrinitymission.org/books/english/typikon_1.htm
  27. https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2019/08/ninth-gospel-reading-of-matins.html
  28. https://www.oca.org/liturgics/outlines/fasting-fast-free-seasons-of-the-church
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  34. http://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/homilies/1997/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_19970406.html
  35. https://www.apprenticesinfaith.com/sites/default/files/uploads/pdf/C_Mystagogy_Easter2_YrC.pdf
  36. https://fdlc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/IsYourMystagogiaMissing-SAMPLE.pdf
  37. https://www.goarch.org/-/seeing-and-believing-the-thomas-incident-john-20-24-29-
  38. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/sermon/doubting-thomas-john-20-24-31/
  39. https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19780402_notif-divina-misericordia_en.html
  40. https://www.ncregister.com/features/divine-mercy-sunday-and-the-peace-christ-offers-us
  41. http://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_30111980_dives-in-misericordia.html
  42. https://www.thedivinemercy.org/articles/divine-mercy-connection-saints-faustina-and-john-paul-ii
  43. https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2014/documents/papa-francesco_20140427_omelia-canonizzazioni.html
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