On Sunday, April 19th, St. Thomas Sunday, the Church remembers St. Thomas who having touched the Life-giving side of the Lord, no longer had any doubts..
This day is also known as Antipascha. This does not mean “opposed to Pascha,” but rather “in place of Pascha.” Beginning with this first Sunday after Pascha, the Church dedicates every Sunday of the year to the Lord’s Resurrection. (Sunday is called “Resurrection” in Russian, and “the Lord’s Day” in Greek.)
Today the Church also commemorates:
Martyr Theodore and those with him
Ven. John of the Ancient Caves in Palestine (8th c.)
Martyrs Christopher, Theonas, and Anthony, at Rome (303)
Hieromartyr Paphnutius of Jerusalem
St. George the Confessor, Bishop of Antioch in Pisidia (9th c.)
St. Tryphon, Patriarch of Constantinople (933)
Ven. Nikēphóros, Abbot of Catabad
Monastic Martyr Agathangelos of Esphigmenou (Mt. Athos—1819)
Ven. Simeon of Philotheou (Mt. Athos—16th c.).
Read more about the lives of these and others commemorated this day here.

Readings for Sunday, April 19th:

12
And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch.
13
Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly.
14
And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,
15
so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them.
16
Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
17
Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation,
18
and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison.
19
But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said,
20
“Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.”
19
Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
20
When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
21
So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
22
And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
23
If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
24
Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
25
The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
26
And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!”
27
Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
28
And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
29
Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
30
And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book;
31
but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

The Holy Scriptures are part of the Church’s Holy Tradition. Metropolitan Kallistos Ware of blessed memory wrote:

In the words of Father Alexander Schmemann, “A Christian is the one who, wherever he looks, finds everywhere Christ, and rejoices in Him.” This is true in particular of the biblical Christian. Wherever he looks, on every page, he finds everywhere Christ.

See Metropolitan Ware’s article How to Read the Bible for more on an Orthodox approach to scripture.

Antipascha & St. Thomas Sunday - 4/19/26

Holy Week & Pascha - 2026