The way our Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church celebrates Pascha tells us what we truly believe about Pascha. Some things are very obvious. For example, the eight days from Pascha to the Antipasch are celebrated with all the doors to the iconostasis open.  This symbolizes that access to God’s world is made available to those who believe in Jesus Christ.

Then, each day uses one of the Eight Tones (i.e., proper prayers: Tropars, Kondaks, and hymns to the Mother of God). These tones are then used each weekend throughout the remainder of the liturgical year. By the use of these eight sets of proper prayers, the Church indicates that each weekend is a celebration of Pascha and the Pascha is the central feast of our Church.

The eight days of Bright Week, of course, imitate the eight days of the Jewish Passover. This tells us that  Pascha is truly the new Passover to a new creation. This is symbolized by the week consisting of eight days instead of seven. This symbolism is very subtle but very significant. This new Passover (Pascha) has freed humankind from the bondage of Death and Fear and has established a New Covenant with God.

The first eight days after Pascha are called, as everyone already knows, Bright Week – since the light of God’s revelation gives “light” to our understanding of creation and the meaning and purpose of earthly life.

All of this takes place within the context of various periods of 40 days. We have 40 days before Pascha and 40 days after Pascha. This is not by accident. The number 40 has been and truly continues to be of great significance not only in mysticism but, like it was in Judaism, in Christianity.

For example, the Bible tells us that: Moses received the Tables of the Law 40 days after leading the Jewish people out of Egypt; the Jewish people wandered in the desert for 40 years; the Flood lasted for 40 days; and, of course, that there are 40 days from the time of a person’s conception until the fetus is sufficiently formed so that a human person can be recognized.

The Hebrew letter mem has a value of 40 which means water, one of the ultimate symbols of life. It is also believed that when a person becomes 40 years old, s/he receives the wisdom to understand life in a much clearer way.

So we see that the symbolism that surrounds our celebration of Pascha is significant and tells us about life.