PostPaschal

PostPaschal, usually written post-Paschal or post-Pascha, is a term used in Christian liturgical language to refer to the period after the feast of Easter (Pascha). The prefix post- means “after,” and Pascha denotes Easter; the construction appears in scholarly writing, liturgical notes, and some calendars to indicate time after Easter.

In Western Christianity, the post-Paschal period falls within Eastertide (Paschaltide), which runs from Easter Sunday to Pentecost. The days and Sundays following Easter are described as post-Paschal to emphasize the continuation of Easter’s themes. The Octave of Easter covers the eight days from Easter Sunday, after which the season continues with additional Sundays that remain part of post-Paschal time in certain calendar traditions.

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Pascha is the central feast celebrated according to the Julian or Revised Julian calendar. The week immediately after Pascha is known as Bright Week, with a distinct set of hymns and services. The broader post-Paschal period extends toward Pentecost, celebrated fifty days after Pascha. Throughout this interval, liturgical life remains saturated with Paschal imagery, though the tone and emphasis shift as the season progresses.

Usage varies by tradition and author. Some calendars and lectionaries label readings, saints’ commemorations, or liturgical notes as post-Paschal to mark their placement after Easter, while others treat Eastertide as a unified season without the adjective. The term is more common in academic writing and in certain Anglican, Catholic, or Lutheran sources than in everyday worship notes.