The Paschal greeting is a custom among Orthodox Christians, consisting of a greeting and response. Instead of "hello" or its equivalent, one is to greet another person with "Christ is Risen!" The response is "Truly, He is risen!" (or "Indeed, He is risen!"). This greeting is used during liturgical services and informally at other times, starting with the feast of Pascha and lasting until Ascension, the period known as Paschaltide.

Q. What very common prayer do we NOT say during Bright week, and a long while thereafter, and then begin saying again after another feast?

A. The prayer to the Holy Spirit, "O Heavenly King", said in almost every Orthodox prayer service is NOT said from Paschal matins (the first service of the Pentecostarion), which begins at midnight on the Sunday of Pascha, until the Vespers service for Pentecost. Anywhere this prayer occurs it is omitted, and until Ascension Thursday, is substituted with the Paschal troparion (Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life), sung three times. We are like the Apostles during this period, "waiting" for the Holy Spirit to come, and the absence of this prayer makes a strong statement of our profound need for the Holy Spirit.

I saw the MCI prepared booklet for the RDL for the Easter season on the website. It appears that it gives as an option "Christ is risen" or returning to the regular responses "Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord...," "May our lips be filled..." and "Blessed be the name of the Lord now and forever." and "God grant them many years."

Just curious as to how many parishes return to the "regular" responses after Easter day or how many continue to use "Christ is risen" in all these places?