This week is what is known on the Church?s liturgical calendar as the Octave of Easter. Basically what that means is the Church celebrates the great feast of Easter for eight days. The octave will conclude next Sunday, April 23, on the Second Sunday of Easter.
As of the year 2000, however, a new feast was added to the calendar that coincides with the conclusion of this eight-day celebration of the Lord?s resurrection. At the direction of Pope St. John Paul II, the Second Sunday of Easter is now also known as Divine Mercy Sunday. It was added to the calendar at the same time as the one from whom Jesus had asked for the feast was canonized
