▁Th urs day ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁Holy ▁Week . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Orth odox ▁Church . ▁Th urs days ▁are ▁dedicated ▁to ▁the ▁Apost les ▁and ▁Saint ▁Nicholas . ▁The ▁Oct o ech os ▁contains ▁h ym ns ▁on ▁these ▁them es , ▁arranged ▁in ▁an ▁eight - week ▁cycle , ▁that ▁are ▁ch anted ▁on ▁Th urs days ▁throughout ▁the ▁year . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁Div ine ▁Services ▁on ▁Th urs day , ▁the ▁dismiss al ▁begins ▁with ▁the ▁words : ▁" May ▁Christ ▁our ▁True ▁God , ▁through ▁the ▁inter cess ions ▁of ▁his ▁most - p ure ▁Mother , ▁of ▁the ▁holy , ▁gl orious ▁and ▁all - la ud able ▁Apost les , ▁of ▁our ▁Father ▁among ▁the ▁sain ts ▁Nicholas , ▁Arch bishop ▁of ▁My ra ▁in ▁Ly cia , ▁the ▁Wonder - worker … " ▁ ▁As c ension ▁Th urs day ▁is ▁ 4 0 ▁days ▁after ▁E aster , ▁when ▁Christ ▁asc ended ▁into ▁Heaven . ▁ ▁Islam ▁In ▁Islam , ▁Th urs days ▁are ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁days ▁in ▁a ▁week ▁in ▁which ▁Muslim s ▁are ▁encourag ed ▁to ▁do ▁volunt ary ▁fast ing , ▁the ▁other ▁being ▁Mond ays . ▁There ▁are ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁Had ith ▁which ▁narr ated ▁of ▁proph et ▁Muhammad ▁fast ing ▁on ▁these ▁days . ▁ ▁J uda ism ▁ ▁In ▁J uda ism , ▁Th urs days ▁are ▁considered ▁aus p icious ▁days ▁for ▁fast ing . ▁ ▁The ▁Did ache ▁war ned ▁early