| FEAST
OF Holy Pentecost
Introduction
The Feast of Holy Pentecost is celebrated each year on the
fiftieth day after the Great and Holy Feast of Pascha (Easter) and
ten days after the Feast of the Ascension of Christ. The Feast is
always celebrated on a Sunday.
The Feast commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the
Apostles on the day of Pentecost, a feast of the Jewish tradition.
It also celebrates the establishment of the Church through the preaching
of the Apostles and the baptism of the thousands who on that day
believed in the Gospel message of salvation through Jesus Christ.
The Feast is also seen as the culmination of the revelation of the
Holy Trinity.
Biblical Story
The story of Pentecost is found in the book of The Acts of the Apostles.
In Chapter two we are told that the Apostles of our Lord were gathered
together in one place. Suddenly, a sound came from heaven like a
rushing wind, filling the entire house where they were sitting.
Then, tongues of fire appeared, and one sat upon each one of Apostles.
They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in
other languages as directed by the Spirit (Acts 2:1-4).
This miraculous event occurred on the Jewish Feast of Pentecost,
celebrated by the Jews on the fiftieth day after the Passover as
the culmination of the Feast of Weeks (Exodus 34:22; Deuteronomy
16:10). The Feast of Weeks began on the third day after the Passover
with the presentation of the first harvest sheaves to God, and it
concluded on Pentecost with the offering of two loaves of unleavened
bread, representing the first products of the harvest (Leviticus
23:17-20; Deuteronomy 16:9-10).
Since the Jewish Feast of Pentecost was a great pilgrimage feast,
many people from throughout the Roman Empire were gathered in Jerusalem
on this day. When the people in Jerusalem heard the sound, they
came together and heard their own languages being spoken by the
Apostles (Acts 2:5-6). The people were amazed, knowing that some
of those speaking were Galileans, and not men who would normally
speak many different languages. They wondered what this meant, and
some even thought the Apostles were drunk (Acts 2:7-13).
Peter, hearing these remarks, stood up and addressed the crowd.
He preached to the people regarding the Old Testament prophecies
about the coming of the Holy Spirit. He spoke about Jesus Christ
and His death and glorious Resurrection. Great conviction fell upon
the people, and they asked the Apostles, "What shall we do?"
Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized
in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38-39).
The Bible records that on that day about three thousand were baptized.
Following, the book of Acts states that the newly baptized continued
daily to hear the teaching of the Apostles, as the early Christians
met together for fellowship, the breaking of bread, and for prayer.
Many wonderful signs and miracles were done through the Apostles,
and the Lord added to the Church daily those who were being saved
(Acts 2:42-47).
Icon of the Feast
The icon of the Feast of Pentecost is known as "The Descent
of the Holy Spirit". It is an icon of bold colors of red and
gold signifying that this is a great event. The movement of the
icon is from the top to the bottom. At the top of the icon is a
semicircle with rays coming from it (1). The rays are pointing toward
the Apostles, and the tongues of fire are seen descending upon each
one of them signifying the descent of the Holy Spirit (2).
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| 1.
Semicircle of rays pointing to each of the Apostles (detail). |
3.
A tongue of fire rests above the head
of Saint Peter (detail). |
The building in the background of the icon represents the upper
room where the Disciples of Christ gathered after the Ascension.
The Apostles are shown seated in a semicircle which shows the unity
of the Church (3). Included in the group of the Apostles is Saint
Paul (4), who, though not present with the others on the day of
Pentecost, became an Apostle of the Church and the greatest missionary.
Also included are the four Evangelists—Matthew, Mark (5),
Luke (6), and John—holding books of the Gospel, while the
other Apostles are holding scrolls that represent the teaching authority
given to them by Christ.
In the center of the icon below the Apostles, a royal figure is
seen against a dark background. This is a symbolic figure, Cosmos,
representing the people of the world living in darkness and sin,
and involved in pagan worship (7). However, the figure carries in
his hands a cloth containing scrolls which represent the teaching
of the Apostles (8). The tradition of the Church holds that the
Apostles carried the message of the Gospel to all parts of the world.
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| 7. The Cosmos, appearing in
the center of the icon, representing the people of the world
(detail). |
8. The scrolls that are carried
by the Cosmos are representing the teachings of the Apostles
(detail). |
In the icon of Pentecost we see the fulfillment of the promise
of the Holy Spirit, sent down upon the Apostles who will teach the
nations and baptize them in the name of the Holy Trinity. Here we
see that the Church is brought together and sustained in unity through
the presence and work of the Holy Spirit, that the Spirit guides
the Church in the missionary endeavor throughout the world, and
that the Spirit nurtures the Body of Christ, the Church, in truth
and love.
Orthodox Christian Celebration of
the Feast of Pentecost
This great Feast of the Church is celebrated with the Divine Liturgy
of Saint John Chrysostom on the Sunday that is the fiftieth day
after the celebration of Pascha. The Liturgy is conducted on the
day of the Feast, and is preceded the evening before by a Great
Vespers service and on the morning of the Feast by the Matins service.
On the day of the Feast a Vespers service is conducted that includes
the kneeling prayers. These prayers mark the beginning of the practice
of kneeling during the Liturgy at the time when the holy gifts of
bread and wine are consecrated as the body and blood of Christ.
The practice of kneeling has been suspended during the Paschal season.
On the Monday following the Feast, the Divine Liturgy is conducted
in commemoration of the All-holy and Life-creating and All-powerful
Spirit, Who is God, and One of the Trinity, and of one honor and
one essence and one glory with the Father and the Son (From the
Synaxarion of the Feast).
Scripture readings for the Feast are the following: At the Saturday
Vespers: Numbers
11:16-17, 24-29; Joel
2:23-32; Ezekiel
36:24-28. At the Orthros (Matins): John
20:19-23. At the Pentecost Sunday Divine Liturgy: Acts
2:1-11; John
7:37-52, 8:12. At the Divine Liturgy on the Monday of the Holy
Spirit: Ephesians
5:8-19; Matthew
18:10-20.
Prayer of the Holy Spirit
Heavenly King, Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, everywhere present
and filling all things, Treasury of blessings and Giver of life:
come and abide in us, cleanse us from every impurity and save our
souls, O Good One.
Hymns of the Feast
Apolytikion (Plagal Tone Four)
Blessed are You, O Christ our God, who made fisherman all-wise,
by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit, and through them, drawing
all the world into Your net. O Loving One, glory be to You.
Kontakion (Plagal Tone Four)
When the Most High came down and confounded tongues of men at Babel,
He divided the nations. When He dispensed the tongues of fire, He
called all to unity, and with one voice we glorify the Most Holy
Spirit.
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Icon of the Feast of Pentecost, used with permission
from Theologic
© Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
The Incarnate God: The Feasts of Jesus Christ
and the Virgin Mary, Catherine Aslanoff, editor and Paul Meyendorff,
translator (Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press,
1995).
Festival Icons for the Christian Year by John
Baggley (Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 2000), pp.
157-159.
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