Pentecost (The Descent of the Holy Spirit) to the
st. Apostles
Today here in Bulgaria as well as in the rest of Orthodox Christian
world, we celebrate one of the most bright Christian feasts
Pentecost!
The celebration on this feast 50 days after the Glorious Descension
of the Lord Jesus Christ to heaven, whenst the our Lord and God's
Son has sat on the Right Hand of God.
The word Pentecost is probably derived from latin is a word (pente
= five) and is describing the glorious event that happened on the
50th day after the descension of our Lord to heaven.
On Pentecost, fifty days after the Resurrection on the exciting
Jewish feast of Pentecost, while the desciples and many other
followers of Jesus Christ were gathered together to pray, the Holy
Spirit descended upon them in the form of "cloven tongues of fire",
with the sound of a mighty rushing wind, and they began to speak in
languages that they did not know. There were many visitors from the
Jewish diaspora to Jerusalem at that time for the Jewish observance
of the feast, and they were astonished to hear these untaught
fisherman speaking praises to God in their alien tongues. This
account is well described in
the book Acts of the
Apostles - chapter 2
Another interesting fact is that on this date we in the Orthodox
church have the so called "faithful kneel" in Church for the first
time since Pascha.
The "faithful kneel" service which is served right after the
evening service following the liturgy is followed right after that
with this "faithful kneel" prayers on which we the believers kneel
to venerate the Holy Spirit and direct a prayer to God that he
forgives us and prevents us and save us through his holy
Spirit.
It's an interesting fact that Pentecost is historically and
symbolically related to the Jewish harvest festival of
Shavuot which is a feast
on which the God's giving of the 10 commandments on Mount Sinai is
commemorated, this according to jewish orthodox tradition is
exactly fifty days after Exodus.
In practice Pentecost is the day on which the Orthodox Church, e.g.
the True Church of Christ was born.
On that date when the Holy Apostles were filled with the Holy
Spirit which was earlier promised by our Lord Jesus Christ to the
faithful desciples.
When the Holy Spirit descended and sat upon each of them. The
desciples of our Lord was filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to
speak in other nations tongues.
When that event occured, there were many visitors from the Jewish
diaspora to Jerusalem at that time for the jewish observance of the
feast, and they were astonished to hear these untaught fisherman
speaking praises to God in their alien tongues.
Here is what is recounted in Acts 2:1-4 and how the event was
described in the Holy Bible.
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all
with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from
heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house
where they were sitting.
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it
sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy
Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave
them utterance.
Happy Feast to all Orthodox Christians!
And for the glorious event that happened, glory be to the Father,
To the Son and Thy Holy Spirit now and unto ages of ages!
Amen!