Archpriest Andrew Phillips
Rating: 3,4|Votes: 8
Would you say that Pentecost is the most important feast after the Nativity of Christ? What does the word Pentecost mean? Can you say something about the days immediately before and after Pentecost?..
St. Nicholai Velimirovich
Rating: 2|Votes: 2
When seed is sown, the power of warmth and light must descend upon it to make it grow. When a tree is planted, the power of the wind must come in order to make it strong. When a householder builds his house, he has recourse to the power of prayer, in order to sanctify it. Our Lord Jesus Christ has sown a most select seed in the field of this world. The power of the Holy Spirit had to descend in order to warm and sanctify that seed, so that it would grow and prosper.
That is the date and feast day that the Ecumenical Patriarchate and its Holy and Sacred Synod of Bishops chose to refuse an audience with the party of 18 Evangelical Orthodox Christians whose 12 year journey to the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church led them to the Church of St. George at the Phanar, Istanbul, Turkey. Some of the details of this journey have been chronicled by Father Peter Gillquist in his book “Becoming Orthodox".
Archbishop Dmitri (Royster)
At Babel a false unity established out of pride led to a scattering of all men, confusion among the citizens of the earth. Diverse "tongues," in this case, became indicative of divisions, man’s inability to understand God, his fellow man and environment. On Pentecost, however, the many "tongues" of the Divine Spirit became a sign and source for unity, a profound unity established through love for Christ that can only be granted by God Himself.
Rating: 10|Votes: 1
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. 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.