THE FEAST OF PENTECOST AT THE PATRIARCHATE

On Sunday, May 25/June 7, 2020, the Patriarchate celebrated the Feast of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, as it is recorded in the book of Acts of the Apostles (chapter 2) and it is interpreted by the book of Pentecostarion on Pentecost Sunday.

According to these sources, the fiftieth day (Pentecost) after the Resurrection and the tenth after the Ascension into the heavens, the Lord sent through the Father to His Disciples, who were gathered at the Upper Room in the hill of Zion, the Holy Spirit, “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”(Acts 2:2-3). The Holy Spirit in the form of tongues of fire sat upon the head of each of the Apostles and enlightened their mind and strengthened them and they “began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance”(Acts 2:4).

The crowds that were gathered there, witnessing the mighty force of the Holy Spirit believed in the words of St. Peter and the other Apostles who were preaching and “were baptized, and they were added to the Church that day, three thousand souls”.

This divine event, which was sealed by God’s providence for our salvation, was celebrated by the Patriarchate with the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and at the All-holy and Life-giving Tomb, officiated by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos, with co-celebrants their Eminences; Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, the Archbishops; Theophanes of Gerassa, Aristarchos of Constantina, Theodosios of Sebastia, Philoumenos of Pella, Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis and Archbishop Aristovoulos of Madaba, Hagiotaphite Hieromonks with first in rank Elder Archimandrite Nectarios, Arab-speaking Priests and Hieromonks from the brotherly Churches of Russia and Romania. The chanting was delivered by the choir of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre under the lead of Hierodeacon Simeon, and the service was attended by the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr. Christos Sophianopoulos, and members of the Greek Consulate, as well as faithful Christians.

The Divine Liturgy was followed by the Vespers of Monday of the Holy Spirit with the kneeling service. Finally, the Patriarchal entourage returned to the Patriarchate Headquarters for the festal reception and the receiving of His Beatitude’s blessing.

From Secretariat-General