Trinity (Holy Trinity Day, Pentecost)

Holy Trinity Day, PentecostAfter the ascension of Jesus Christ came the tenth day: it was the fiftieth day after the Resurrection of Christ. The Jews had a great feast of Pentecost in memory of the Sinai legislation. All the apostles, together with the Mother of God and with the other disciples of Christ and other believers, were unanimously in the same room in Jerusalem.

It was the third hour of the day, according to the Jewish clock count, that is, in our opinion, the ninth hour of the morning. Suddenly a noise came from heaven, as if from a rushing strong wind, and filled the whole house where the disciples of Christ were. And the tongues of fire appeared, and rested one upon each of them. All were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to glorify God in different languages they had never known before.

Thus, according to the promise of the Savior, the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles in the form of fiery tongues, as a sign that He gave the apostles the ability and strength to preach Christ’s teaching to all nations; He came down in the form of fire as a sign that He has the power to smite sins and cleanse, sanctify and warm souls.

In Jerusalem at this time there were many Jews who came from different countries for the holiday. The apostles went out to them and began to preach in their native languages the risen Christ. The sermon worked so hard on those who heard it that many believed and asked, “What shall we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins; then you will also receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Those who believed in Christ willingly accepted baptism, there were about three thousand people on this day. Thus, the Kingdom of God began to be established on earth, that is, the Church of Christ.

Pentecost

Immediately after the Divine Liturgy, Vespers are celebrated in memory of the descent of the Holy Apostles of the Spirit of the Comforter. During this service, kneeling prayers are read, about the sending down of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Wisdom, the Spirit of reason and the fear of God (prayer kneeling after pure Yektenia).

The Holy Church prays for the granting of the grace of the Holy Spirit to all present, as well as to our formerly deceased fathers and brethren and other relatives in the flesh, so that they too may settle down to be participants in the Kingdom of Glory in the land of the living. “No one is clean before God from defilement, but below is the one day of his life.”

Orthodox Christians on this day decorate houses and churches with green twigs and flowers.

This custom comes from the Old Testament Church, when houses and synagogues were decorated with greenery on Pentecost in memory of how at Mount Sinai everything bloomed and greened on the day when Moses received the tablets of the law. The room of Zion, where the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles, was also decorated with branches of trees and flowers.

On the holiday of the Trinity, the appearance of Abraham the Trinity in the Mamvri oak tree is also remembered, so the temple decorated with greenery resembles that oak tree.

And the blossoming branches remind us that under the grace of God, human souls bloom with the fruits of virtue.