Feast of Pentecost

The Feast of Pentecost

Pentecost, the fiftieth day, is the feast on which the first followers of Christ, after fifty days of hiddenness and expectation, were filled with the light of the Holy Ghost, who descended upon them. The New Law of Jesus Christ was first preached to the world. This feast is the second great summit of the Paschal season, of which it is the completion. Christ has redeemed man by His victory over death; the Holy Ghost now comes to take possession of redeemed man, and to continue His work in the Holy Church.

Lesson from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:1–11)

When the days of the Pentecost were accomplished, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them parted tongues as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak.

Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem, Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. And when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded in mind, because that every man heard them speak in his own tongue. And they were all amazed, and wondered, saying: Behold, are not all these, that speak, Galileans? And how have we heard, every man our own tongue wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, Egypt, and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews also, and proselytes, Cretes, and Arabians: we have heard them speak in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.