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Orthodox Christians celebrate Sunday of Descent of Holy Spirit

The Orthodox Christians today celebrate the Descent of the Holy Spirit, called also the Great Sunday of the Pentecost. This is one of the Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church, which is marked 50 days following the Holy Easter.

Fifty days after the Resurrection of the Lord, at the Jewish feast of Pentecost, while the Apostles and disciples were praying in the upper room, the Holy Spirit descended on them as fire languages, making a noise of strong wind and they started speaking in languages which they did not know.

The number of fifty is coming from those 50 days since the Resurrection and tells about the eternal and Heavenly entireness, being seven times seven days plus one.

The Orthodox Church regards the Descent of the Holy Spirit as the fulfillment of the mission of preaching Jesus Christ and beginning of the messianic age of the Kingdom of God, mystically present in the Church.

Traditionally, this holiday is regarded as the birth of the Orthodox Church.

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