Tag: Pentecost

All Souls

There are 5 All Soul’s Saturdays. 2, 3, and 4 were on Saturdays during the Great Fast on days that had no other commemoration (e.g. the Miracle of Theodore and Akathistos). This is due to the liturgical law that fasting periods are more conservative and retain ancient customs. Saturday, the day our Lord was in the tomb was a day for remembering the departed, and that has persisted until the present in Lent.

The All Souls’ Saturday before Meatfare Sunday was due to the Church Year. Meatfare Sunday was the Gospel of the Last Judgment and, in a way, concluded the regular cycle of Gospel beginning with Pascha and lasting until the next Great Fast (beginning with Cheesefare Sunday). It was natural, therefore, to remember the departed as we pray for all before the final and last judgment. The fifth All Souls’ Saturday the day before Pentecost does not have clear origins. Some have said that it is the Christianization of the pagan feast of Rosalia, which remembered virgins who have died a violent death. Their souls were locked in trees and were released on this feast day.

The Christians generalized this into a general feast for all the departed. Some find this controversial, since the ideology is that Christians owe nothing to pagans. We have no concrete evidence one way or the other. It might be connected with All Saints, which in the Byzantine Church was the Sunday after Pentecost, but this does not explain the one week delay. At any rate, though Pentecost is the Christian feast of the 50th day, corresponding directly to the Jewish feast of the Mt. Sinai covenant (note the Upper Room), it was also called Rusalka (in Slavonic) since it happened closely to the pagan feast.

The All Saints feast was originally “All Martyrs,” namely those who died a violent death in witness to Christ. Rome originally celebrated it at the same time as the Byzantines, but moved it to November 1, the Dedication of the Pantheon, the pagan temple made into the Christian Church of the All Saints. In our faith and worship, though, this all has a clearly Christian meaning.

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What is Pentecost?

Pentecost is the fiftieth day, “the last and greatest day of the feast.” In the New Testament, this story is told only in the Acts of the Holy Apostles (Acts 2:1-12). On this day, the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples in the form , “as of fire” and they were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:3). From this event, some observations can be made:

– This fulfills the promise made by the risen Jesus in the Gospel of Luke, “And[behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49)

– This was in the upper room, where the risen Lord came to the disciples through locked doors.

– There were twelve apostles, Matthias having been elected to replace the traitor Judas, as “a witness to [Jesus’] resurrection (Acts 1:22).”

– There were about one-hundred and twenty people present. Perhaps this was a symbolic number, for ten people were needed for a prayer group, hence, twelve apostles plus ten people for each apostle. The Spirit comes upon this gathering of communities.

– “As of fire,” the fire indicates the light of faith and the warmth of love.

– By the power of the Holy Spirit, the apostles are transformed from frightened followers to fearless witnesses. To be a Christian means to be a witness to life, to the Resurrection, this can be done only by the grace of God.

– Bystanders from every nation heard the apostles in their own language. The scripture does not tell us that the apostles spoke simultaneously in a variety of languages, but that the listeners heard them in their own language. What we appropriate, then, is the witness of the apostles to the resurrection and faith in Jesus. This is the wellspring of our faith, which we profess always in “one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.”

– Can we accept this witness in our lives without fear?

– Today is seen as the birth of the Church, and the East sees it also as the beginning of ordination.

– Mary, the Mother of the Church, is present.

“We have seen the true light, we have found the true faith, and we worship the undivided Trinity, for the Trinity has saved us.”

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Pentecost 2023

“Christ our God, praised be thee. Whom thou hast made the fishers of all ways and sent down the Holy Spirit. You captured the world through her. Lover of humanity, glory be to thee” (Pentecost troparion).

Divine Liturgy is at 9:00 a.m. (in English) and 10:30 a.m. (in Ukrainian).

Let us pray these words: “Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth” (Psalm 104:30).

Green for Pentecost

Reminder – Pentecost is this Sunday (new calendar): Byzantines, remember to wear the green. The tradition of wearing green on Pentecost is mostly a Slavic tradition, but it is one that we all can embrace because of green being a symbol of new life in the Holy Trinity.

Our celebration of Pentecost –the coming of the Holy Spirit promised by Jesus before He ascended to the Father– is a constant reminder of our own ” baptism by the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1 :5)

St. John Chrysostom (d . 407) admonished the faithful of his time not to celebrate the feast superficially, only adorning their homes with garlands (flowers), but rather spiritually adorning their souls with virtues in order to be more able to receive abundant fruits of the Holy Spirit (II Homily on Pentecost).

READ:

Byzantine Catholics and the Feast Of Pentecost: “Your good Spirit shall lead me into the land of righteousness. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!”

 

Third Sunday after Pentecost

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life.” Only after Jesus has shown the hurt to be unspeakable, then and not before does he make the instruction stricter. He not only asks us to cast away what we have but also forbids us to take thought even for the food we need, saying, “Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat,” not because the soul needs food, for it is incorporeal. He spoke figuratively. For though the soul as such needs no food, it cannot endure to remain in the body unless the body is fed. (St. John Chrysostom)

As always, God With Us Online, there are several things to help us go deeper in knowing and following the Scripture we hear at the Divine Liturgy. So, at the link above for the resources there is a very brief piece on the Domestic Church (the church at home) by Melkite Deacon Thomas Moses. Most importantly listen to the Gospel reflection.

Pentecost Pastoral of Ukrainian Catholic Bishops USA

Pentecost Pastoral of the Ukrainian Catholic Hierarchy of the U.S.A.

To our Clergy, Hieromonks and Brothers, Religious Sisters,
Seminarians, and Beloved Faithful

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

We greet you on the joyous feast of Pentecost, the birth of the Church, and the rebirth of nature. This year, Pentecost coincides with an apparent decline of the pandemic and a loosening of quarantine restrictions. We are enabled to celebrate the birth and renewal of the Church by again attending Divine services —if not today then, by God’s grace, tomorrow. Having conscientiously endured restrictions on interpersonal encounters and interactions we hope to be together in prayer and in the Descent of the Holy Spirit Who comes to us. Our hope is real, and it is being realized. Saying “Happy Birthday” to our Mother-Church, born out of the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are also privileged to observe how life returns to our houses of worship as they refill with people, our chants, incense, and candlelight.

At Pentecost the Father, through the Son, sends to us the Holy Spirit, “the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, everywhere present and filling all things.” In the Feast, we all share the joy of being together. We celebrate the Spirit of communion in the Divine Trinity, in the Church, and in the human race. Our God is three Persons in One, a triune community. Each one of us is created in God’s image and likeness to live in divine-like relationship and communion. Sent by the Father, through the action of the Holy Spirit in Mary, the Mother of God, the Son assumed our life and death. In His Resurrection we overcome all obstacles to encounter, reconciliation and union with God and all of God’s children. No COVID-, no isolation, no death, is stronger than the healing and uniting Spirit of God, “who renews the face of the earth” (Ps 104:30).

Together we pray for the disease to be defeated, for recovery of those struck by sickness or crushed by the death of loved ones, and for the eternal rest of all virus victims. On the Last Day, may they be resurrected by the power of the Holy Spirit to new and everlasting life (Ez 37: 1-14; 1 Cor 15).

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Parish announcements

The Holy Spirit is among us!

This week vigil light is offered to God’s glory by Judith Pond in memory of Anna Lipcan.

Every Sunday you can watch live on parish Facebook at 10:30 Divine Liturgy in Ukrainian languages. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stmichaelnewhaven
The Liturgy is also posted here on the parish website.

The Panachyda Service at the gravesites will take place TODAY, May 31st at 1:00 p.m. at St. Lawrence Cemetery. Please call the rectory office for appointment. For Panachyda Service at other cemeteries please call the rectory.

Pentecost
“Blessed are You, O Lord, for giving us fishermen most wise, sending down upon them the Holy Spirit. Thereby they catch the universe of mankind in the net of salvation. Glory to You, most merciful Lord.” (from the Tropar of the Feast)

On the fiftieth day after Christ’s Resurrection, the Church celebrates the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles (see Acts 2:1-4). This sending of the Holy Spirit signals the fulfillment of God’s condescension to creation, a condescension that began at the creation of the world. In the Holy Spirit, God offers himself to the human race. This gift of God’s life is always a blessing for us, and thus we refer to it as grace. The gift of the Holy Spirit gives us the opportunity to become partakers of God’s nature, to be divinized, to enter into the communion of the Persons of the Most Holy Trinity. The Holy Spirit fills creation with his grace and perfects it in accordance with God’s plan: “God’s Spirit was to spiritualize the darkness of matter, to illuminate it, and to draw it into the sphere of God’s life.”

The Holy Spirit bestows upon us a wealth of gifts. And though there is one Spirit, there are many gifts (see 1 Cor 12:4). “There its not a single gift that creation possesses that has not come from the Holy Spirit .” The Holy Spirit brings meaning and purpose to the history of humankind, directing it toward Christ, the Divine Logos. The Holy Spirit is the Source and Giver of every human life. It is the Holy Spirit who creates humankind in the image of Christ, making it a living soul, his temple and the dwelling place of the Most Holy Trinity.  (Christ Our Pascha: 255-256)

Moving toward Pentecost

Today, May 6, in the Byzantine Church following the Gregorian calendar, it is the feast of half-Pentecost (half of the Pascal Time). Now is the time to think about what gift of the Holy Spirit you are going to ask for (there are 7).

Let’s attend to the Gospel text of today (John 7: 14-30):

verse: 14: We were already in the middle of the week of the feast when Jesus went up to the Temple; and there he was teaching.

verse 15: The Jews were astonished and said, “How is he educated without studying?”

verse 16: Jesus answered them, ” My teaching is not from me, but from Him who sent me.

verse 17: Does anyone want to do the will of God, he will know if this teaching comes from God, or if I speak on my own initiative.”

Troparion
In the midst of the feast, bless my soul thirsty from the waters of piety, / for, O Savior, You have claimed to all: / He who is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. // Source of our life, O Christ God, glory to you.

Kondakion
In the midst of the feast required by law, / Creator and master of all things, / You said to those who stood by you: / Come and tap the water of immortality. / Therefore we stand before you and say with faith: / Grant us your compassion, O Christ God, // For You are the source of our life.

Pentecost

Pentecost is the fiftieth day, “the last and greatest day of the feast.” In the New Testament, this story is told only in the Acts of the Holy Apostles (Acts 2:1-12). On this day, the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples in the form, “as of fire” and they were filled with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:3) From this event, some observations can be made:

-This fulfills the promise made by the risen Jesus in the Gospel of Luke, “And[behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49)

-This was in the upper room, where the risen Lord came to the disciples through locked doors.

-There were twelve apostles, Matthias having been elected to replace the traitor Judas, as “a witness to [Jesus’] resurrection (Acts 1:22).”

-There were about one-hundred and twenty people present. Perhaps this was a symbolic number, for ten people were needed for a prayer group, hence, twelve apostles plus ten people for each apostle. The Spirit comes upon this gathering of communities.

-“As of fire,” the fire indicates the light of faith and the warmth of love.

-By the power of the Holy Spirit, the apostles are transformed from frightened followers to fearless witnesses. To be a Christian means to be a witness to life, to the Resurrection, this can be done only by the grace of God.

-Bystanders from every nation heard the apostles in their own language. The scripture does not tell us that the apostles spoke simultaneously in a variety of languages, but that the listeners heard them in their own language. What we appropriate, then, is the witness of the apostles to the resurrection and faith in Jesus. This is the wellspring of our faith, which we profess always in “one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.”

-Can we accept this witness in our lives without fear.

-Today is seen as the birth of the Church, and the East sees it also as the beginning of ordination.

-Mary, the Mother of the Church, is present.

“We have seen the true light, we have found the true faith, and we worship the undivided Trinity, for the Trinity has saved us.”

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