Description of the Icon
This Icon of Pentecost is full of many colors. It shows us the Light of the Holy Spirit and the Ora(light) of the first reconciliation of the 11 Apostles and others who were there. The first Sacrament of "Reconciliation"
"And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them,
"Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven;
if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." John 20:22-23
"And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them,
"Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven;
if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." John 20:22-23
The Icon shows the Blessed Mother in the center. The 11 Apostles are the there with her
and surround her during this event. The leaders of the Catholic Church, at its infant stage
are depicted. The women in front of the Blessed Mother and the 11 apostles are shown as women who are kneeling and who are showing their faith in the Lord. These women are also symbols of the sacrifice for the faith that many would endure. The blue and orange circle at the top of the Icon represents God the Father and his divinity. The dove, which is a well known symbol of the Holy Spirit is clearly visible over everyone and is also visable in each of the tonges of fire over each persons head. This Icon is the the ultimate representation of the strength and fire of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Catholic Church.
The Rite of Kneeling dates back over 1,000 years.
RITE OF KNEELING ON PENTECOST
Deacon: Let us kneel and ask the Lord for His mercy. Bend your knee to the exalted Godhead and receive pardon of your faults from the Holy Spirit. In the likeness of tongues of fire, He was sent to the Upper Room so that you may receive, by His hovering, happiness of life, confidence, and victory.
Celebrant: This is the day of salvation and consolation. The Father poured forth His gift of tongues, renewed by the Spirit. He divided them among the apostles, that they might call the nations back from error. Rejoicing with the disciples of the Son, we adore and praise Christ, so that we may receive the pardon of our faults and glorify Him, now and forever.
ADORATION OF THE SON
The celebrant faces the congregation and cries in a loud voice:
Deacon: Let us kneel and ask the Lord for His mercy. With the angels who worship Him in fear, we bend our knee and adore the Father of truth; for He is our maker and Lord. Before Him, all knees bend, and to Him, all tongues give praise. By Him, all nations live.
Celebrant: This is the day when heaven and earth, angels and seraphim, exult with the apostles; for they received the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete. On this day, the saving unction taken away from Adam our father, because of his disobedience, was restored to us. With it, the disciples were anointed, the nations were granted forgiveness, and all races were allotted salvation. We glorify and praise You, O Christ, Your Father, and Your Holy Spirit, now and forever.
ADORATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Deacon: Let us kneel and ask the Lord for His mercy. Bow your heads, O mortals, and worship God, the Holy Spirit. He speaks through the prophets; to visionaries. He whispers the secrets of hidden things; and to seers, He reveals the future. Then in the likeness of tongues of fire, He descended upon the blessed disciples. To Him are due glory and thanksgiving, now and forever.
Celebrant: Lift up Your heads and sign yourselves with the cross of light. Place in your souls the assistance and salvation that comes from the Holy Spirit, whom we worship in true faith with the Father and the Son, now and forever.
Reading for the Sunday of Pentecost:
Acts 2
New International Version (NIV)
The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,[b] 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
Peter Addresses the Crowd
14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:17 “‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
18 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’[c]
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
18 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’[c]
