The Feast of Pentecost:
The Fulfilment of the Promise

by Assoc. Professor Philip Kariatlis (Sub-Dean)

Fifty days after Pascha, the Church celebrates the great feast of Pentecost (from the Greek Πεντηκοστή, meaning “the fiftieth day”), which marks the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples (cf. Acts 2), as Christ had promised his disciplees during His earthly ministry (cf. John 14:26; 15:26). On this day, the Lord’s followers were “clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49), receiving the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.

Far from being orphaned by the ascension of Christ, the Apostles experienced the dynamic arrival of the Spirit of the Lord who would lead them into the fullness of truth. As St Luke recounts in the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit came down as a mighty rushing wind (Acts 2:2) and appeared as tongues of fire resting upon each of them (Acts 2:3). In this moment, the disciples were filled with divine inspiration and empowered to speak in other tongues (Acts 2:4), setting out to proclaim the glory of the risen Christ “to the ends of the earth” (cf. Acts 1:8).

The significance of Pentecost lies in the fact that it marks the fulfilment of God’s redemptive promise. As foretold by the prophet Joel centuries before Christ’s birth: “In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh... then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:17,21; cf. Joel 2:28–32). Thus, Pentecost is not merely the historical birth of the Church, but the climactic outpouring of divine grace: the seal of Christ’s victory and His abiding presence with us (cf. John 14:18; Matthew 28:20), made manifest through the Spirit.

Pentecost also celebrates the permanent outpouring and indwelling of the Holy Spirit upon the Church, resulting in her consecration and mobilisation. Through the Holy Spirit—the Spirit of truth—the Church receives divine grace in abundance and is equipped for her mission to proclaim the Gospel and to carry out Christ’s ministry of reconciliation in the world. At the heart of this grace is the gift of koinonia. The Holy Spirit brings about a deep and enduring communion with God, with one another, and with all creation.

A new phase begins in the life of the Church at Pentecost: the Spirit’s enduring presence within the ecclesial gathering making Christ present. This transforms the Church into a living temple of God, a place where the divine and human meet. As St Irenaeus of Lyons (c. 130–202 AD) wrote: “Where the Church is, there is the Spirit of God, and where the Spirit of God is, there is the Church and every grace; and the Spirit is truth” (Against the Heresies, 3.24.1).

Because of the Spirit’s abiding presence, the Church is able to sing with confidence and joy: “We have seen the true light, we have received the heavenly Spirit, we have found the true faith, worshipping the undivided Trinity, who has saved us.” To possess the truth is no small thing—for it is the truth that saves, leads us to the kingdom of heaven, and reveals to us the very face of God.

Moreover, the Holy Spirit not only leads us into all truth (John 16:13), but also secures our union with Christ. As St Gregory of Nyssa teaches, “Christ shines in our souls through the Holy Spirit, for it is impossible to behold the Lord Jesus except in the Holy Spirit” (Contra Eunomium, 1.530–32). It is the Spirit who opens the path of communion, who brings light to our hearts, and who makes the presence of Christ real and transformative in our lives. 

It is the Holy Spirit who illumines our way within the Church, guiding us toward Christ. It is the Holy Spirit who enables us to encounter Christ and to dwell with Him. It is the Holy Spirit—“the Spirit of communion” (2 Corinthians 13:13)—who binds us to Christ and to each other, so that we might live “with gladness and simplicity of heart” (Acts 2:46), united in one soul and one mind (ὁμοθυμαδόν).

As St Paul reminds us, the sure sign of the Spirit’s presence within us is love: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness” (Galatians 5:22). Therefore, the hope is that this feast of Pentecost may radically renew within us the desire to live according to the Spirit, and move us to pray daily the Church’s ancient plea: “Come, Holy Spirit, and dwell in us.”

About the Author

Associate Professor Philip Kariatlis Sub-Dean of St Andrew's Greek Orthodox Theological College Associate Professor Philip Kariatlis is Academic Director and Associate Professor in Theology at St Andrew's. After taking an undergraduate degree in Theology from St Andrew's, he graduated from the University of Sydney with a degree in Arts, majoring in Modern Greek. He received a Master of Theology and a doctorate from the Sydney College of Divinity, where he studied under Professor Gerard Kelly. His doctorate was in the area of ecclesiology where he examined the notion of koinonia ... Read author's full bio here..

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