The feast of the Holy Trinity

[Maria Parani]

I'm interested in the association of the feast of the Holy Trinity with the feast of the Pentecost. How far back does it go and what is the justification for it? I would be very grateful for any references to relevant Byzantine sources and/or secondary literature on the subject. Thank you!

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

Properly speaking Pentecost is the feast of The Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles- in the Russian Calendar this is exactly how the Feast is referred to. One can also see this emphasis in the texts for the Feast itself.

Nevertheless it also true that this is considered to be the Feast of the Holy Trinity due to the fact that through the Holy Spirit active within the Church the Holy Trinity is revealed.

References to Pentecost as a specifically Christian feast occur from at least the early 3rd century. But these are only surviving written references and it is more than likely that Christians were commemorating this feast which derived from the Jews from very early times.

As early as the Acts of the Apostles it states that upon St Peter speaking at Pentecost "those who received his word were baptized, and there were added to that day about three thousand souls."(Acts 2:41). In other words from this time at Pentecost Christians were received into the Church by baptism in the Name of the Holy Trinity. Perhaps this is also a reason why this feast is connected to the Holy Trinity since Pentecost along with Pascha became a traditional time of baptism.

In Christ- Fr Raphael

[John P. Nasou]

Thank you Father Raphael for your explanation of Pentecost and the = Feast of the Holy Trinity. I know that this is often confusing to new = converts. May I humbly offer one addition. John 14:26 gives the perfect = answer -=20

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name. = He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things = that I said to you.

Pentecost is a day of action by the complete Holy Trinity - at the = request of The Son, The Father sends The Holy Spirit, on this day.