The true beginning of the history of the church and its birth was on Pentecost, 33 A-D.

Jerusalem was full of pilgrims who had come from all the outer reaches of the Roman Empire. Suddenly a group of Galileans attracted the attention of the people: seized by inspiration, they addressed the people with strange speeches. Some thought they were drunk, but others were struck that even those who did not know the Aramaic language would understand these people from Galilee. Then Peter, the disciple of Christ, came out and said, that the time had come for the fulfillment of the prophecies, when the Spirit of God would come and abide in all the faithfuls "Ye men of God", he exclaimed, "hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it." (Acts 2:22-24)

The force of Peter's speech was incomparable. On that very day thousands of Jews accepted baptism in the name of Jesus . . .

What happened with the disciples? What suddenly turned them into bold proclaimers of Christ?

No research by historians can provide the answer. This is a mystery of the spirit of God Which was sent by Jesus to strengthen His Church which was in the process of being born.

From that moment when a mysterious sound blew over the disciples like the sound of the wind, and tongues of heavenly flame burst out, they became different people. Those who only a short time ago had fled in terror from Gethsemene began to preach the Gospel all over the world.

They were not deterred by the threats of the priests, by torture, or by prison. New generations would come after them. Against them the wielders of power and philosophers, bureaucrats and security forces would arm themselves against them. But crucified, burned, perishing in the arena of the circuses, they would hold firm in the strength of the Spirit. Turbid waves of temptation would rush upon them: pseudo-Christians, so-called Christian emperors, unworthy pastors, false disciples, and schismatics. But nothing can shatter the Church of Christ.

The Feast Day of Pentecost is the day of the appearance of the Spirit of God in the Church. God the Father laid the basis for it in the Old Testament, the Son-Word created it, by being incarnate on earth, the Spirit acts within it. That is why the day of its birth is called the Feast of Holy Trinity.

We heartily congratulate our readers on the occasion of this great and saving day of the Church of Christ!

June, 1989