Pentecost: Birth of the Church

The word Pentecost was coined

from the Greek word
‘pentecoste’ which means,
“fiftieth” to suit some particular
events that occurred on that day
in the history of the Israelites.

It is a festival observed on the

seventh Sunday (50th week)
after Easter when the Israelites
celebrate their ancient Jewish
feast of Shabuoth
In the early church it was a time for administration of the
sacrament of baptism, the festival is called White sunday
in reference to the white robes traditionally worn by the
newly baptized.
It was a time many believers look forward to and
consecrate themselves to the service of the Lord.
One of the events that
transformed this celebration
from a Jewish festive event to
a universal Christian event
that has shaped Christianity in
recent years is the out pouring
of the Holy Spirit by Jesus on
His Apostles.
 Feast of Pentecost is a Christian adaptation of
the fiftieth day feast celebrating Moses’
reception of the Law on Mt. Sinai

Jesus ascended and

Moses ascended and
returned with the gift -
sent the gift of the
the Law Holy Spirit
The Pentecost Spirit - signaled the beginning
of the Church’s mission

-the prime mover of the mission of the

Church to the whole world

- source of the strength to endure Persecution

-emboldened the Apostles to proclaim the

message of salvation as they were fully
converted to faith in Christ.
With the sending of the Holy Spirit, the
Apostolic Church was born.

- as both sign and instrument of salvation,

- as the principal agent of evangelization

- to bring the work of Christ to completion

Church Teaching

Christ is the light of all nations, and it is by

proclaiming his gospel to every creature that the light
of Christ which shines out visibly from the Church
may be brought to all men and women. (LG, 1)
The Church is a community of men and women
united in Christ and guided by the Holy Spirit,
press onwards the kingdom of the Father and are
bearers of a message of salvation intended for all
men and women. (Gadium et Spes, 1)
 Key Points to note about the Pentecost

1. It is the celebration of a festival in commemoration

of the day that God gave the Ten Commandments
through Mosses.

2. That God chose that day to fulfil His promise of the gift of
the Holy Spirit to mankind.

3. That the Holy Spirit was given to equip the Christian with
power to minister for the living Christ and to make
disciples of all nations for Him – the Great Commission.
4. That the Apostles and others who were waiting for this
promise of the ‘Promise of the Father’ after receiving the
Holy Spirit, began to speak in different tongues as to be
able to minister to the different tribes that will be attending
the Pentecost festival in Jerusalem.

5. That the occurrence on the Pentecost was the beginning of

Christianity because they (the Apostles) were
commissioned to spread the Good News.

6. That without that Holy Spirit from God, no one can please
God and that was why Christ had to instruct His disciples
to wait patiently and prayerfully in one accord for the out
pouring of the Spirit.
The power and presence of the Pentecostal
Spirit inaugurates the era of the Church’s
mission to the world which seeks to
overcome every division of humankind.
The Pentecostal Spirit empowers us to
be witnesses and bearers of the
message of salvation in Christ, the light
of the world.
 The Spirit is the force of the
missionary work of the Church.
 The Church, born of the love of God, is
the community of men and women united
in Christ through the power of the Spirit,
called to a common mission of being
bearers of salvation to one another and to
the world.