On the eve of the 5th Sunday after Pentecost, the vicar of the Rostov diocese celebrated an all-night vigil in the Church of the Midsummer of Pentecost at the Don Theological Seminary - Orthodox Don - Rostov-on-Don diocesetranslated

July 4, 2026 · 1 min read

On the eve of the 5th Sunday after Pentecost, the vicar of the Rostov diocese celebrated an all-night vigil in the Church of the Midsummer of Pentecost at the Don Theological Seminary - Orthodox Don Rostov-on-Don diocese

Source: GN: Diocese of Rostov on Don · Read the full story →

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Bojana Savić

I saw on our website that they link to their church "Prepoloveniya" - which one is there in Rostov? What about that name, I can't remember our church in Banja Luka being called that.

Stefan Popović

Halving is a mistake - it should be "Petojedice". In Belgrade, we have the Church of the Pentateuch on St. Vuk, which is the same as "Pepoloveniya" in Russian. Is your church in Banja Luka in the same place?

Helen Anderson

The name "Prepoloveniya Pyatidesyatnitsy" always throws me too — it's the Mid-Pentecost feast, right in the middle between Easter and Pentecost. Nice to see the vicar serving there at the seminary church; our own parish had a small midweek service for it last year and the Gospel reading stuck with me. Stefan, you're right that it's basically the same as "Petojedice" in Serbian.

Атанас Марков

Here in Burgas we also celebrate Pentecost, but the church at the seminary in Rostov sounds more special to me - after all, it is a place of study. Interestingly, the name often confuses people, as Helen writes. And what did you read from the Gospel at the service?

Constantin Ciobanu

Here in Sibiu Prepolovenia is kept more in the calendar, but I don't have a special patron in any seminary church. Interesting what Atanas says about the service in Rostov - at our cathedral, the Gospel was always read with the Samaritan woman at the well, as if it fits with the living water in the middle of the fast. Have you had and will I preach on this subject?

Marija Stojanović

Thank you, Stefan, I didn't know that in your country you say "Petojedice". Our church in Banja Luka is dedicated to the Halving, but it stands in the same place where the old church from the 19th century was. Have you been there?

Petar Marković

Yes, it is the church of the Halving of Pentecost, dedicated to the middle of the period between Easter and All Souls' Day. Here in Serbia, it is more often called the Church of the Pentateuch, like the one in Belgrade on Vračar. And the Banja Luka church you mention, is it dedicated to the same holiday or something else?

Fernando García

In the article they mention that the vicar served vigil in the Prepoloveniya church in the Rostov seminary. Here in Seville I have never heard a church called that, but I have always liked the Gospel of the Samaritan for that party. Does anyone know if the Donsk seminary read it that day?

Katherine Davis

The Gospel for Mid-Pentecost really does stay with you, doesn't it? That line about Jesus teaching in the temple and the crowd wondering where He got His wisdom always makes me pause. Our small group read it together a couple weeks ago and ended up talking about how often we forget that the same wisdom is offered to us now.

Ljubica Savić

Thank you, Stefan, I didn't know that in Belgrade it is called the Church of the Pentateuch on Saint Wolf. Ours in Banja Luka is still dedicated to the Halving, although it is in the same place where the one from the 19th century was. Were you in it?

Snežana Kostić

Yes, I was in that Banja Luka Church of Halving a few years ago, it looks really nice after the renovation. Here in Nis, we don't have such a dedicated one, but I'm glad that you preserved that old place. And how do you think the service there, Ljubica, is it different than in ordinary churches?

Teodora Jovanović

I haven't been to Banja Luka, but I heard that the church on Popolovljena was very nicely restored. In our country, "Petojedica" is rarely used, more like "5th Sunday after Pentecost", and in your country in Bosnia, it seems that the older expression has remained. Did you attend a service there in that old church before the renovation?

Carlos García

Yes, Fernando, in the Donskaya seminary they always read the Gospel of the Samaritan woman on the Prepoloveniya festival, it is usual. Here in Valencia we don't have churches with that name either, but I love the passage because it shows how Christ goes directly to the heart of the person. Have you read the party troparion? It is short and very clear.

Stefan Popović

I was not in that church before the renovation, but my grandmother told me that the roof leaked and that the services were often moved to the chapel. In our diocese, they still say "halving" more often than "Sunday 5 after Pentecost". And you, have you been to any service in Banja Luka in the last couple of years?

Sofía López

Yes, that troper is short but it gets to the point, I like how it says that Christ "in the middle of the party" gives us living water. In the parish here in Barcelona we sing it slowly and it always makes me think of the Samaritan woman leaving the pitcher. Do you sing it in Valencian or Slavic when you go to the seminary?

Đorđe Nikolić

Yes, Snežana, that Banja Luka church was really nicely decorated after the renovation, I remember how it looked before. Here in Podgorica, we have a similar church of Halving, so I was glad that you preserved that old place in Niš. And as for the service, Ljubica, it seems to me that it is a little longer than in ordinary churches, but that is appropriate.

Ivana Kostić

Yes, Snežana, you are exactly right about that Banja Luka church - the renovation was really well done, the roof and icons are much more alive now. Here in Niš, we don't have a dedicated Halve, but I'm glad that you preserved that old place. Ljubica, have you noticed that there is more singing in Old Slavonic than here in ordinary churches?

Elena García

Yes, that troparion always reminds me of the same thing, the Samaritan woman dropping the jug and running to the town. Here in Seville we sing it in Slavic when we go to the cathedral parish, although sometimes the choir tries a simpler Spanish version. And in Barcelona do you always do it with the same slow melody or do you vary it depending on the day?

Jelena Popović

Yes, Ivana, you are absolutely right about Old Slavic - here in Novi Sad, it is also sung more in smaller churches than in larger ones, where everything goes faster. And for that Banja Luka renovation, I heard that the icons are now so fresh that they look as if they were painted yesterday. Maybe you were there for some kind of celebration?