On the fiftieth day after Easter, a holiday is celebrated in memory of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Christ. It consists of two days, of which the first is dedicated to the honor and glorification of the Most Holy Trinity and in memory of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and therefore is called Trinity Day (Holy Trinity), and the second day is in honor of the All-Holy Life-Giving Spirit and is called the Spiritual Day (Holy Spirit).
On Trinity Day, immediately after the liturgy, Vespers is celebrated, at which prayers are read with kneeling that the Lord would send us the grace of the Holy Spirit and remember all our departed fathers and brothers.
The event commemorated on this holiday is described as follows in the book of the Acts of the Apostles, written by the Evangelist Luke (chapter 2, vv. 1-21, according to Russian translation) (Luke 2:1-21):
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they (the disciples of Christ) were all together with one accord. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as if from a rushing strong wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And cloven tongues as of fire appeared to them, and one rested on each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now in Jerusalem there were Jews, pious people, from every nation under heaven. When this noise was made, the people gathered and were in confusion; for everyone heard them speaking in his own language. And they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Are not these all Galileans who speak?” How can we hear - each of us our own dialect in which we were born?.. And everyone was amazed, and, perplexed, said to each other: what does this mean? And others, mocking, said: they got drunk on sweet wine. Peter, standing with the eleven (disciples of the Apostles), lifted up his voice and cried out to them: Men of the Jews and all who live in Jerusalem!
Let this be known to you and listen to my words: they are not drunk, as you think, for it is now the third hour of the day; but this is what was foretold by the prophet Joel: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will prophesy; and your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. And on My servants and on My handmaids in those days I will pour out My Spirit, and they will prophesy... And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Joel 2:28-32).
Stichera.
The glorious One today saw all the nations in the city of David, when the Holy Spirit descended in fiery nations, as the God-speaking Luke narrates. The verb: to the gathered disciples of Christ, there was a noise, as if I were carrying a storm of breath, and the house was filled where he sat: and they all began to speak strange verbs, strange teachings, strange commands of the Holy Trinity.
Troparion.
Blessed are you, O Christ our God, who are wise fishers of phenomena, sending down the Holy Spirit to them, and with them you caught the universe. Lover of humanity, glory to Thee.
Blessed are You, Christ our God, who made the fishermen wise, sending down the Holy Spirit on them, and through them captured the universe. Lover of humanity, glory to You.
Kontakion.
When the tongues of fusion descended, dividing the tongues, the Most High: when the fiery tongues were distributed, we called all into union, and accordingly we glorified the All-Holy Spirit.
When the Most High descended and confused languages, He thereby divided the nations; and when He gave tongues of fire, He called everyone to unity (of faith), and so we all unanimously glorify the All-Holy Spirit.
Greatness.
We magnify You, life-giving Christ, and honor Your All-Holy Spirit, Whom You sent from the Father as Your divine disciple.
Irmosy.
1. Phantom covered Pharaoh with his chariots, crushing battle with a high arm: let us praise him, for he is glorified.
3. From on high, as a disciple, Christ, you have been clothed until you say, you are sitting in Jerusalem: But as I am another Comforter, I will send my Spirit and the Father, and in Him you will be established.
4. The prophet looked at Your last coming, O Christ, and cried out: I have heard Your power, O Lord, for You have come to save all those who have been anointed by You.
5. For Thy fear, O Lord, conceived in the womb of the prophets and born on earth, the Spirit of salvation of the apostles creates pure hearts, and the right is renewed in the faithful: for light and peace are due to Thy commandments.
“Stay in Jerusalem until you are endowed with power from on high,” You said, O Christ, to your disciples; “But I will send another like Me, a Comforter, My Spirit and the Father, by whom you will be strengthened” (Luke 24:49: John 14:16).
Anticipating Your coming in the last (times), O Christ, the prophet cried out: I have heard of Your power, O Lord, that You have come to save all Your anointed ones.
The Spirit of salvation, according to Thy fear, O Lord, conceived within the prophets and begotten on earth, makes the hearts of the apostles pure and - (as) right - is renewed in the faithful: for light and peace are Thy commandments.
6. Floating in rumor... (See above).
7. Cast into the fiery furnace, the venerable youths turned the fire into dew, crying out in song: Blessed art thou, O Lord, God of our fathers.
8. Unscorched by fire... (See above).
9. Not being corrupted by temptation... (See above).
Zadostoynik.
Rejoice, Queen, Mother of the Virgin Glory: every kindly, benevolent mouth cannot soar, It is worthy to sing to You: but the mind is astounded to comprehend Your birth. In the same way, we glorify Thee. Rejoice, Queen, glorious Virgin Mother! For no flexible, eloquent tongue can sing Your worth with its ornateness, and no mind is able to comprehend Your birth. Therefore we praise You with one accord.