After his Resurrection Jesus remained on earth forty days, appearing at intervals to his Disciples in various places. He ate, drank, and conversed with them, thus verifying and assuring his Resurrection. On this day corresponding to the fortieth day from the Passover, falling then on the third of May, he appeared to them in Jerusalem. He first conversed with them on various topics; then he gave them his last commandment, to go forth and preach in his Name to all the nations, beginning with, Jerusalem. At the same time told them not to depart from Jerusalem, but remain there a while until they were clothed with power from on high by the descent of the Holy Spirit upon them.
Having said this, he led them to the Mount of Olives. Then he lifted up his hands and blessed them. And as he was speaking to them with words of fatherly blessing, he was parted from them and ascended into heaven, being received by a shining cloud, indicating his divine, majesty. He sat on it as on a royal chariot and began to ascend to heaven, gradually disappearing from the sight of the Disciples as they gazed at him. And as they stood thus two angels in brilliant white robes appeared to them in the form of men and said to them, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. In these words, therefore, is fulfilled and defined the doctrine concerning the Son of God and his Word, in the Confession of Faith. And thus after our Lord Jesus. Christ fulfilled all his great dispensation for us, He ascended in glory into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God the Father. As for his undefiled Disciples, they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, rejoicing in the promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit (St. Lk. 24:46-52 and Acts I :I-12).
It may be explained that the Mount of Olives was at such a distance from Jerusalem as would permit the Jews to walk to it on the sabbath, hence, it is said that it was a sabbath day's journey. Incomanius (in his commentary on Acts) explained that the distance must have been one mile, or two thousand cubits, as Origen also says in the Fifth of his Stromata. They deduce this from the fact that the tents of the Israelites of old in the wilderness were about that distance from the cupola of the holy tabernacle of the covenant, to which they walked on the sabbath for the worship of God.
Thou hast ascended in glory, O Christ our God, and gleddened thy Disciples with the promise of the Holy Spirit, having become confident of the blessing. Verily, thou art the Son of God, and Deliverer of the world.
When thou didst fulfill thy dispensation for our sakes, uniting the terrestrials with the celestials, thou didst ascend in glory, O Christ our God, inseparable in space, but constant without separation, and crying unto thy beloved, I am with you, and no one shall be against you.
Synaxarion
After the Saviour's ascent to heaven the eleven Apostles, the rest of the Disciples, the pious women who were accustocned to follow him from the begining, his most holy Mother the Virgin Mary and his brothers returned from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem. Altogether they were about one hundred and twenty souls. When they had entered the house in which they lived, they went up to the upper room to await the coming of the Holy Spirit, according to the promise of their divine Master, continuing in prayer and supplication. About that time the election fell on Matthias who was counted among the eleven Apostles.
On a corresponding Sunday, which is the tenth day after the Ascension, and the fiftieth after the Passover, falling then on the thirteenth of May, about the third hour of the day, there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where the Apostles were sitting. And immediately there appeared to them cloven tongues like as of fire, and sat upon the head of each of them. And all those who were there were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak, not with the tongues of their ancestors, but with other tongues with which the Holy Spirit supplied them as He inspired them.
And by divine provision, there were gathered in Jerusalem for the feast great multitudes from about eighteen different nations and tongues, such as Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and others, who were all Jews by race and religion, but, because they had been born and brought up in various places among strange nations, they were dispersed from ancient times, and each was called after the place of his birth. When these heard the sound from heaven, descending, to where the Disciples of Christ were gathered, they all hastened thither to find out what had happened. And as each heard the Apostles speaking in his own language, they were all amazed and marvelled saying one to another, Behold are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
And there were others ( perhaps the blind Scribes and Pharisees), who, because of their great wickedness and folly, mocked the miracle, saying that the Apostles were drunk.
Then Peter, standing with the Eleven, lifted up his voice and spake before the multitude, explaining that what had happened was not due to intoxication, but to the fulfilment of God's promise, speaking to Joel which says, And it shall come to pass in the last days I will pour of my spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, etc. (Acts 2:2-28). Then he preached Jesus the Nazarene, explaining with many proofs that he was Christ the Lord whom the Jews crucified and whom God raised from the dead.
Many then were touched in their hearts because of his words, and, accepting them, were baptized. And on that day there were added to the faithful about three thousand souls. (Acts 1:12 to 2 :4).
This then is, the object of the present Feast, namely, the coming of the Holy Spirit into the world, the fulfilment of the promise of Jesus Christ, and the completion of the undefiled Dis- ciples' hope. It is the sequel and the conclusion of the Feasts of the great mystery of th divine Incarnation. On the day corresponding to this day of salvation, the day of Pentecost, the Saviour Apostles, who were formerly simple fishermen and illiterate, were suddenly instructed by the advent of the Holy Spirit, becoming possessed of the greatest wisdom and speaking plainly of heavenly doctrines. They became preachers of truth and teachers to the whole world. From that day they began the work of their great mission, the wonderful and delectable first-fruit of which was the conversion of three thousand souls an that very same day.
Some hold that the above mentioned upper room which the Jews used to consider a place of worship and prayer, since it was designated for that purpose was the same upper room in which the Saviour delivered the divine Sacrament of the Eucharist. But others hold that it was in the house of John the Evangelist.
Still others think it was in the house of Mary the mother John, who was known as John Mark (Acts 12:12 ), where afterwards a church was built and named the Upper Church of the Apostles (see the sixteenth Sermon of Cyril of Jerusalem). Again, there are others who say that it was one of the many upper rooms in the outer court of the Temple, which were open to people who were gathered in the Temple, and prepared for those who cared to enter them. They cite as proof of their claim the words of St. Luke, And they were continually in the Temple, praising and blessing God (St. Lk. 24:53 ). It may also be noted here that the name of Mary the Theotokos is mentioned at this point for the last time in the New Testament. Koinonikon: Thy good Spirit shall lead me into the right land.
Troparion, in the Eighth Tone
Blessed art thou, O Christ our God, who hast revealed the fishermen as most wise, having sent upon them the Holy Spirit, and through them thou hast fished the universe, O Lord of mankind, glory to thee.
Kondakion, in the Eighth Tone
When the high One descend, confusing tongues, he divided the nations. And when he distributed the fiery tongues he called all to one unity. Wherefore, in unison we glorify the most Holy Spirit.