Orthodox Icon of the Descent of the Holy Spirit

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Pentecost - 50 days after Pascha
Troparion (Tone 8)
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 Lover of mankind, Glory to Thee!

"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." (Acts 2:4) Many foreigners were in Jerusalem and heard the disciples preaching in their native tongue and were converted. On that day three thousand souls came to believe in Christ and were baptized. This icon depicts twelve Apostles sitting in the upper room. In the lower center is a symbolic figure of a king who represents the whole world enveloped by sin. While the Apostles shown above are surrounded with light he remains in darkness. A tongue of fire is above each of the Apostles. Their circular seating arrangement and the fact that no one sits in the center place depicts that none of the Apostles received a lesser or greater amount of grace.

This Icon is by the hand of Nicholas Papas. It is from St. Philip Antiochian Orthodox Church in Souderton, Pennsylvania.

Order # phn-85