The same Apostle Luke, in the last verses of his gospel, observes that the disciples of Christ, after the ascension of their Master, were always in the temple, glorifying and blessing God (Luke 24: 53). What does “glorifying” and “blessing” mean? These are two special types of service to God. A blessing is a traditional Jewish prayer that begins with the words “Baruch ATA Adonai”; they are literally translated as “Blessed Are you, the Lord our God”. And the “praises” that the disciples offered to God means that in the temple they constantly read the Psalter — from the Hebrew language, the name of this book is literally translated – “praises”.

Who “invented” the Church and how the first Christians lived
The Descent Of The Holy Spirit. El Greco. Fragment. Approx. 1600

In addition, before Pentecost among the disciples of Christ on the initiative of the Apostle Peter, it was decided to cast lots and choose a new, 12th Apostle instead of Judas who committed suicide. The story of filling up the number of the apostles is especially important because it once again emphasizes the authority that they already had as direct witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and as those who were personally chosen by God Himself: It was not you who chose Me, but I chose you (Jn 15: 16). It was in this that their very special, incomparable status was revealed, which later placed them at the head of the Church. The apostles, chosen by God Himself, laid down in the Church its internal priestly hierarchy: the entire long succession of subsequent bishops is directly connected with the disciples of Christ through a chain of ordinations. “And this significance of the Twelve,” writes Archpriest Alexander Schmemann, ” as the Foundation and center of the Church, is so indisputable, so obvious to the first community, that even before Pentecost its first task will be to fill their number: the replacement of Judas, who turned out to be a Traitor.” The election of a new Apostle was perceived by the community as the election of God Himself: And prayed and said, Thou, Lord, know my heart all men, show of these your one, that he may take part of this Ministry and apostleship (acts 1:23).

Meanwhile, the Jewish holiday of Pentecost was approaching-Shavuot, dedicated to the memorable events of antiquity, when on the fiftieth day after the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt, God gave them the law (Ten commandments) on mount Sinai (Exodus 19). On the eve of the celebration, huge crowds of pilgrims from different parts of the Roman Empire flooded Jerusalem. But no one, not even the apostles themselves, suspected that just as the old Testament Passover had been abolished by Christ Himself and a new one had been established By him, so now the “old Shavuot” would have to be abolished in the face of the new one at sunrise.

Why is Pentecost called the” birthday ” of the Church?
When morning came, the apostles, together with the mother of God, gathered in the upper room of Zion, where shortly before Christ had celebrated the last old Testament Passover and established the sacrament of the Eucharist. Perhaps, in this already familiar and dear to them room they wanted to celebrate the holiday of Shavuot. But at nine o’clock in the morning a wonderful thing happened: and suddenly there was a noise from the sky, as if from a rushing strong wind, and filled the whole house where they were. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And all were filled with the Holy spirit, and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance (acts 2: 2-4).

On the same day after the preaching of the Apostle Peter, several thousand people who had gathered at Shavuot in Jerusalem believed in Christ and were Baptized (acts 2: 41), forming the first Christian community.

So Pentecost is the day the Church was born. Why? Because all seven Church sacraments established by Christ are performed by the Holy Spirit — his mysterious action. A new power was granted to the apostles, and in the nature of its action it had no earthly counterpart. It was given not to dominate and intimidate, but to correct the distortion of human nature, to break the self-fixation, to transform not only the spiritual but also the physical principle in man. Thousands and thousands of Christian saints are proof of the efficacy of this special power of the Holy spirit, which has been active in the Church for more than two thousand years.