05/31/2026
On the holy feast of Pentecost, we celebrate the “birthday” of our Church by the living presence of the Holy Spirit.
On the day of Pentecost, the fearful disciples of Christ became the Holy Apostles of our Church. Confusion was transformed into clarity, and division into unity. The same Holy Spirit who descended upon them continues to dwell in us today from the day of our holy baptism, guiding, strengthening, and renewing our lives.
Holy Pentecost invites each of us to ask: Am I open to the power of the grace of the Holy Spirit? Do I allow Him to shape my words, my decisions, and my relationships?
Let us treat this holy feast as something alive and personal. The Holy Spirit is at work in the Holy Sacraments of our Church, in our homes, in our communities, and in our hearts. If we make space for Him, He will bring grace where there is weakness, peace where there is anxiety, courage where there is fear, and love where there is distance.
May this Pentecost be for all of us a moment of renewal, a quiet but heartfelt return to the presence of God, who never ceases to come to us. Let us seek the presence of the power and the energies of the Holy Spirit in prayer, in the Holy Sacraments, and in every act of love, forgiveness, and humility that we offer to one another.
With paternal love and prayers for all our members,
+ Bishop Athenagoras of Nazianzos
