Orthodox Christians in the Republic of Moldova are celebrating Great Sunday today, also known as Pentecost, one of the most important holidays in the church calendar. It takes place 50 days after Easter and symbolizes the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, a moment considered the beginning of the Christian Church's mission in the world.
What is Pentecost?
Pentecost is the feast that concludes the Paschal cycle, being celebrated 50 days after the Resurrection of the Lord, which is why it is also known as Pentecost, reports the virtual encyclopedia Britannica. Pentecost celebrates the Descent of the Holy Spirit, which was announced by Jesus Christ himself at the Last Supper: "I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." In the Orthodox calendar, Pentecost is always celebrated on the eighth Sunday after Easter and is therefore also called Great Sunday, being a very important day for Orthodox Christians everywhere.
According to Eastern Christian rites, the Feast of Pentecost marks the beginning of the mission of the Christian Church in the world, because on this day, this divine-human institution, founded invisibly with the sacrifice of the Savior on the cross, came into being in a visible way. The Romanian word "Pentecost" comes from the Latin "Rosalia", derived from the Greek term ρουσάλια and also found in the Slavonic Rusalija, and symbolizes the feast of roses.
In the Byzantine tradition, Pentecost is followed by Holy Spirit Monday (Pentecost Monday), when the Orthodox Church celebrates the Holy Trinity. The duration of this celebration differs depending on the region: in Moldova and Transylvania it lasts three days, in Wallachia and Oltenia seven days, and in Banat eight days.
When did the celebration of Pentecost appear
Father Professor Ene Braniște mentions in the General Liturgy that Pentecost is the oldest Christian celebration along with Easter, having been celebrated since the time of the Holy Apostles. In the first Christian centuries, the feast of Pentecost was a double celebration: of the Descent of the Holy Spirit and the Ascension of Christ. Around the year 400, the two celebrations separated from each other. This celebration is mentioned in canon 20 of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, in the year 325, informs crestinortodox.ro.
If by the work of the Holy Spirit, God the Son descended from heaven and became incarnate, it is also through the Holy Spirit that we are imparted the divine and human life of Christ. The descent of the Holy Spirit is the act of passing on the saving work of Christ, from His humanity to men. Thus, the Church is constituted by this extension of the life of Christ in us. Considering that through the Spirit we partake of Christ, in the Orthodox Church the holy services begin with the prayer addressed to the Holy Spirit: “Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere and fulfills all things; Treasury of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us and cleanse us from all defilement and save, Good One, our souls.”
Blessing of the Linden and Walnut Branches
On the occasion of the feast of Pentecost, seven prayers are read in all churches to bless the green linden and walnut branches, which symbolize the rich gifts of the Holy Spirit. The custom of blessing the branches is found not only in our Church, but also in Jerusalem, Constantinople or Damascus. These branches are then distributed to the faithful as a symbol of the tongues of fire through which the grace of the Holy Spirit working in the disciples of Christ, sent by Him to proclaim His Gospel in all the languages of the world, according to Doxologia.ro. According to the account in “Acts of the Apostles” 2:1-4 (the fifth book of the New Testament), on the day of the Jewish feast of Pentecost, “the apostles were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
And there appeared to them divided tongues as of fire, and they sat 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.” Impressed by this extraordinary revelation, the Apostle Peter delivered a sermon that touched the hearts of those present, and as a result, approximately 3,000 people chose to be baptized. This moment marked the formation of the first Christian community in Jerusalem, the nucleus of the later Church, which is why the feast of Pentecost is considered the birthday of the Christian Church.
Popular beliefs related to Pentecost
In Romanian folklore, Pentecost is perceived as supernatural beings, with evil traits, similar to the elves. It is said that, after leaving their graves on Maundy Thursday to take part in the Easter celebration with the living, the souls of the dead roam the sky starting with the day known as the “Stratul de Pentecost” (Wednesday, the 25th day after Easter) and bring misfortune to those who do not honor them properly. According to popular belief, those who disregard them can be touched by terrible punishments and can suffer disfigurements, mental disorders or even paralysis.
Summer Estates, celebrated on the Saturday before Pentecost, represent one of the most important moments dedicated to honoring the departed. Thus, the souls of the dead, who left their graves on Maundy Thursday and wandered free for 50 days, return to the afterlife on this day, we learn from the website crestinortodox.ro. In order for their return to be peaceful and free from disturbances, people organized rituals of reconciliation and reconciliation of spirits, decorated houses and cemeteries with linden branches and prepared rich alms.
These customs are still observed today in the villages of Bukovina. Kneeling during church services, often accompanied by prostrations, is a gesture of honoring God, expressing deep respect, humility and submission of the soul before Him. According to Canon 20 of the First Ecumenical Council, which took place in Nicea in 325, kneeling is prohibited on the day of Pentecost, we learn from Doxologia.ro.
“Since there are some who kneel on Sundays and from Easter to Pentecost, so that all may be observed in the same way in every parish (diocese), it seemed to the Holy Synod that prayers should be offered to God while standing.” In fact, this canon recommends avoiding kneeling on any Sunday, both in church and at home, but without considering this gesture a sin. In the past, this period was dedicated to the baptism of catechumens, those people who wanted to become Christians but came from other rites. In the context of these initiation rituals, both fasting and kneeling were forbidden at that time.
Pentecost Customs and Traditions
In some regions, women resort to special spells to ward off the evil influence of the iles, while the doors and windows of houses are anointed with garlic to protect the household from bad luck and evil forces throughout the year. At the same time, in other areas of the country, to drive away evil spirits, certain noisy rituals are practiced, accompanied by hitting the ground or walls with linden branches.
Women also prepare a special ointment from traditional ingredients with which they anoint the udders of cows to increase the amount of milk. In some regions, there is a custom for people to carry plants with protective powers, such as lovage, garlic or wormwood. It is believed that these keep evil spirits at bay and offer protection against the influence of the iles, those capricious and vengeful supernatural beings who can "take away" the unfortunate at Pentecost, causing suffering or even illness. In Transylvania, there is an old custom called "watering the wives" which consists of sprinkling women with water to keep them healthy and beautiful all year round. The dance of the călușari is a custom found especially in the south of the country, where it is believed that it can heal the evils done at Pentecost.
The best dancers in the village gather to form a band of 13 călușari and swear that for a month they will dance the ritual "Căluș". During the healing ceremony, the sick person is placed directly on the ground, and the călușari begin to dance around him. At a certain point, each călușari jumps over the suffering person, and at the end, one of them whispers a wish for recovery in his ear, reports Creștinortodox.ro. The belief that if the weather is nice on Pentecost Day, the summer will be fruitful and full of abundance also comes from popular tradition.
What not to do on Pentecost
According to ancient beliefs, on the days of Pentecost, it is not good to work, go to the fields, build or repair houses, because it is believed that doing so will attract the wrath of evil spirits. It is also not good to sleep under the open sky, so as not to be haunted by evil spirits, nor to enter the forest. It is also important to avoid quarrels and tensions on this day. Popular tradition says that the wandering spirits that walk on these days feed on negative energies, and conflicts in the family or community can attract bad luck.
Therefore, this holiday is seen as a suitable time for reconciliation with those around you, peace of mind and peaceful coexistence, and gestures of forgiveness are considered to bring good.
Another belief in popular tradition states that, on Pentecost, it is forbidden to climb trees or go to high places, and one should also avoid long journeys far from home, in order to avoid the presence of wandering spirits. In the Byzantine era, in order to preserve the sacredness of the Pentecost holiday, public performances, whether in theaters or circuses, or any other manifestations considered indecent, were prohibited.
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