After the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the community of Christ’s disciples becomes the Church, that is, the assembly of all the elect in the world who believe in the Holy Trinity, are baptized and partake of the same Holy Mysteries of Christ, through the work and because of the presence of the Holy Spirit within it.

Even before his passion and death, Jesus Christ foretold to his disciples that he would send them another “Comforter”, “the Spirit of Truth who proceeds from the Father” (John 15:26). He will teach them all the Truth. He promised the same thing at his ascension into heaven.

The fulfillment of the promise took place ten days after the Ascension, on the morning of the day on which the Jews from all over the world were celebrating Pentecost in Jerusalem, the day of the reception of the Law on Mount Sinai by Moses. After the descent of the Holy Spirit, the community of Christ’s disciples becomes the Church, that is, the assembly of all the elect of the world who believe in the Holy Trinity, are baptized and partake of the same Holy Mysteries of Christ, through the work and because of the presence of the Holy Spirit within it.

The event of the descent of the Holy Spirit is commemorated by the Church on the fifth day after Easter, Pentecost. It is a day of great joy. In the first centuries, Pentecost was also an occasion for baptism. The feast of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was called “Rusalii” in Romanian from the Roman world’s feast of roses, dedicated to the cult of the dead.

Christians have taken over the Roman custom, making the Saturday before Pentecost one of the days of general remembrance of the dead. In some parts of the country, on the Saturday of Pentecost, pots adorned with flowers and a colac on top are given out to commemorate the dead. On Whit Sunday, beautifully decorated plates are distributed for the living. In the tradition of the Orthodox Church, on the day immediately following a major feast day, people who are in direct connection with the person or event at the center of the feast are commemorated.

Since the persons of the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, are in immediate connection, the Monday after Pentecost Sunday is dedicated to the glorification of the Holy Trinity. In fact, the feast of Pentecost has two days.