Prot. No. 01-003/2025
Sunday, June 8, 2025
Dearly Beloved Members of our Diocesan Family:
Christ is in our midst! – He is and ever shall be!
“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.
And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind,
and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared
to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other
tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts of the Apostles 2:1-4).
Grace and peace be with you all on this radiant and holy Feast of Pentecost, the “final and great day” of Pascha, when the promise of the Father is fulfilled, and the Holy Spirit descends in tongues of fire upon the Apostles. Today we commemorate the Birth of the Church and the outpouring of divine grace upon all who call on the name of the Lord. As the hymns of the feast joyfully proclaim: “Blessed art Thou, O Christ our God, who hast revealed the fishermen as most wise, by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit; through them Thou didst draw the whole world into Thy net.”
Pentecost is not merely a historical event, but a living reality in the life of the Church. The same Spirit Who filled the upper room in Jerusalem now fills our holy temples, the sacred mysteries, and the hearts of the faithful. It is by the Holy Spirit that we are illumined, sanctified, and united to Christ. As Saint Basil the Great teaches, “Through the Holy Spirit comes our restoration to Paradise, our ascension into the Kingdom of Heaven … the right to call God our Father, and to become children of light and partakers of eternal glory.” The Holy Spirit is the soul of the Church, guiding her in all truth and empowering the faithful to live lives of holiness and service.
The Descent of the Holy Spirit also reveals the universal mission of the Church. On that day, people of every language and nation heard the Gospel preached in their own tongue. This miracle was not accidental; it signified that the unity once lost at Babel is now restored in the Spirit. As Saint Gregory the Theologian teaches, “The Spirit comes gently and makes Himself known by His fragrance. He is not felt as a burden, for He is light, very light. Rays of light and knowledge go before Him.” In the Spirit, diversity is not erased but harmonized, and every culture is invited to find its fulfillment in Christ.
On this feast, we are also reminded of our responsibility to be bearers of the Spirit in the world. Pentecost is not the end of the Gospel story but its glorious continuation in the life of each believer. We have been sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit at chrismation; now we are called to live as temples of the Spirit—embodying love, peace, humility, and truth in all that we do. In a world that often grieves the Spirit through hatred and division, the Church must be the radiant icon of communion and reconciliation.
As we celebrate this most holy feast, let us open our hearts anew to the presence of the Comforter. Let us pray anew today and every day the ancient prayer of the Church: “O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of truth, Who art everywhere present and fillest all things, Treasury of blessings and Giver of life, come and abide in us, cleanse us from every impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.” May the same Spirit Who inspired the Prophets, strengthened the Martyrs, and illumined the Saints now kindle in us a renewed zeal for holiness and an unwavering love for God and neighbor.
With my humble prayers, my archpastoral blessing, and my sincere love,
Archbishop of New York and the Diocese of New York and New Jersey
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Diocese of New York
and New Jersey
33 Hewitt Avenue
Bronxville NY 10708
914-779-6580 (Phone)
914-779-6581 (Fax)
info@nynjoca.org