05/23/2026
VENI SANCTE SPIRITUS
"You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you" (Acts 1:18).
After the resurrection and ascension on Jesus and before the coming of the Holy Spirit, the followers of Jesus hit in fear. They had been told about the coming of the Comforter and to pray for his arrival. After nine days of unceasing prayer, the Sprit did come and usher in the Day of Pentecost.
“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:1-4).
The disciples were transformed by the gift of the Spirit, "for God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power" (2 Timothy 1:7). They no longer hid in fear but preached boldly before the authorities even considering it a joy to be beaten and suffer dishonor for the name of Jesus.
Upon being released by the authorities, the disciples invoked God, saying "stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus." God heard their prayer and "the place where they were meeting was shaken" (Acts 4:30-31).
The site of these miraculous events is the Upper Room, or Cenacle. It is also the site where Jesus offered the Last Supper, washed his disciple’s feet, appeared to his disciples after the resurrection and gathered them before the Ascension. In this same place, the disciples elected Matthias, to take the place of Judas, and the Holy Spirit descended upon them. It can still be visited, today, and is an important addition to any Holy Land pilgrimage itinerary.
In Rome, Pentecost is celebrated in many ways. One of the more memorable and meaningful is done at the Pantheon. As a commemoration of the descent of the Holy Spirit as tongues of flame on the disciples, a shower of roses is let loose, after the final blessing of the Mass for the Feast of Pentecost. Members of Rome’s fire-brigade toss thousands of rose petals down the oculus into the Pantheon. La pioggia delle rose (the rose petal shower) is a beautiful breath-taking sight to behold. If you are visiting Rome over Pentecost, be sure to consider adding worship at the Pantheon to your itinerary.
https://youtu.be/AY_veOSZftw?si=RCr9IvlmXVNaoh9E
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