Editing Pentecost (section)

=== Eastern churches ===
{{Liturgical year}}In the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]], Pentecost is one of the Orthodox [[Great Feasts]] and is considered to be the highest ranking Great Feast of the Lord, second in rank only to [[Easter|Pascha]] (Easter). The service is celebrated with an [[All-night Vigil]] on the [[Yesterday (time)|eve]] of the [[feast day]], and the [[Divine Liturgy]] on the day of the feast itself. [[Eastern Orthodox church architecture|Orthodox churches]] are often decorated with greenery and flowers on this feast day, and the celebration is intentionally similar to the Jewish holiday of [[Shavuot]], which celebrates the giving of the [[Mosaic Law]]. In the [[Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria]], Pentecost is one of the seven Major "Lord's Feasts".

The feast itself lasts three days. The first day is known as "[[Trinity Sunday]]"; the second day is known as "[[Spirit Monday]]" (or "Monday of the Holy Spirit"); and the third day, Tuesday, is called the "[[Third Day of the Trinity]]."<ref>{{cite web |author=All troparia and kontakia · All lives of saints |url=http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=47 |title=Trinity Week – 3rd Day of the Trinity |publisher=Ocafs.oca.org |access-date=2013-12-21}}</ref> The [[Afterfeast]] of Pentecost lasts for one week, during which [[fasting]] is not permitted, even on Wednesday and Friday. In the Orthodox [[Sacred Tradition|Tradition]], the [[liturgical color]] used at Pentecost is [[green]], and the clergy and faithful carry flowers and green branches in their hands during the services.

All of the remaining days of the [[ecclesiastical year]], until the preparation for the next [[Great Lent]], are named for the day after Pentecost on which they occur. This is again counted inclusively, such that the 15th day of Pentecost is 14 days after Trinity Sunday. The exception is that the [[Melkite Greek Catholic Church]] marks Sundays "after [[Feast of the Cross|Holy Cross]]".

The Orthodox [[icon]] of the feast depicts the Twelve Apostles seated in a semicircle (sometimes the [[Theotokos]] (Virgin Mary) is shown sitting in the center of them). At the top of the icon, the Holy Spirit, in the form of tongues of fire, is descending upon them. At the bottom is an [[allegory|allegorical]] figure, called ''[[Cosmos|Kosmos]]'', which symbolizes the world. Although Kosmos is crowned with earthly glory he sits in the darkness caused by the ignorance of God.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}  He is holding a towel on which have been placed 12 scrolls, representing the teaching of the Twelve Apostles.

==== Kneeling Prayer ====
An extraordinary service called the "Kneeling Prayer" is observed on the night of Pentecost. This is a [[Great Vespers|Vespers]] service to which are added three sets of long poetical prayers, the composition of [[Basil the Great]], during which everyone makes a full [[Genuflection#Orthodox Christianity|prostration]], touching their foreheads to the floor (prostrations in church having been forbidden from the day of [[Easter|Pascha]] (Easter) up to this point). Uniquely, these prayers include a petition for all of those in hell, that they may be granted relief and even ultimate release from their confinement, if God deems this possible.<ref>[http://www.stnicholaspdx.org/2004/06/02/25.pentecost-prayers-of-kneeling/ Pentecost{{snd}}Prayers of Kneeling] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102021042/http://www.stnicholaspdx.org/2004/06/02/25.pentecost-prayers-of-kneeling/ |date=2013-11-02 }}. See the third prayer.</ref> In the [[Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria]], it is observed at the time of ninth hour (3:00&nbsp;pm) on the Sunday of Pentecost.

==== Apostles' Fast ====
{{main|Apostles' Fast}}
The Second Monday after Pentecost is the beginning of the Apostles' Fast (which continues until the [[Feast of Saints Peter and Paul]] on June 29). Theologically, Orthodox do not consider Pentecost to be the "birthday" of the church; they see the church as having existed before the creation of the world (cf. ''[[The Shepherd of Hermas]]'').<ref>''[[Patrologia Graecae]]'', 35:1108–9.</ref> In the [[Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria]], the "Apostles Fast" has a fixed end date on the fifth of the Coptic month of Epip (which currently falls on July 12, which is equivalent to June 29, due to the current 13-day Julian-Gregorian calendar offset). The fifth of Epip is the commemoration of the Martyrdom of St. Peter and Paul.