With God's grace, Holy Trinity was able to celebrate with solemnity Pentecost weekend (June 3-6). The cathedral was festively decorated with freshly-cut saplings, some tall enough to reach the base of the dome. This very strikingly manifests the church's concept of recapitulation, as the entire universe has been transfigured through Christ and brought within the purview of the Church through the power of the Spirit Who gives life to all.

As the capstone moment when the Trinity enters into full relationship with humanity and the world through the foundation of the Church, Pentecost is celebrated for three days in honor of the Three Persons. Following the Saturday service to commemorate the dead, Pentecost Sunday was celebrated as a hierarchical liturgy with his Eminence Metropolitan Jonah (Paffhausen) and culminated with the Vespers of kneeling prayers.

Monday, Holy Spirit Day, was not only the second day of liturgical celebration but was also the feast day for Holy Trinity Monastery. As a result, we were blessed with the presence of the Most Rev. Metropolitan Hilarion and his Eminence Bishop Nicholas as well as his Eminence Metropolitan Jonah who remained for the festivities. During the Little Entrance Igumen Theophylact was awarded the jeweled cross, Priest Andrew Rudenko and Hieromonk Anatoly were both awarded the gold cross, all for their service to the Church. During the Hours a recent graduate, Vadim Abramov was tonsured a Reader. After the liturgy, the hierarchs, priests, faculty, seminarians, and guests were invited for a reception.

We thank God for constituting His Church through the gift of the Spirit! May our church be revealed to the world as God's most precious gift to humanity, the vineyard planted by Christ and producing the new wine of Spiritual joy.

Blessed art Thou O Christ Our God

Who hast shown forth the fishermen as supremely wise

By sending down upon them the Holy Spirit

And through them didst draw the world into Thy net

Lover of Mankind glory to Thee!