Orthodox Pentecost is next Sunday, then Spirit Monday. Pentecost is a Great Feast, commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples. This transformed them into Apostles filled forever with the Holy Spirit. They travelled throughout the known world and created the Church. St. Paul was added to their number when he was visited by Jesus and was blinded for a few days. St. Peter was sent to Rome where both he and St. Paul were beheaded for the faith. All the other Apostles were martyred, except St. John, who was sent into exile. He died and after four days they dug up his grave and he was gone!!

I could go on for hours, but just know that all the riches of knowledge are still held fast in Orthodoxy, and can be learned by anyone. It is a treasure trove of holy knowledge. There are four book, entitled The Prologue from Ochrid (Serbia), written by a Serbian priest. Every day of the year is included, and the various saints for the day have their biographies entered, and there is a meditation, thoughts on scripture and a nice sermon that usually includes some great thoughts for the day. If you read this every day, you become infused with the history and meaning and dogma of Christianity, and you carry it around within you all the time. What a great gift! Blessings on everyone here today and every day!!