"You pour forth the water of wisdom and of life upon the world, O Savior..."

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!

The Feast of Mid-Pentecost (source)

  

Standing in the middle of the temple, at the godly middle of the feast, He cried out: "Let him who is thirsty, come to me and drink, for he who drinks from this divine water, from his belly will pour forth rivers of my teachings, and he who believes in Him Who sent me, the divine Begetter [Father], will be glorified together with me." Therefore, we cry out to you: Glory to You, O Christ God, Who richly pours forth the steams of Your philanthropy upon Your servants.
  
You pour forth the water of wisdom and of life upon the world, O Savior, calling all to drink of the waters of salvation, for Your divine law, received by men, quenches the burning coals of delusion. Therefore, he will not thirst unto the ages, but will be satiated with You, O Master and heavenly King. Therefore, we glorify Your might, O Christ God, and we entreat that the remission of offenses might be sent down richly upon Your servants.
-Kathismata from Matins of the Feast of Mid-Pentecost

(source)
  

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs, He has granted life!

Truly, the Lord is risen!

"He who thirsts, let him come to me and drink..."

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!

Christ preaching in the Temple (source)

  

When the middle of the feast arrived, Christ ascended to the Temple, and preached, saying to those Jews who had come to Him: He who thirsts, let him come to me and drink of the water of eternal life, that he might never thirst unto the ages, for he who believes in me, from his belly will flow rivers [of living water], and will have the light of life.
-Idiomelon of the Aposticha from the Feast of Mid-Pentecost, by St. John of Damascus

(source)
  

Christ has risen from the dead, by death trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life!

Truly the Lord is risen!

"As the Beginningless One Who holds the middle of all things..."

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!

Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of God (source)

 
You destroyed the gates of death through Your power, making known and opening the gates of the way of life without corruption for those who cry out with faith: Glory to Your power, O Lord.

As the Beginningless One Who holds the middle of all things, and their end and their beginning, You stood in the middle of the feast, crying out: Come, partake of divine gifts, O godly-minded ones.

As God Who holds all authority, as the Mighty One, You brought down the kingdom of death, sending down, O Christ, the Holy Spirit, Who proceeds from the Father.
-Excerpts from the Matins Canons of Mid-Pentecost
 
(source)
 

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs, He has granted life!

Truly the Lord is risen!

"The mid-point of the days is here..."

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!

Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of God, preaching in the Temple (source)

  

The mid-point of the days is here, which begin with the saving Resurrection and are sealed by the divine Pentecost. It shines for it shares the brilliance of them both and unites the two, and it is honoured for it reveals in advance the coming glory of the Master’s Assumption.
  
Sion heard and was glad, when the good tidings of the Resurrection were proclaimed. Her faithful offspring rejoiced when they saw him also washing away by the Spirit the stain of the murder of Christ. Keeping festival she makes ready the joyful mid-point of them both.
  
The abundant outpouring of the divine Spirit upon all is near, as it is written. The herald is the day that forms the half-way mark of the certain promise which was given by Christ to his Disciples after his death and burial and Resurrection, and shows the manifestation of the Comforter.
-Prosomoia of the Stichera in the Fourth Tone, from the Great Vespers for the Wednesday of Mid-Pentecost
(source)

  

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs, He has granted life!

Truly the Lord is risen!

The Wisdom of God, by Metropolitan Ierotheos Vlachos, Part I

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!

Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of God, the Angel of Great Counsel (source)

      

The Wisdom of God, by Metropolitan Ierotheos (Vlachos) of Navpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou (amateur translation)

The following speech by Metropolitan Ierotheos Vlachos was offered in Levkosia, on the occation of the celebration of the feast of the new Holy Church of the Wisdom of God, the largest church on the island of Cyprus. In three parts, he discusses the identification of the "Wisdom of God" with Christ, the Churches of "Holy Wisdom", and the Feast of Mid-Pentecost.

   

I. Christ, the Wisdom of God

It is a fundamental teaching of the Fathers of the Church that the difference between the Old and the New Testament is that, in the Old Testament are recorded the appearances of the bodiless Word, the Angel of Great Counsel, the Wisdom of God, while in the New Testament is recorded the revelation of the incarnate Word. Thus, one of the names of Christ is the Wisdom of God.

According to Fr. George Florovsky “The name of wisdom is a biblical name”, which is used by the Apostle Paul. In reality, the Apostle Paul, speaking to the Jews and the Greeks of his time, says that while the Jews seek a sign, and the Greek-idolaters seek wisdom-philosophy, “we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews scandal, to the Greeks foolishness, but to those chosen, Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God” (Corinthians I 1:22-24). And later he writes: “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.” (Corinthians I 1:30)

Often it is said that in the Old Testament, Christ is characterized as Messiah. But this is not correct, because in the Old Testament, the Messiah was, as the word means, “the anointed one”, and this is offered to the kings and the Prophets, who were called by God and anointed for a special mission to Israel. Thus, the Messiah in the Old Testament was man. However, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, in the Old Testament is characterized as the Angel of Great Council, the Wisdom of God. Foremost, the name “Wisdom of God” is met in the Proverbs and Wisdom of Solomon, and is attributed to Christ.

Thus, Christ is not the Messiah, in other words, a man who was [solely] born from the Panagia, but was the incarnate Word, Who took on human creation with the incarnation, which was anointed by the divine creation and became the Messiah in order to save the human race, and to deliver from the devil, death and sin. Fr. George Florovsky offers that “the identification of 'Wisdom' as one of the names of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity became a common theme in the homilies and theology of the Fathers. Origen perceived the name 'Wisdom' as the first and primary name of the Son (On John 10:22). And 'Wisdom' and 'Power' were commemorated in the Symbol of St. Gregory of Neo-caesarea. In the 4^th century, the Arians and the Orthodox agreed that thee Holy Wisdom that is mentioned in the book of Proverbs was the Son of God”.

The wise Solomon, praying to the God of the Fathers and the Lord of mercy, among other things, says: “Give me wisdom, that sitteth by thy throne; and reject me not from among thy children...And wisdom was with thee: which knoweth thy works, and was present when thou madest the world, and knew what was acceptable in thy sight, and right in thy commandments. O send her out of thy holy heavens, and from the throne of thy glory, that being present she may labour with me, that I may know what is pleasing unto thee. For she knoweth and understandeth all things, and she shall lead me soberly in my doings, and preserve me in her power. So shall my works be acceptable, and then shall I judge thy people righteously, and be worthy to sit in my father's seat.” (Wisdom of Solomon 9:1-12).

It is sure that the wise Solomon here is speaking of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, which is the Wisdom of God the Father, and Who is beside the throne of the glory of God, and at the creation of the world, and he is asking Him to send Him to him in the direction of his service.

That the Word of God is the Wisdom of God is seen from the word “Wisdom” which is mentioned either by itself or with some other entreaty in the holy Services, such as “arise, let us be attentive” and of course before the phrase, “He Who is blessed, Christ our true God” at the end of Vespers, in addition to following the service of the Artoklasia before the phrase “the blessing of the Lord and His mercy be upon you”. The union is clear between the Wisdom, which is the Word of God, with the phrases that speak of Him. Furthermore, the “Wisdom” is said during the Small Entrance of the Divine Liturgy, when the Deacon or the Priest raises the holy Gospel, because within it are the words of Christ. Thus, the Christians are called to lift up and to show reverence to the Wisdom of God, in other words, the Word of God, Christ. This word (Wisdom) is said also before the Epistle and Gospel readings, because within them are the words of Christ and the Apostles who are the members of the Body of Christ. And the same word, “Wisdom”, is said during the Liturgy of the Presanctified Precious Gifts before “the Light of Christ illumines all”, and during the Vespers before “O gladsome light of the holy glory”, which speaks about Christ...

(sources 1 and 2)

   

Christ has risen from the dead, by death he has trampled on death, and to those in the graves given life!

Truly the Lord is risen!

Quote on Mid-Pentecost, by St. Theophan the Recluse

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!

Icon of Christ preaching at Mid-Pentecost (http://vatopaidi.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/midpentecost.jpg)

  

"On Mid-Pentecost we hear the call of the Lord: "whosoever thirsteth, let him come to Me and drink" (John 7:37). If this is so, then let us all run to Him. Whatever you thirst for - so long as it is not contrary to the spirit of the Lord - you will find relief in Him. If you thirst for knowledge, run to the Lord, for He is the one and only light, enlightening every man. If you thirst for cleansing from sin and quenching of the flames of your conscience, run to the Lord, for He tore asunder the handwriting of our sins upon the Cross. If you thirst for peace in your heart, run to the Lord, for He is the treasury of all good, Whose abundance will teach you to forget all deprivations and despise all earthly good, so as to be filled with Him alone. If you need strength, He is almighty. If you need glory, His glory surpasses the world. If you desire freedom, He gives true freedom. He will resolve all of our doubts, loose the bonds of our passions, dispel all our troubles and difficulties, will enable us to overcome all obstacles, temptations and intrigues of the enemy, and will make smooth the path of our spiritual life. Let us all run to the Lord!"
-St. Theophan the Recluse
(http://ishmaelite.blogspot.com/2009/05/st-theophan-recluse-on-mid-pentecost.html)

For more on the Feast of Mid-Pentecost, see: http://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2009/05/feast-of-mid-pentecost.html and http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2010/04/feast-of-mid-pentecost-and.html.

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs, bestowing life!

Truly the Lord is risen!

The Feast of Mid-Pentecost

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!

Icon of Christ preaching in the Temple: the Feast of Mid-Pentecost, from Decani Monastery (taken from: http://www.srpskoblago.org/Archives/Decani/exhibits/Collections/PublicMinistry/CX4K3103_l.html)
  

Reading (taken from: http://goarch.org/chapel/saints_view?contentid=893&type=saints)
"After the Saviour had miraculously healed the paralytic, the Jews, especially the Pharisees and Scribes, were moved with envy and persecuted Him, and sought to slay Him, using the excuse that He did not keep the Sabbath, since He worked miracles on that day. Jesus then departed to Galilee. About the middle of the Feast of Tabernacles, He went up again to the Temple and taught. The Jews, marvelling at the wisdom of His words, said, "How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?" But Christ first reproached their unbelief and lawlessness, then proved to them by the Law that they sought to slay Him unjustly, supposedly as a despiser of the Law, since He had healed the paralytic on the Sabbath. Therefore, since the things spoken by Christ in the middle of the Feast of Tabernacles are related to the Sunday of the Paralytic that is just passed, and since we have already reached the midpoint of the fifty days between Pascha and Pentecost, the Church has appointed this present feast as a bond between the two great feasts, thereby uniting, as it were, the two into one, and partaking of the grace of them both. Therefore today's feast is called Mid-Pentecost, and the Gospel Reading, "At Mid-feast"--though it refers to the Feast of Tabernacles--is used.

Christ, the Holy Wisdom, teaching in the Temple (http://days.pravoslavie.ru/jpg/ih4527.jpg)

  

It should be noted that there were three great Jewish feasts: the Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles. Passover was celebrated on the 15th of Nisan, the first month of the Jewish calendar, which coincides roughly with our March. This feast commemorated that day on which the Hebrews were commanded to eat the lamb in the evening and anoint the doors of their houses with its blood. Then, having escaped bondage and death at the hands of the Egyptians, they passed through the Red Sea to come to the Promised Land. It is also called "the Feast of Unleavened Bread," because they ate unleavened bread for seven days. Pentecost was celebrated fifty days after the Passover, first of all, because the Hebrew tribes had reached Mount Sinai after leaving Egypt, and there received the Law from God; secondly, it was celebrated to commemorate their entry into the Promised Land, where also they ate bread, after having been fed with manna forty years in the desert. Therefore, on this day they offered to God a sacrifice of bread prepared with new wheat. Finally, they also celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles from the 15th to the 22nd of "the seventh month," which corresponds roughly to our September. During this time, they live in booths made of branches in commemoration of the forty years they spent in the desert, living in tabernacles, that is, tents (Ex. 12:10-20; Lev. 23)."

Finally, it is worth noting that the Great Church of Hagia Sophia (The Church of the Holy Wisdom) in Constantinople celebrated its feast on the feast of Mid-Pentecost. (http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011/05/mid-pentecost-and-hagia-sophia.html)
  

Christ, the Holy Wisdom, teaching in the Temple (http://www.ruicon.ru/images/iconografy/fresco/Serbia-Dechani/2868.jpg)

  

Apolytikion of Mid-Pentecost in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone
Mid-way in the feast, refresh my thirsty soul with the flowing waters of piety. For You cried out to all, O Savior, "Let him who thirsts come to me and drink." You, O Christ our God, are the Fountain of Life, glory to You.

(taken from: http://goarch.org/chapel/saints_view?contentid=893&type=saints)

  

Kontakion. Mode 4. You who were lifted.

The feast according to the Law at its midpoint, O Christ our God, as the Creator and Master of everything, You said to all those who were present there, ʺCome that you might draw from Me the water of immortality. ʺ Hence with faith we cry to You as we prostrate before You. Your tender mercies grant to us, we pray. You are the fountain and source of our life, O Lord.

  

OEkos

With the streams of Your blood water my soul parched by unlawful offences, and show it to be fruitful in virtue. For You have said to all, to approach You, all-holy Word of God, and to draw the water of incorruption, which is alive and washes away the sins of those who extol Your glorious and divine Resurrection. O Good One, You grant those who know You to be God the power of the Spirit that truly came down from on high to Your Disciples. You are the fountain and source of our life, O Lord.

(above two hymns taken from: http://sgpm.goarch.org/ematins/bilingual/May13.pdf)

  

The Feast of Mid-Pentecost (http://s44.radikal.ru/i104/1004/c5/0634b1eb67f5.jpg)

  

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs, bestowing life!

Truly the Lord is risen!