The Descent of the Holy Spirit is recounted in Acts 2; 1-4: And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place....
The Descent of the Holy Spirit is recounted
in Acts 2; 1-4: And when the day of Pentecost was
fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. (2) And suddenly there came a sound from heaven
as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were
sitting. (3)And there appeared
unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. (4 )And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began
to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
The icon shows the twelve apostles and
tongues of fire descending on their heads.
The semi-circular composition emphasizes the fact that they were ‘all in
one place’ and ‘could speak with other tongues’ is interpreted by theology as a
symbolic reference to the unity of the church. In the lower part of the icon, is a symbolic figure of a king,
‘Kosmos’, meaning the world and the dark background implies the darkness of the
world and the human condition. That darkness is banished by the teaching of the
Apostles, represented by the scrolls he holds on a white a cloth.