Bengaluru: Thousands of people from Bengaluru diocese converged at St Patrick’s Church on Brigade Road on Saturday night for a prayerful Pentecostal all-night vigil under the aegis of Bangalore Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services (BCCRS). While Tamil service was conducted at the nearby Sacred Heart Church at Richmond Road, Konkani service was conducted at St. Joseph’s Commerce College auditorium, Kannada and Malayalam was conducted at ST. Patrick’s Parish Hall and St. Antony’s Shrine, respectively.
The vigil was inaugurated by Bengaluru Archbishop Most Rev. Dr. Peter Machado. In his opening address, he said all of us are called with different charism urged the faithful to welcome Jesus into their hearts. He later went and attended other language services as well.
The term Pentecost comes from the Greek Πεντηκοστή (Pentēkostē) meaning “fiftieth”. It refers to the festival celebrated on the fiftieth day after Passover, also known as the “Feast of Weeks” and the “Feast of 50 days” in rabbinic tradition.
The Roman Calendar sees Pentecost Sunday as the Eighth Sunday of Easter, the conclusion of the eight week celebration of the Resurrection. So, Pentecost brings to a fitting and final end the celebration of the Resurrection with the promised sending of the Holy Spirit, which in a sense completes the event of Easter.
Divine Retreat Centre preacher Fr Joshi conducted the English vigil service with thoughtful anecdotes and led the faithful into spiritual journey throughout the night. There was prayer for deliverance and healing.
The joyous praise and worship, healing and adoration vigil on the eve of the Feast of Pentecost, celebrating what is regarded as the birthday of the Church and the Feast of the Holy Spirit, started at 9.30 pm and ended by 5.45 am after a high Mass celebrated by Bengaluru Archbishop Emeritus Most Rev. Bernard Moras.
The Praise and Worship was led by the Bread of Life group. The morning mass hymns were admirably conducted by different language groups.