St. Catherine's Observes Pentecost

Members of East Cobb's rose to celebrate the ancient Feast of the Penetcost on Sunday by reading the Bible in languages from around the world.

In a reenactment of the story of the first Penetecost nearly 2000 years ago (Acts 2:1-11), church members read many versions simultaneously, creating a cacophony of sounds and surprising those who were not familiar with the annual routine.

For over ten years, volunteers from the church have been recruited to dust off their high school French or read from their native tongues or those of their ancestors. Albanian, Czech, French, German, Greek, Italian, Khasi, Latin, Navajo, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Ukraine and Welsh, as well as English, were heard this year.

St. Catherine’s incorporates the “speaking in tongues” to the Penetcost Celebration service to commemorate the story from the New Testament in which a crowd had gathered for a celebration when the Holy Spirit blew like a wind through the gathering, depositing tongues of flame on people’s heads and giving them the power to speak in languages other than their own.

Members of St. Catherine’s celebrated by dressing in red, decorating the church in bright colors, red balloons and beautiful flowers, and baptizing two new members, Thomas and Emy.

St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church is a 50-year-old congregation at 571 Holt Road and offers two worship services each Sunday, at 8 and 10:30am, with Holy Communion served at each service. All are welcome, whatever language you speak.

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