This day, brethren, we celebrate that most festive solemnity, on which our Lord Jesus Christ, when death being conquered He had returned more gloriously to the Father, granted to His apostles, the Father together with Him graciously bestowing it, that Holy Spirit whom He had before promised them; so that they might make firm and fortify that same faith which He had before preached while He Himself dwelt on earth. So on this day that divine Comforter descended upon the apostles, when, as was read before, the days of Pentecost were being fulfilled, and all were of one accord together in the same place. Together, then, were the apostles when the Holy Spirit descended upon each one of them. So that divine Spirit came upon those of one mind;
He descended upon those in concord and, as was read, the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in various tongues, as the Spirit gave them to utter (Acts 2). That Spirit who filled the hearts and minds of the disciples wholly cleansed them from earthly enticements. That heavenly fire consumed all the perverse things of the old lust. Those tongues, with which the apostles filled with the Holy Spirit spoke, designated the future Church among the nations. And they began to speak in various tongues, as the Spirit gave them to utter. In various tongues, then, the apostles spoke, as the Holy Spirit Himself gave them to utter; that the whole company of all nations might be gathered together into one and the same faith.
For the Parthians, the Medes and the Elamites, and the other nations, as was read, hear the apostles speaking in their own tongues the mighty works of God. (Fifteen lines are missing in the original, the writing being wholly effaced.) For even if they too on this most holy day are gathered together into one; even if they too hear the things which we say, yet they hear unto judgment, unless they repent. For what will it profit them to hear with attentive ears that which they spurn in their heart, and to celebrate the day of the same Holy Spirit with us, whose light they turn away from?
But you, brethren, members of the body of Christ, living shoots of sincere unity, celebrate this day always. For even now that is fulfilled in you which in those days, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles, was prefigured. For just as then whoever obtained that Spirit descending upon himself, so that even a single man might speak the tongues of all; so also now through all nations the very Truth speaks in the tongues of all. Here it ends.