I Visited The Western Wall Twice

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from my personal experiences and observations during the Israel pilgrimage tour I joined and what happened during my free time. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back, readers and fellow followers of the Lord! This is the 11th chapter of my ongoing series of articles about the holy nation of Israel with recollections about the experiences and discoveries I had during the pilgrimage tour I joined with my local church (hosted by strategic partner Behold Israel) in 2023. To see my previous Israel tour articles, click here, here, here, here, here,  here, here, here, here and here. No matter what happens in this unpredictable and chaotic world we live in, I will always stand with Israel and my faith in the Lord remains uncompromising!

In this latest edition of my Israel 2023 series, I share with you what I experienced when I visited Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem not once but twice. Also referred to as the Wailing Wall, the Western Wall is a very holy site and is one of the most definitive places to be in with regards to worshiping the Lord.

For starters, I share with you the very video I recorded about my first time ever to arrive at the Western Wall Plaza (note: I was with my pilgrimage tour group companions, our pastors and our hard-working local tour guide) as well as my first-ever approach (starts at 2:01 in the video) to the Western Wall itself. It’s a video of more than three minutes and it’s available for public viewing via YouTube. Watch the video below and pay attention to the details closely.

https://youtu.be/H9EF50bcv_A

As you can see in the above video, I stopped recording before entering the perimeter to get closer to the Western Wall. What happened after was my personal discovery and my personal sensing of the Lord’s presence.

About The Western Wall

To put things in perspective, the Western Wall is a retaining wall which was part of the Temple Mount expansion that King Herod (Herod the Great) did in around 19 BC. It is one of the four supporting walls of the Temple Mount which remained intact after the destruction of the Second Jewish Temple many decades later. Above it is the Temple Mount already.

Historically, the First Jewish Temple was built on the top of Mount Moriah during the time of King Solomon. The temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. In 19 BC, King Herod started rebuilding a new temple and this includes enlarging the Temple Mount platform a lot which made it 1,575 feet long and 985 feet wide. Herod had ten thousand men working and trained a thousand priests to work on the most sacred parts of the Second Jewish Temple.

The construction was done after several years but the decoration was completed in 64 AD. Six years after the Second Jewish Temple was fully completed, the Romans destroyed it but the western side of the Temple Mount survived. This happened in 70 AD, long after Lord Jesus conquered death and ascended to Heaven.

The Western Wall faces westward and it is the closest in proximity to the site of the Holy of Holies, the most sacred location in the Temple for the Jewish people. Be aware that Mount Moriah is the same exact mountain where Abraham almost sacrificed his son Isaac before God sent the angel to intervene and provided the ram as the sacrifice.   

For centuries, the Western Wall became a great source of influence and inspiration. It became the focus of yearning and prayer for the Jewish people for countless generations. The open-air section of the Western Wall serves as a place of worshipping the Lord and it is officially a synagogue. Apart from worship, the Western Wall keeps the memory of the Jewish Temples alive and it has also been used by the State of Israel for formal ceremonies. For centuries, pilgrims from around world came to the wall to pray and leave written noted in its ancient stones.

Physically, the Western Wall is 488 meters long and the height of the exposed section reaches a height of 40 meters above the bedrock of the eastern hill of Jerusalem (Mount Moriah). The open-air section of the wall (visible to the Prayer Plaza) is comprised of 46 layers of stone and the very large stones (that many are able to touch) were put in place during the time of King Herod (Second Jewish Temple period).

My First Visit – February 13, 2023

After recording the video, I placed my smartphone into my pocket, entered the worship area and gradually made my way to the wall.

With my Holy Bible in my left hand, I touched the Western Wall with my right hand and started spending quality time with the Lord God, praying to Him. With all my heart, I expressed my thanks and dedication to Lord Jesus there at the wall. I also prayed in support of Israel and the peace of Jerusalem.

Each moment I had there, I truly felt God’s presence and I did not confuse it with the wall’s visual magnificence. As I prayed, I felt the unction from the Lord to open my eyes and look straight up at the blue sky above knowing that He is spiritual, and He is in Heaven. The Lord is not inside the stones of the wall but in His Kingdom. That said, I did not worship the stones (reminder: idolatry is foolish and unholy) as I directed my worship directly to the Lord knowing He is in Heaven.

Because we only had fifteen minutes to spend as our tour group had a schedule to follow, I wisely spent time to praising and honoring the Lord. Let me remind you all that Lord Jesus will someday return and He will fulfill His promise. He will return in Israel and Jerusalem will be His destination.

After praying to Him, I spent the remaining minutes looking around and observing. I was surrounded by Ultra-Orthodox Jews, National Religious Jews, rabbis, tourists and Christians. I witnessed the religious rituals and practices of the Jewish people and I know deep inside that the ties between Jews and Christians are biblical.

The whole area is indeed sacred and that means visitors should be respectful and should practice decency near the Western Wall. People praying to God are to be respected and when there are many others praying while touching the wall, you will really have to wait for your turn. Be mindful that the Lord is always watching you as there is simply no reason to cause disrespect, playing around and causing trouble at the Western Wall.

When my fifteen minutes ran out, I went to the exit to rejoin my tour group.

My Second Visit – February 15, 2023

Two days later, it was our tour group’s one and only rest day. After having a really early breakfast at our hotel, I marched to the Old City of Jerusalem and visited the Temple Mount for the first time ever. After spending time up there, I took the exit and made my way down to return to the Western Wall.

Once again I took time touching the wall and praying to the Lord and expressing my thanks to Him with a lot of heart. After several minutes, I took a seat to pray to Him while resting my legs. Then I noticed a North American man (who looked so much like Hillsong Church’s Phil Dooley) with the Holy Bible at one end of the fence (separating the men and the women) by the wall facing at the other direction (his back on the wall). He preached the Word of God and asked the Lord to save everyone. What he said reminded me that God has a plan for everyone, including the Jews (His chosen people) and there is still time for the lost and unsaved to realize Jesus as the Lord and the Savior of all.

After I was done praying by the wall, I decided to visit Wilson’s Arch as I was so curious why a lot of people had been entering and exiting it. It turned out to be Western Wall tunnel (with an arch area) and inside was a synagogue where there lots of Jews read the Old Testament, the Torah and pray. At the entrance/exit, a Jewish rabbi invited me in and assured me that foreigners and non-Jews were welcome. So I went in and he showed some parts of the indoor synagogue.

As it was a place of worship by the Jews, I was cautious moving inside and spending time observing. Carefully I only took a few photos for this feature article and it was astonishing to see more of the Western Wall indoors. Not only that, it was impressive to see the arches – including those huge stones above our heads – and it turns out they were constructed during Herod’s time and without any cement at all. There were also lots of shelves of books on both sides.

The indoor synagogue is one of the holiest synagogues in Israel due to its proximity to where the original Jewish Temple was wherein the Holy of Holies resided. Since it was my plan to revisit the Upper Room and visit both King David’s Tomb and Oskar Schindler’s grave, I eventually left the Western Wall tunnel. Before tracing my way back to the Jewish Quarter (where we visited two days prior), I took one last look back at the Western Wall. I intend to revisit it and spend quality time with the Lord there again in the future.  

Biblical Significance

While it is a fact that the Western Wall was not explicitly mentioned in the Holy Bible, it has always been part of the Temple Mount since Herod’s time. To put things in perspective, we need to go back to the time when King Solomon dedicated the First Temple asking God to hear the prayers made toward it. Learn from the holy scriptures below.

that Your eyes may be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place. And may You hear the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven Your dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive.

1 Kings 8:29-30 (NKJV)

“Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for Your name’s sake (for they will hear of Your great name and Your strong hand and Your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this temple, hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name.

1 Kings 8:41-43 (NKJV)

The First Jewish Temple eventually got destroyed by the Babylonians. Centuries later, Herod executed the massive rebuilding of the Temple (Second Jewish Temple) in Jerusalem as well as the expansion of the Temple Mount itself. What was achieved drew reactions from many people who saw it and there were references of such reactions in the New Testament. For insight, read the scriptures below.

Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!”

Mark 13:1 (NKJV)

Then the Jews replied, It took forty-six years to build this temple (sanctuary), and will You raise it up in three days?

John 2:20 (AMPC)

To be clear, the forty-six years mentioned in John 2:20 refers to the massive renovation and the expansion of the Second Jewish Temple.

Long before the Second Temple got destroyed, Lord Jesus prophesied its destruction. By the time Lord Jesus made the prophesy, He was already rejected by the religious Jews. Those people refused to accept Him as their Messiah and they had disobeyed God as a result. Lord Jesus wept for Jerusalem knowing that suffering and destruction would come and it happened in 70 AD. Learn from the scriptures below.

Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying,

“If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

Luke 19:41-44 (NKJV)

Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them,

“Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

Matthew 24:1-2 (NKJV)

As it is very clear that God always has a plan for the faithful and His chosen people, it was prophesied that He would bring the Jews (scattered around the world) back to Israel in the last days. This prophecy was fulfilled in May 1948 when the modern State of Israel was formally established and a lot of Jews returned or settled in since then. Lord Jesus will return to us some time in the future and there is time for the Jews to accept Him as their Messiah, to repent and submit to Him. The other lost and unsaved people of the world still have opportunities to realize Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Very clearly, Lord Jesus is the hope of ALL nations! Learn from the scriptures below.

If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you. Then the Lord your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers.

Deuteronomy 30:4-5 (NKJV)

Jesus answered him,

“I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified], he cannot [ever] see and experience the kingdom of God.”

John 3:3 (AMP)

Beloved ones, let me repeat emphatically that the gospel entrusted to me was not given to me by any man. No one taught me this revelation, for it was given to me directly by the unveiling of Jesus Christ.

By now you have heard stories of how severely I harassed and persecuted Christians and how systematically I endeavored to destroy God’s church, all because of my radical devotion to the Jewish religion. My zeal and passion for the doctrines of Judaism distinguished me among my people, for I was far more advanced in my religious instruction than others my age.

But then God called me by his grace, and chose me from my birth to be his. He was pleased to unveil his Son in me so that I would proclaim him to the peoples of the world. After I had this encounter, I kept it a secret for some time, sharing it with no one. And I had no desire to run to Jerusalem and try to impress those who had become apostles before me. Instead, I withdrew into the Arabian Desert. Then I returned to Damascus, where I had first encountered Jesus.

Galatians 1:11-17 (TPT)

For He is [Himself] our peace (our bond of unity and harmony). He has made us both [Jew and Gentile] one [body], and has broken down (destroyed, abolished) the hostile dividing wall between us,

By abolishing in His [own crucified] flesh the enmity [caused by] the Law with its decrees and ordinances [which He annulled]; that He from the two might create in Himself one new man [one new quality of humanity out of the two], so making peace.

And [He designed] to reconcile to God both [Jew and Gentile, united] in a single body by means of His cross, thereby killing the mutual enmity and bringing the feud to an end.

And He came and preached the glad tidings of peace to you who were afar off and [peace] to those who were near.

For it is through Him that we both [whether far off or near] now have an introduction (access) by one [Holy] Spirit to the Father [so that we are able to approach Him].

Therefore you are no longer outsiders (exiles, migrants, and aliens, excluded from the rights of citizens), but you now share citizenship with the saints (God’s own people, consecrated and set apart for Himself); and you belong to God’s [own] household.

You are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus Himself the chief Cornerstone.

In Him the whole structure is joined (bound, welded) together harmoniously, and it continues to rise (grow, increase) into a holy temple in the Lord [a sanctuary dedicated, consecrated, and sacred to the presence of the Lord].

In Him [and in fellowship with one another] you yourselves also are being built up [into this structure] with the rest, to form a fixed abode (dwelling place) of God in (by, through) the Spirit.

Ephesians 2:14-22 (AMPC)

Conclusion

My two visits to the Western Wall were very significant to me personally. As seen above, each visit has been different, new discoveries happened and I spent quality time with Lord. The place is holy and it is a must-visit for anyone going to Israel. If I ever visit Israel again, I would return to the Western Wall to praise, thank and honor the Lord. If you are a person of faith who is about to visit Israel for the first time, I urge you to visit the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Learn from my experiences. I also encourage you all to stand united in support of Israel, learn to love and bless the Jewish people, help the lost and unsaved come to Lord Jesus and always pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May they prosper who love you [the Holy City]!

May peace be within your walls and prosperity within your palaces!

For my brethren and companions’ sake, I will now say, Peace be within you!

For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek, inquire for, and require your good.

Psalm 122:6-9 (AMPC)

Israel is the holiest place to visit in the whole world! Visit Israel with the Holy Bible! Pray to the Lord wholeheartedly and reveal to Him your heart’s desire to visit Israel to deepen your faith in Him. Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Follow the light of Lord Jesus, keep on praying to support Israel, learn to love and bless the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Watch out for more Israel 2023 travel articles here. There is more to come! Thank you for reading.

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‘Spirit of truth and love: sermon for Pentecost, Sunday 28 May 2023

It is now fifty days since Jesus’ Resurrection at Easter. Many pilgrims have come to Jerusalem for the Festival of Weeks. Luke, the author of Acts, tries to describe the coming of the Holy Spirit, but all he can say is what it is like- wind or fire. He is describing something which cannot really be described. The reading is from the New Testament reading: Acts 2:1-21.

In the name of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.

A few weeks ago, somebody mentioned to me that it was on Pentecost Sunday 2008 that the three congregations united to create Cambuslang Parish Church. Those of you who can remember that far back might be surprised to learn that that’s fifteen years now!

Earlier, we told the children that Pentecost is the birthday of the Church- so the world-wide church is today celebrating being over two thousand years old!

The word Pentecost means ‘the fiftieth day’: for it is now fifty days after Easter. In our reading from the Acts of the Apostles today, we hear of what happened to the first Christians fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus:

When the day of Pentecost came, all the believers were gathered together in one place. Suddenly there was a noise from the sky which sounded like a strong wind blowing, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire which spread out and touched each person there. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to talk in other languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.

Jesus had promised that his followers would receive the Holy Spirit after he himself had been raised to life. Saint Luke, the author of the Acts of the Apostles, gives us a very vivid account of that moment, when the Spirit descended on the first Christians. He speaks of wind, fire, and the believers suddenly finding their voice- they go out into the street and begin to take the message of Jesus, his death and resurrection, to people from all over the world.

But all this talk of the Holy Spirit sometimes makes us uncomfortable. There is actually a children’s hymn in our Church Hymnary about the Holy Spirit which begins, ‘Is it spooky, is it weird?’, which might be the worst hymn in the hymnbook[i]. When I was a wee boy, we used to hear more about ‘the Holy Ghost’, and for a youngster, well, that is just weird and spooky.

Churches have quite often rather neglected the Spirit, who is, after all, the third person of the Trinity. I have heard it said that for Protestants, the Trinity is God the Father, God the Son and the Bible; for Catholics it is God the Father, God the Son and the Virgin Mary.

Yet the fastest-growing branch of Christianity today is Pentecostalism, a movement which started in the early part of the twentieth century in America and which is now to be found all over the world in various forms, and which takes very seriously the presence of the Spirit of God in the church. Pentecostalism seems a long way from our Presbyterian brand of Christianity; yet often if offers hope to some of the poorest people in the world.

But for people like me- a rational, unemotional, Presbyterian Scot- what does the Holy Spirit mean for me? For in a Scottish Presbyterian church, you don’t really expect to see people come to church as if they had fire on their heads. And if there is a strong wind blowing around this church building, it will probably make our roof make strange noises!

Yet talk of wind and fire are ways of putting into words what as clearly an intense experience which happened on the first Pentecost. Pentecost is the church’s birthday, because it was the day the disciples first felt the power of God among them. It was a power that looked a bit chaotic and messy. Some of those who heard the disciples preaching under the influence of the Holy Spirit thought they were drunk. And our illustration of the work of the Spirit with the children was pretty chaotic, too![ii]

You might remember from a couple of weeks ago that Jesus promised his followers that, once he had gone, he would leave them a ‘helper’, or an ‘advocate’. Pentecost was when the disciples really felt the Helper among them- a Helper so powerful, they used words like fire and wind to describe the experience. But what is Helper, which we call the Holy Spirit?

I think we can understand the Spirit very simply if we think of it as God at work within each of us, and at work in the world. Thinking about the Spirit reminds us that God is involved in the world today.

Our culture is still influenced by the eighteenth century movement known as the Enlightenment. This was a reaction to the wars of religion which had spread over Europe since the Reformation, and an attempt to use science and rationality as a way of understanding the world, instead of more traditional religion. It’s a movement in which Scots played a big part- men like David Hume and Adam Smith. David Hume was, at the end of his life, an atheist, but many of his friends and colleagues among the literati of Edinburgh did believe in God, and indeed some of them were Ministers and members of the Kirk (such as Hugh Blair (1718– 1800) (below).

One way they attempted to understand God was to imagine that God had set up the world like a great machine which God had set in action, and left to run on its own. The world, they said was governed by unchangeable scientific laws, and so while there was room for a Creator, there was no need for God to get involved. So God was a bit like a watchmaker, who creates his timepieces, winds them up, and then leaves them alone. It’s all very predictable (and, frankly, a bit boring).

For if God has made the world, and left it to run like clockwork, there is no need for the Holy Spirit. A world without the Spirit might have been okay for the Enlightenment philosophers in the eighteen century, but the same period also saw people around Scotland discovering that the Spirit of Pentecost was still at work- such as here in Cambuslang in 1742, where there was a surprising religious revival. God is always at work in the world, and there is no knowing when and where the Spirit of God might move!

The Holy Spirit is, simply, God at work in the world. The first verses of Genesis speak of the Spirit creating the world ‘in the beginning’- but really God continues to create. Above all, God speaks to people, leads them in new ways, stirs them up to serve him. Above all, one man, Jesus of Nazareth, is so full of the Spirit of God that it cannot be denied that through him, God is doing something very new indeed. The Spirit which created the world, the Spirit which was in Jesus, is still at work today. A world which just ran like clockwork would be a boring world. But God is at work in the world, the Spirit of God is at work in the world, constantly surprising us and doing new things. And the Spirit works through people.

In his first letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul says of the Holy Spirit:

the Spirit’s presence is shown in some way in each person for the good of all[iii]

The Corinthians had written to Paul to ask him about the Holy Spirit, and the way it seems to affect different people in different ways. And so Paul writes back to them, and one the things he says to them- is ‘the Spirit’s presence is shown in some way in each person for the good of all’.

You know, you don’t have to be a genius to be ‘gifted’. I know people who are gifted listeners. I’ve met parents who seemed to me to be gifted in the way they brought up their children. I know people whose gift is the care and compassion they give to an elderly or disabled person whom they care for. I know people whose gift is how they look after those whom they have to manage at work. In all these people, the Spirit is present, for the good of all.

Each person, says Paul, has the Spirit of God present within them- the Spirit is present in each person, in each of us, in each of you. And that is shown in the fact that each of us has different gifts. Some of us are better at some things than others. We have different abilities, and different capabilities. There are different skills needed for the work of the Church, but God has given them. There are different gifts, and they are available in different people.

The great inventor Thomas Edison- a gifted man if ever there was one- famously quipped that ‘genius is one per cent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration’- and he should have known. Pentecost makes us ask the question: ‘How can I use my talents, my skills, my interests, to make my contribution to carrying on the work of Jesus today?’ If we would each of us ensure that our gifts were being used for God’s work, then the Church and the world would be changed and renewed beyond our dreams. For ‘the Spirit’s presence is shown in some way in each person for the good of all’.

The Spirit is the Helper Jesus promised us- helping us continue God’s work in the church and in the world. For we have not been left alone, for the Spirit is among us, willing and able to guide us in the truth about God.

A couple of weeks ago, we heard Jesus call the Holy Spirit as ‘the Spirit of truth’[iv]. Truth is something which is not take seriously nowadays. I read the other day of an American politician who thinks the earth is flat. And there are plenty of religious people who want to bend the truth of the Gospel, who want to use religion to attack people who are in some way different from them, and to divide communities. We really need the Spirit of truth today!

Jesus was famously once asked what the greatest commandment of the Jewish law was. And he replied that it was to love God with all our heart and all our mind and all our soul. But then he added that there was another: to love our neighbour as we love ourselves.

And ever since he said that, Christians have understood the truth about genuine religion: that love of God and love of neighbour go together. In this First Letter of John, we read:

[O]ur love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action.[v]

We baptise children and adults, we do it in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. When we baptise someone, we hope and pray that they will discover the joys of Christian faith. But Christianity is a big ask. We need to learn about God, and we need to what God wants of us- what the truths of our faith are. And it’s not just enough to know Christian doctrine- we need to put our faith into action. Love and God and love your neighbour- put your words into actions of love.

But on this Pentecost Sunday, we recognise that we are not left alone to get on with it. The waters of baptism remind us also of the fire of Pentecost. We have not been left alone. We have Helper, who helps us know the truth (and the greatest truth is that there is a God who loves us). And that Helper- the Spirit of Christ at work in the world- helps us put our faith into action. For the Spirit of truth- who helps us know God- also offers us gifts to enable us to serve God and our neighbour in practical ways.

So on this Pentecost Sunday, let’s give thanks for the Spirit of truth- God still at work in the world, in the Church, and in each of us.

Ascription of Praise

The God of grace who calls you all

to his eternal glory in Christ

restore, establish and strengthen you.

All power belongs to God for ever and ever, Amen.

Biblical references from the Good News Bible, unless otherwise stated

© 2023 Peter W Nimmo

[i]  CH4 602

[ii] We blew shredded paper all over the sanctuary!

[iii] 1 Corinthians 12.7

[iv] John 14.17 (from the Gospel for Easter 6)

[v] 1 John 3.18

In the shadowed Upper Room, fear and doubt gripped the disciples after the crucifixion. But through prayer and waiting, the Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost…

#Pentecost #UpperRoom #HolySpirit #FearToFaith #Acts2

https://assemblybethesda.com/shadows-in-the-upper-room-fear-doubt-and-pentecost/

Cult of the Holy Spirit

Also known as: The Cult of the Empire of the Holy Spirit. In Portuguese, it’s called Culto do Divino Espirito Santo.

This is a religious sub-culture, inspired by Christian millenarian mystics. It’s associated with Azorean Catholic identity. It consists of iconography, architecture, & religious practices that have continued, in many communities of the archipelago, as well as the broader Portuguese diaspora.

Beyond the Azores, the Cult of the Holy Spirit is alive in parts of Brazil (where it was established 3 centuries ago) & in pockets of Portuguese settlers in North America.

Devotion to the Holy Spirit is a part of classical Catholic dogma & is the inspiration of several Catholic religious institutes, including the Spiritans. The Spiritans, a.k.a. the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, is a religious congregation for men in the Catholic Church. Members are often known as Holy Ghost Fathers or, in continental Europe & the Anglosphere, as Spiritans, & members use the postnominals “CSSp.”

The primary inspiration for this unique devotion comes from the writings of the medieval monk Joachim of Fiore. Joachim of Fiore was a millenarian prophet who, based on his interpretation of the Book of Revelation, put forth that the history of the world into 3 distinct ages:

• The Age of the Father (Old Testament): Characterized by law, fear, & servitude.
• The Age of the Son (New Testament/The Church): Characterized by grace, faith, & discipline.
• The Age of the Holy Spirit: A coming “3rd Age” of history that Joachim predicted would start around 1260. This age would be characterized by universal love, spiritual understanding, & a society governed by the Holy Spirit. This leads to an “eternal Gospel” & the spiritual governance of the world, in which Orthodox Christians & Jews would re-unite with Catholics in 1 faith.

These “theories” became associated with the Fraticelli sub-group of the Franciscan Order, & were later condemned by Pope Alexander IV in 1256. This was after a so-called scandal of the Eternal Evangel caused by Gerardo of Borgo San Donnino.

While Joachim’s doctrines were suppressed by the mainstream Church, they experienced a significant revival 2 centuries later in the Azores Islands (the Portuguese archipelago in the mid-Atlantic). Franciscan spiritualists, who helped colonize the islands, heavily influenced the local religious practices, bringing traditions that were being extinguished on the mainland.

Starting between 1356-1360, there was a rebirth of these doctrines in the Azores that persisted until today. The origins of the modern celebrations can be traced back to Queen Elizabeth of Portugal (St. Elizabeth of Aragon).

In the early 14th century Queen Elizabeth is believed to have introduced the 1st celebration of the Imperio do Divino Espirito Santo (Empire of the Holy Spirit). This is likely influenced by Franciscan spiritualists. It became a major tradition in the Azores.

The main center of devotion was in the city of Tomar. Also known in English as Thomar. This is also the location of the priory of the Order of Christ, which is charged with the spirituality of newly discovered lands (including the Azores).

From there, the “cult” spread in Portugal, such as Aldeia Galega, Alenquer, Sintra, Tomar & Lisbon. It later came with Portuguese during their Atlantic discoveries.

The existence of the Irmandades do Divino Espirito Santo (In English: Brotherhoods of the Divine Holy Spirit) was 1st noted in the 16th century. The 1st hospital built in the Azores (1498), under the Santa Casa da Misericordia of Angra, got its current name, the Hospital do Santo Espirito. The distribution of food (meats, bread, milk) was already an important part of the charity common in the middle of the 16th century.

With Azorean emigration, the cult was transplanted to Brazil, where by the end of the 18th century there existed feast days in Rio de Janeiro, in Bahia, & other places where Azorean immigrants settled. Such as Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, & Pernambuco.

In the 19th century, the traditions spread to Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Hawaii, Connecticut, & California in the United States. As well as Ontario, Quebec, & British Columbia in Canada.

The Feast of the Empire of the Divine Holy Spirit was also celebrated on board of the nausea on their way to Brazil & to India, during the 16th century.

The “cult” is known for its peculiar characteristics that set it apart from classical Catholics dogma & has been a powerful unifying force for the Azorean population:

• Autonomy from the Church: The cult is largely independent of the formal Church organization. Clergy aren’t needed to participate in the central practices.
• Charity & Solidarity: A core practice is the distribution of alms (esmolas). Traditionally, these included meat, soup, & bread, often called the Sopas do Espirito Santo (Soups of the Holy Spirit).
• The Imperio: This term refers to the festival itself, often celebrated around Pentecost & the small, crowned structure (or “chapel”) where the crown, scepter, & banner of the Holy Spirit are kept during the feasting period. The Crown of the Holy Spirit is a central piece of iconography.
• Brotherhoods (Irmandades): The organizational nucleus of the cult is the Irmandade, or Brotherhood of the Divine Holy Spirit. Members are considered equal.
• Vengeful Spirit: There’s a belief is that the Holy Spirit is vengeful (O Divino Espirito Santo e vingativo). This shows the importance of keeping holy vows/promises to God & avoiding offenses.

The rituals of the cult include different objects, that are symbolic, that are usually integrated during ceremonies. The objects include:

• Crown, Scepter, & Orb: These are the 3 most important symbols of the Imperio. These 3 take a central place during celebrations. The crown is of an imperial design, in silver. Normally, the crown has 4 arms that meet at the top with a golden orb surmounted by the dove of the Holy Spirit. Each crown comes with a silver scepter, again, surmounted with the dove of the Holy Spirit. The crowns & scepters are decorated with ribbons of white, & mounted on a silver plate with a tall rest. The size of the crown varies. In general, each irmandade may have 1 large & 2 smaller crowns, used to represent the Imperio of the Holy Spirit. In addition to being used in crowning ceremonies, it’s considered to transport the crown or let it stay in your home. This happens routinely with the brotherhood. Throughout the years, the crown will circulate, remaining in a place of honor in a household, where nightly prayers would happen.
• Flag: The pennant of brilliant red color, is a double-sided quadrangular dimension (5 palms on the side), knitted with a relief of the white dove of the Holy Spirit & rays of gold & white radiating from its center. The flagstaff, made of wood, is 2 meters (or 6ft. 6in.) in height (Some may be shorter or taller), surmounted with the dove of the Holy Spirit in tin or silver. The flag will accompany the crown & is always present in the liturgical ceremonies & crowning. It’s an honor to be chosen to carry the flag during the ceremonial cortege. (A cortege is a solemn procession, especially during a funeral.) A smaller is usually raised near the location of the crown, wherever it stays. It’s common to see white flags lines the squares during the ceremonies.
• Hymn: The Hino do Espirito Santo (Hymn of the Holy Spirit), composed at the end of the 19th century, is used by the bands & sung during the crowning ceremonies. Although primarily used in these ceremonies, some of its chords have been inserted into the Hymn of the Azores (the regional national anthem).
• Mace & Ribbon: These were inspired by the ceremonial maces carried traditionally by municipal judges or officials, the ceremony & length. Sometimes include a base for a candle, or surmounted with a tin or silver dove. During the cortege, the mace-bearers surround the crown-bearer. In some cases, the mace is joined together to form a rectangle, & the crown-bearer walks within the space. In some irmandades an extra mace (sometimes painted in white) will be provided to an individual who will be responsible for maintaining the procession in good order. It’s occasionally, referred colloquially as the “enxota porcos” (pig incentive). The organization would normally select people who needed a position of honor: mostly young people.
• Folioes do Divino: A small group of about 5 musicians that sing hymns. Accompanied by drum, cymbal, & tambourine, who visit the homes of the brotherhood. They’re also included in the transference of the crown, at the collection of donations, during the procession, the rituals, & the distribution of offerings.

On the inland of Santa Maria, as well as the area of Beira on Sao Jorge, the folioes are part of more complex rituals that have disappeared from other islands, involving the liturgy of the Holy Spirit.

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Cult of the Supreme Being

Also known as (in French): Culte de l’Etre supreme. This cult was a form of Deism established by Maximilien Robespierre during the French Revolution.

This was supposed to be the intended state religion of France & a replacement for its rival, the Cult of Reason & also a replacement for Roman Catholicism. It went unsupported after the fall of Robespierre. This cult, along with the Cult of Reason, was officially banned by First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802.

The French Revolution led to many radical changes in France. One of the most fundamental changes was the official rejection of religion.

The 1st new major organized school of thought came out under the umbrella term: the Cult of Reason. The Cult of Reason purified a mix of mainly atheistic views into an anthropocentric philosophy. Anthropocentric is another word for Human Supremacy or Human Exceptionism. No gods were worshipped, at all, in the Cult of Reason.

The straight-up rejection of any or all godhead horrified Robespierre. He wasn’t a fan of Catholicism, but he had a special distain for atheism. He thought that a belief in a supreme being was important for social order. He’d quote Voltaire: “If God didn’t exist, it would be necessary to invent Him.”

In late 1793, Robespierre gave a fiery denunciation of the Cult of Reason & its advocates. He then gave his own vision for a proper Revolutionary religion. As 1 does. Devised entirely, almost, by Robespierre, the Cult of the Supreme Being was authorized by the National Convention on May 7, 1794 as the civic religion of France.

France, as of 2025, doesn’t have an official state religion. This was established by a 1905 law that bans the state government from funding, or recognizing any religion.

On May 7, 1794, the National Convention established the Worship of the Supreme Being. The opening articles of the Decree Establishing the Worship of the Supreme Being of the 18th Floreal of the Year II (Floreal was the 8th month of the French Republic calendar.) declared: 1) The French People recognize the existence of the Supreme Being & the Immortality of the Soul. 2) They declare that the best service of the Supreme Being is the practice of man’s duties. 3) They set among the most important of these duties the detestation of bad faith & traitors by caring for the unfortunate, respecting the weak, defending the oppressed, doing unto others all the good one can, & not being unjust towards anyone.

Robespierre dedicated festivals to the Supreme Being, to Truth, Justice, (& the American way…we’ll show ourselves out…), Modesty, Friendship, Frugality, Fidelity, Immortality, Misfortune, etc. The Cult of the Supreme Being was based on the creed of the Savoy chaplain that Jean-Jacques Rousseau had outlined in Book IV of Emile. Emile (or On Education) is a treatise on the nature of education & on the nature of man, written by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who considered it to be the “best & most important” of all his writings.

To start off the new state religion, Robespierre declared that 20 Prairial Year II (June 8, 1797, also the Christian holiday of Pentecost.) would be a national celebration of the Supreme Being & future republican holidays were to be held every 10th day – the days of rest (decadi) in the new French Republican Calendar.

The Cult of the Supreme Being & its festival may have contributed to the Thermidorian Reaction & the downfall of Robespierre. With Robespierre’s death at the guillotine on July 28, 1794, the cult lost all official sanctions & disappeared from public view. It was officially banned by Napoleon on April 8, 1802 with his Law on Cults of 18 Germinal, Year X.

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When the Church Came Alive

Thru the Bible in a Year

Scripture Reading: Acts 1–3

The book of Acts opens like the sunrise after a long night. The disciples, still raw from the loss and wonder of the Resurrection, are gathered in quiet expectation. Jesus has ascended, promising that the Holy Spirit would soon come. Luke, the physician-historian who wrote both the Gospel of Luke and Acts, continues the story for his friend Theophilus—and for us. What unfolds is not just history but the birth of the living Church, animated by the Spirit and sustained by obedience.

Acts bridges the gospels and the epistles—it shows us what happens when belief turns into boldness. This “second volume” of Luke’s account moves from the works of Christ to the works of His Spirit through His followers. As we read Acts 1–3, we see three movements: the Ascension and preparation (chapter 1), the arrival of the Spirit (chapter 2), and the demonstration of divine power (chapter 3). Each shows us what it means to live as a Spirit-filled people in a skeptical world.

Acts 1 — The Prelude to Power

The first chapter of Acts feels like the calm before a holy storm. Jesus gathers His followers for the final time and speaks of the Kingdom of God. His message before the Ascension centers on waiting—not the passive kind, but the expectant, prayerful kind that anticipates the fulfillment of God’s promise. He reminds them that the Holy Spirit will soon come upon them and that they will be His witnesses “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Then comes the breathtaking moment: “He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.” Two angels appear, reassuring them that this same Jesus will one day return. The message is clear: His departure was not abandonment—it was preparation for empowerment.

Back in Jerusalem, the disciples obey His command to wait. In an upper room filled with prayer, they gather—men and women, apostles and other believers—united in devotion. Even in the waiting, God is shaping His Church. They fill Judas’s vacant place by selecting Matthias, signifying restoration and readiness. The Church’s first act after the Ascension is obedience and prayer—an example for all who would later call themselves followers of Christ.

In our own lives, we too must learn to wait for God’s timing. His promises do not fail, but they unfold according to His divine schedule. Sometimes the most faithful thing we can do is stay still and pray.

Acts 2 — The Power of Pentecost

If Acts 1 was the prelude, Acts 2 is the overture. On the day of Pentecost, fifty days after Passover, heaven touches earth. The sound of a rushing wind fills the house, and tongues of fire rest on each believer. The Holy Spirit descends, not as an abstract idea, but as a living, transforming presence. They begin to speak in other languages, proclaiming the mighty works of God to people from every nation gathered in Jerusalem.

The scene is chaotic, miraculous, and deeply symbolic. The confusion of Babel is being reversed—what was once divided by language is now united by the Spirit. Some marvel; others mock. But Peter, once fearful, now stands firm. Filled with the Holy Spirit, he preaches his first sermon. He begins by defending the disciples, declaring that they are not drunk but filled with the Spirit of God, fulfilling the prophecy of Joel: “I will pour out my Spirit on all people.”

Peter then moves from defense to declaration. His sermon centers on Jesus—the crucified and risen Messiah. He confronts his listeners with the truth: “You crucified Him, but God raised Him from the dead.” Yet this is not condemnation; it is invitation. When the crowd asks, “What shall we do?” Peter replies, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.”

That day, three thousand souls are saved. The Church is born in a blaze of Spirit-fire. And their new life is marked by devotion, generosity, and community. They gather to learn from the apostles’ teaching, to break bread, to pray, and to share what they have so that none would be in need. This is not religious routine—it is the heartbeat of Spirit-filled fellowship.

Every time we open Acts 2, we are reminded that revival begins with readiness, obedience, and prayer. The Spirit still moves in those who make room for Him. The same wind that filled that upper room can fill our hearts today.

Acts 3 — Power at the Gate

The story continues with Peter and John going up to the Temple for prayer. There, at the Beautiful Gate, lies a man lame from birth—a beggar hoping for coins. Instead, he receives Christ. Peter looks at him and says, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”

Immediately, strength surges through the man’s legs. He stands, walks, and begins leaping and praising God. The miracle draws a crowd, and Peter seizes the moment—not to glorify himself, but to exalt Jesus. He reminds the people that it was not by human power or piety that the man was healed, but by faith in the name of Christ. He points to their part in the crucifixion but also to the mercy of God: “Repent and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”

This healing at the Temple gate is more than a miracle; it is a message. It shows that the same Jesus who walked the dusty roads of Galilee is still at work through His followers. The Church is now His hands and His heart in the world.

Living the Acts Story Today

As we read these chapters, we are not just spectators—we are participants. The same Spirit who filled those believers still fills the Church today. We may not hear the rushing wind or see tongues of fire, but when the Word of God moves through a willing heart, the same power is present.

Luke’s record of these first days reminds us that the Church is not a building or an institution—it is a Spirit-filled people on mission. The Ascension teaches us to look upward in hope; Pentecost teaches us to live outward in power; and the healing at the Temple reminds us to walk forward in faith.

The early believers’ devotion, generosity, and courage call us back to simplicity. They did not rely on strategy or spectacle but on prayer and obedience. Their strength came not from numbers but from nearness to Christ. When the Spirit moves, ordinary people do extraordinary things.

A Blessing for Your Journey

May you walk through this portion of Acts with the same expectancy that filled that upper room. May you wait on God’s timing, welcome the Holy Spirit’s leading, and witness His power in your life. The same Jesus who ascended in glory now reigns in your heart by His Spirit.

Thank you for your commitment to journey through God’s Word. Every chapter, every verse, and every moment spent in Scripture is part of God’s refining work in you. Remember—His Word will not return void but will accomplish all that He desires (Isaiah 55:11).

Further Reading

For more on how the Holy Spirit empowers the Church today, read What Is the Role of the Holy Spirit in the Church? on GotQuestions.org .

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