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Article: Pope John Paul II among long-tenured popes.(Column)
- Article from:
- National Catholic Reporter
- Article date:
- May 16, 1997
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1997 National Catholic Reporter. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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May 18, the feast of Pentecost, will also be the 77th birthday of Pope John Paul II. The John in his papal name honors Pope John XXII, who hoped that the Second Vatican Council would bring about a new Pentecost in the church.
Pentecost means 50 in Greek, and it originally referred to the 50th day after the Jewish Passover. For Jews it was a harvest festival that later came also to celebrate the giving of the Law to Moses.
For Christians it means the 50th day after Easter. On that day, according to the Acts of the Apostles, the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles and ignited them with the zeal to preach the new law of Jesus and harvest the whole ...