The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost) and Three Wise Men and Christ in the Manger

In this Pentecost icon, Paul is depicted as an equal alongside Mary and the Apostles.

At the event of Pentecost, the disciples receive the Holy Spirit. They begin to speak in many languages. The Gospel thus becomes comprehensible to all people.

Paul understands his calling as a missionary mandate for the entire world. Non-Jews, too, are to hear the Gospel and be able to embrace faith in Christ.

In the Letter to the Galatians, Paul writes: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Gal 3:28)

According to Paul, life in the Spirit of Christ opens up a new form of living together. Faith in Christ connects people across social, ethnic, and gender differences.

The icon brings together Pentecost and Paul's missionary mandate. It embodies the idea of a message for all peoples. This idea is complemented by the Three Wise Men from a Congolese nativity scene.

The visitors, originally described as stargazers, symbolize the seekers of wisdom from across the world who set out on a journey to Christ. Crafted from light-colored wood, the figure possesses a special visual radiance. In this Pentecost icon, Paul is depicted alongside Mary and the Apostles, even though he was not historically present at the event of Pentecost.
At that time, he was not yet a follower of Christ and did not belong to the circle of disciples. Following his experience near Damascus, Paul referred to himself as an apostle.

Depictions of Paul that are historically inaccurate are frequently found in art; his presence serves to symbolize his significance to Christianity.

Learn more about this icon from the Icon Museum in Recklinghausen!