The most beautiful season of the Church year is naturally Easter. In both the Roman Rite and the Eastern Churches, there are an abundance of joyful observances, which are designed to turn our hearts toward God.
For many Eastern Catholics (and Eastern Orthodox), the Fourth Wednesday of Pascha (as well as the 25th day of the Easter season) is known as "Mid-Pentecost." It is a curious name, as it is not "Mid-Pascha," but "Mid-Pentecost," looking forward to the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
This little celebration has a great amount of symbolism to unpack.
The Living Water
A primary focus for the liturgy of this day is on Jesus, the Living Water. The Troparion illustrates this theme plainly:
The feast being at its mid-point, give Thou my thirsting soul to drink of the streams of piety; for Thou, O Savior, didst cry out to all, “Let Him that is thirsty come to Me and drink. O well-spring of life, Christ our God, glory to Thee.
The Melkite Eparchy of Newton beautifully describes the symbolism of this day:
[O]n this feast we celebrate...several connected aspects of the divine plan for our salvation:
– “Rivers of living water” are meant to flow from the hearts of those who believe in Christ.
– This would happen when believers receive the Spirit.
– This would only take place when Jesus was “glorified.”
Furthermore, "The image of 'living [that is, running] water' used to describe the power of the Holy Spirit and the Lord as its source is drawn from the prophecy of Jeremiah: 'O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who forsake You shall be put to shame…because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters' (Jeremiah 17:13)."
Additionally, another theme for this day is Jesus teaching in the Temple, as the icon for this feast features a 12-year-old Jesus in the Temple.
Part of this is connected to the Gospel that is read on this day, which begins, "When the feast was already half over, Jesus went up into the temple area and began to teach" (John 7:14).
Mid-Pentecost is a unique day in the Eastern calendar, and can even help Roman Catholics by reminding us all to be prepared for the feast of Pentecost.
