In the tradition of the Eastern Church, the Holy Spirit is as present in the Holy Qurbana as the Risen Christ. After His resurrection and ascension, Christ poured out His Spirit upon His disciples, and this is represented in the liturgy through the Epiclesis, or the invocation of the Holy Spirit.
In all Eastern liturgies, following the Words of Institution, there is a solemn invocation asking the Holy Spirit to descend and perfect the offering. As Christ, through His resurrection, is said to have become a “life-giving Spirit” (1 Corinthians 15:45), He now communicates His Spirit to His disciples through His living body in the Eucharist.
The first part of the Qurbana represents the initial stages of salvation, including Christ’s coming in the flesh, His death, resurrection, and ascension. The second part, following the consecration, symbolizes the coming of the Holy Spirit and His dwelling among the people. This progression culminates in the Communion, during which the life of the Risen Christ is imparted to the faithful, allowing them to become partakers of His Holy Spirit.
Through this sacred participation, the Christian people experience the new life of Christ in the resurrection, and they anticipate the life of glory while awaiting His second coming.