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The picture shows folio 64v with a full-page miniature featuring the events of Pentecost, the descent of the Holy Spirit. The apostles are sitting on a circular bench; St Peter, with his key and St Paul, with a book, are slightly larger than the others. The upper register functions as a celestial vault. At the apex, the Holy Spirit appears as a dove, radiating narrow, flame-like rays.
The apostles are rendered with heavy drapery forming deep folds. They have large, sculptural heads with individualised expressions. Several apostles raise a hand in an open-palm gesture. This is the Romanesque gesture of speech, used to denote proclamation. In the context of Pentecost, it signifies the moment when the apostles "speak in many tongues." The gesture becomes the visual equivalent of sound.
The Pentecost miniature appears at a point in the Sacramentary where the celebrant's ritual action is intense. The imagery reinforces the performative nature of the Mass. It is not merely illustrative; it is performative, participating in the liturgy.
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