The apostles returned to Jerusalem after witnessing the Ascension of Christ. Ten days later, on the day of the Jewish feast of Pentecost, while they were together in a room, 'suddenly there came from the sky a noise like that of a strong driving wind, which filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues like flames of fire, dispersed among them and resting on each one. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to talk in other tongues, as the spirit gave them power of utterance.' The theme is surprisingly uncommon in Christian art after the Middle Ages, considering that it marks an important point of departure in the Christian story, the birth of the Church itself. The company consists of twelve apostles (the place of Judas had been taken by Matthias after the drawing of lots), the Virgin Mary, and occasionally Mary Magdalene and the other holy women. The Acts make no mention of the presence of the Virgin or other women, though it was usually understood from the earlier reference (I :14) that they and the apostles were 'constantly at prayer together.' But the Virgin's role here is in any case symbolic: she personifies the Church itself, also perhaps the spiritual mother of the apostles. She is generally the center of the picture, and around her are grouped the apostles, either seated or starting up in fear and wonder. Above them is the dove of the Holy Spirit. Beams of light radiate from it to each apostle on whose brow burns a tongue of flame. A motif found in the early Renaissance and borrowed from Byzantine art shows an old man holding twelve scrolls, or rotuli: he is the personification of the World with the gospels in twelve languages. Or he represents the prophet Joel: in a discourse to the orthodox Jews who mistook the apostles' gift of tongues for drunkenness, St Peter quoted Joel (2:28), 'The day shall come when I will pour out my spirit on all mankind.' These words may appear as a Latin inscription, 'Effundam de Spiritu meo super omnem carnem.' Beneath the apostles are sometimes seen twelve figures, variously dressed, representing twelve nations of the world, gazing up in astonishment: 'The crowd gathered, all bewildered because each one heard his own language spoken' (Acts 2:6).