Pentecost Sunday is a religious holiday observed on the 50th day after Easter in memory of the Jewish Pentecost which took place fifty days after Passover. This holiday is sometimes referred to as the Birthday of the Church because Christ’s mission on earth was completed on a Sunday and the new covenant was inaugurated on the same day. The ceremony is also seen as a remembrance of the time the disciples were able to speak in tongues. This event signifies that the message was conveyed to the world. Pentecost Sunday is also referred to as Whit Sunday, Whitsun or simply as Whit.
The ceremony is believed to be the oldest feast in the church and dates back to the first century AD. This holiday coincides with the Jewish Feast of Weeks. The ceremony is meant to commemorate the coming of the Holy Spirit as had been promised by Jesus Christ. Churches of both the Eastern and the Western tradition embrace the celebration and consider it as an important event in their religious calendar. One of the most ancient ceremonies held by the church, Whitsun is first mentioned in the book of Acts 2 as well as in Corinthians which is one of the Pauline letters. In the book of Acts 2, the Holy Spirit is described as it descends on a group of 120 individuals in a room who had gathered for the celebration of Pentecost. Generally, Pentecost was a ceremony observed by the Jews fifty days after Passover to ensure they commemorated how God was able to take them out of slavery from Egypt. It is believed that the first Pentecost acted as a seal to the covenant that was put in place between God and the Israelites on Mt. Sinai.
During Pentecost, Peter, an apostle of Jesus, was able to address the crowd despite people thinking they had lost their minds as they preached in different tongues. After Peter’s preaching on this day, over 3000 people were saved and baptized. The holiday is thought to have given birth to worship on Sundays. This festival is known for its solemnity.
The ceremony is focused on the Holy Spirit and the role that it played in the lives of Christians. The ceremony, though not different from the original Pentecost, is celebrated for a totally different reason. The original ceremony and Pentecost Sunday have different significances and as such are celebrated by different groups of people. To Christians, its origin is seen as being the birth of the modern church and as such is seen by many as an important holiday.
The ceremony is celebrated by Christians as a way of marking the coming of the Holy Spirit nine days after the ascension of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit was meant to guide Christians as they await the second coming of Christ. The new church was meant to be built in the hearts of people and as such, the Holy Spirit was to serve as the beginning of the church. Additionally, this holiday was also meant to serve as the celebration of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost Sunday acts as a great reminder that Jesus did not leave earth but instead ascended to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to come and guide the people. The celebration marks the beginning of the expansion of Christianity beyond its origin in Jerusalem and spread to the ends of the earth as recorded in the books of Acts 1:8.
The Feast of Pentecost is celebrated 50 days after the Passover festival which is observed among those of the Jewish faith. On the other hand, Pentecost Sunday is observed 50 days after Easter Sunday as it is viewed to have occurred fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus. Notably, the ceremony is usually celebrated on Monday as Pentecost Monday, because holidays that fall on weekends in most countries are shifted to the earliest weekday the following week. The dates of the ceremony vary depending on when Easter Sunday occurs.
During the ceremony, both fasting and kneeling are strictly forbidden. The two aspects are forbidden because the ceremony is meant to give Christians a sense of what life should be like in heaven. In the past, it was very common for people to recite the novena in Parishes. Lately, this tradition has changed and the novena is recited by people privately rather than as a unit in the church. Some Christians observe this holiday by baptizing people during the day.
Additionally, the ceremony is accompanied by the evangelism and empowerment from the Holy Spirit. Sharing is also common during this period in assimilation to Christ’s presenting Christians with the Holy Spirit.
Various countries have established their own unique traditions to celebrate this holiday, including:
Italy
In Italy, rose petals are scattered from church ceilings in remembrance of the miracle of the fiery tongues. As such, in most parts of Italy, this holiday is referred to as Pasqua rosatum.
France
In France, trumpets are blown during the divine service in memory of the sound the wind made, which was followed by the descent of the Holy Spirit.
England
In North West England, churches and chapels hold parades referred to as Whit Walks on Pentecost Sunday, or Whit Friday (the Friday following Whitsunday).
Finland
In Finland, there’s a popular belief which translates to: “If one does not have a significant other until Pentecost, he or she will not get one for the whole of summer.”
Ukraine
In Ukraine, the feast day of Zeleni Sviata became linked with Pentecost. The traditions of this holiday included cleaning the home and hearth, preparation of meals, and decorating homes and churches with wildflowers.
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