Everything You Need To Know About Pentecost
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1. The date: It is 7 weeks (49 days) after Easter Sunday and 10 days after the Ascension. In 2017 it fell on Sunday the 4th of June.
2. The history: Even though it is now a Christian festival it was originally a Jewish festival called Shavuot. This festival was originally a celebration of the harvest but it was changed into a celebration of the coming of the holy spirit to earth by the first Christians. According to the Pope, this divine intervention allowed the apostles to preach the gospel in every language in the world.
Once it became a part of the Christian calendar the term “Shavuot” was translated into “Pentecost” which means “Fiftieth” which is approximately the number of days between Pentecost and Easter. Proof of this being a religious festival in the Roman Church’s calendar is shown in the 9th Century, whereas it became a compulsory festival during the reign of Charles the Great.
3. The traditions: The Monday of Pentecost is a bank holiday in many Catholic countries but there are several exceptions: Italy, Brazil, Spain, and Portugal do not have a bank holiday on Pentecost. A mass in honour of the Holy Spirit is also celebrated on Pentecost, which opens with a reading from the acts of the apostles. Seven altar servers form a procession around the altar, each of them carrying a lantern.
According to Roman Catholic tradition the mass is sung and the Gregorian sequence Venti Sancte Spiritus is sung. Furthermore, it’s not uncommon to attend confirmation ceremonies on this date as Pentecost is perceived to be the best time for the gift of the holy spirit. In popular tradition, veal is a very popular meat to eat on the day of Pentecost. This can be enjoyed in a family meal or even at a picnic, gathering plants is also very traditional at this time of year. The Sunday of Pentecost, commonly known as Whitsunday is not a bank holiday in the United Kingdom.
