The Descent of the Holy Spirit in a 15th century illuminated manuscript. An illuminated manuscript is a Manuscript in which the text is supplemented by the addition of decoration such as decorated Initials borders and At the top is a dove, representing the Holy Spirit. In mainstream Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is one of the three entities of the Holy Trinity which make up the single substance The Virgin Mary stands at the center, surrounded by the Twelve Apostles and other disciples (Musée Condé, Chantilly). The Twelve Apostles (Greek apostolos, "someone sent out" e In Christianity, the disciples were the students of Jesus during his ministry. The Château de Chantilly is a historic Château located in the town of Chantilly, France. Chantilly is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France.

Pentecost (Ancient Greek: πεντηκοστή [ἡμέρα], pentekostē [hēmera], "the fiftieth day") is one of the prominent feasts in the Christian liturgical year, celebrated the 49th day (7 weeks) after Easter Sunday (the tenth day after Ascension Thursday). The liturgical year, also known as the Christian year, consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons in Christian churches which determines when Advent (from the Latin word la ''adventus'' meaning "coming" is a season of the Christian church, the period of expectant waiting and preparation for the Christmastide (also Christmas or the Christmas season) is one of the seasons of the Liturgical year of most Christian churches Epiphany ( Greek for "to manifest" or "to show" is a Christian Feast day which celebrates the "shining forth" or revelation of Lent, in some Christian denominations, is the forty-day-long liturgical season of fasting and prayer before Easter. Easter Triduum, Holy Triduum, or Paschal Triduum is a term used by some Christian churches particularly the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastertide, or the Easter Season, or Paschal Time, is the period of fifty days from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday The general and most common understanding of the Christian Doctrine of Ascension holds that Jesus bodily ascended to Heaven in the presence Ordinary Time is a season of the Christian (especially the Catholic) Liturgical calendar In the Christian Liturgical calendar, there are several different feasts known as Feasts of the Cross, all of which commemorate the cross used in the The Nativity Fast, is a period abstinence and penance practiced by the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic Churches, in preparation For depictions in painting and sculpture see Nativity of Jesus in art. Epiphany ( Greek for "to manifest" or "to show" is a Christian Feast day which celebrates the "shining forth" or revelation of Great Lent, or the Great Fast, is the most important Fasting season in the Church year in Eastern Christianity, which prepares Christians Easter ( Greek: Πάσχα Pascha or Pasxa) is the most important religious feast in the Christian Liturgical year. The feast of the Resurrection of Jesus, called Pascha (Easter is the greatest of the feasts of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The Transfiguration of Jesus is an event reported by the Synoptic Gospels in which Jesus is transfigured upon a mountain (,) The Dormition of the Theotokos ( Greek: Koimesis) is a Great Feast of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and The Ancient Greek language is the historical stage in the development of the Hellenic language family spanning the Archaic (c Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings The liturgical year, also known as the Christian year, consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons in Christian churches which determines when Easter ( Greek: Πάσχα Pascha or Pasxa) is the most important religious feast in the Christian Liturgical year. The general and most common understanding of the Christian Doctrine of Ascension holds that Jesus bodily ascended to Heaven in the presence Historically and symbolically related to the Jewish harvest festival of Shavuot, it commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus as described in the Book of Acts, Chapter 2. A harvest festival is an annual celebration which occurs around the time of the main harvest of a given region Shavuot (or Shavuos, in Ashkenazi usage Hebrew: שבועות, lit In mainstream Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is one of the three entities of the Holy Trinity which make up the single substance The Twelve Apostles (Greek apostolos, "someone sent out" e Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) The Acts of the Apostles is a book of the Bible, which now stands fifth in the New Testament. Pentecost is also called Whitsun, Whitsunday, or Whit Sunday, especially in the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located

Etymology

Pentecost is derived from the Greek name for Shavuot, one of the three Pilgrimage Festivals required in the Law of Moses. The Three Pilgrimage Festivals, known as the Shalosh Regalim (שלוש רגלים are three major festivals in Judaism &mdash Pesach ( term " Torah " ( Hebrew: תּוֹרָה "teaching" or "instruction" sometimes translated as "Law" most commonly refers to It is described mainly in Leviticus 23:5-21 and Deuteronomy 16:8-10. As in Leviticus the Pesah (Passover) begins "in the fourteenth day of the first month (14 Nisan) at even", and the next day begins "the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord" which lasts for seven days (servile work being prohibited). Passover ( Hebrew, Yiddish: פֶּסַח Pesach, Tiberian: pɛsaħ Israeli: Pesah, Pesakh, Yiddish See also Easter controversy, Easter Quartodecimanism (derived from the Vulgate Latin: quarta decima, meaning fourteen This article is about the Jewish month of Nisan See Nissan Motors for the automobile manufacturer Passover ( Hebrew, Yiddish: פֶּסַח Pesach, Tiberian: pɛsaħ Israeli: Pesah, Pesakh, Yiddish This celebration also marks the beginning of harvest activities (in a Mediterranean climate), therefore "a sheaf of the firstfruits" of the harvest will be waved by the priest before Yahweh "on the morrow after the sabbath". A Mediterranean climate is one that resembles the Climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, which includes over half of the area with this climate type world-wide First Fruits are a religious Offering of the first agricultural produce of the Harvest. See also Korban Wave offering are peace-offerings so called because they were waved ( T'nufah in Hebrew) by the priests (Ex For information about Yahweh see God in Abrahamic religions, which provides useful links In Christianity, the Sabbath is generally a weekly religious Day of rest as ordained by one of the Ten Commandments (the third by Roman Catholic Then, verses 15 and 16 state:

And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete:/ Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbaths shall ye number fifty days (Hebrew: hamishshim yom; Greek: πεντήκοντα ἡμέρας, pentekonta hemeras) and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD. A gift offering (minchah also referred to as grain offerings, meal offerings, and in the King James Version as meat offerings, is a type of

The "new dairy offering" consisted of two loaves made from the new wheat (to be waved). Sacrifices for the feast consisted of "seven lambs without blemish of the first year", one young bullock, two rams (this is the burnt offering), the sacrifice of "one kid of the goats for a sin offering", and "two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings". Korban ( Hebrew: "sacrifice" קרבן (plural Korbanot קרבנות in Judaism, is the term for a variety of sacrificial offerings This hamishshim yom or pentekonta hemeras marked the end of the harvest. On the other hand, Deuteronomy (16:8-10) states:

Six days thou shall not eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work therein. / Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number seven weeks from such time as thou beginest to put the sickle unto the corn. / And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks [Hebrew: Chag shavuot; Greek: ἑορτὴν ἑβδομάδων, heorten hebdomadon] unto the Lord thy God with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give unto the LORD thy God, according as the LORD thy God hath blessed thee.

The Hebrew name khag shavuot became the best-known name of the feast, while the Greek heorte hebdomadon remains practically unknown. The feast is also named in Hebrew texts khag hakatsir (feast of the harvest) and yom habbikurim (day of the first fruits).

The date of Pesah was changed during history in the month Nisan, but the procedure of calculating khag shavuot remained the same. This article is about the Jewish month of Nisan See Nissan Motors for the automobile manufacturer However, a debate ignited between Sadducees and Pharisees regarding this procedure. The Sadducees were members of a Jewish sect founded in the second century BC, possibly as a political party The word Pharisees ( lat. pharisæ|us, - i) comes from the Hebrew פרושים perushim from פרוש parush, meaning "separated" The debate was due to the interpretation of the words "the morrow after the sabbath". The Sadducees considered the sabbath as the usual weekly day and, therefore, calculated the date of Pentecost as the fiftieth day from the Sunday after passover, a formula used today by the Christian Church. The Pharisees decoded the word "sabbath" from Leviticus 23:15 as referring to the first day of "the feast of unleavened bread", which was, at that time, 15 Nisan. Therefore, they numbered fifty days from 16 Nisan, no matter what day of the week it was. Their formula is currently used in the practice of Judaism.

Because this feast marks the end of harvesting, it is not exclusively linked to agriculture. It is a feast celebrating the relation between the deity Yahweh and his worshippers. but we can note that the quoted Biblical texts are addressed to an agricultural civilization.

Whitsun

Pentecost is also known as "Whitsun" (or "Whit Sunday") in the United Kingdom. Whitsun ( Old English for "White Sunday" is the 49th day (seventh Sunday after Easter Sunday. The week beginning on Whit Sunday is called "Whitsuntide" (formerly also spelled "Whitsontide") or "Whitsun Week". The term is derived from Middle English whitsonday, from Old English hwīta sunnandæg, "White Sunday", in reference to the white ceremonial robes formally worn on this day. Middle English is the name given by Historical linguistics to the diverse forms of the English language spoken between the Norman invasion of An alternative derivation is from "Wit" or "Wisdom" Sunday, the day when the Apostles were filled with wisdom by the Holy Spirit. ^[1]

"This day is called Wytsonday because the Holy Ghost brought wytte and wisdom into Christis disciples … and filled them full of ghostly wytte. " — In die Pentecostis

In the Roman Catholic Christian tradition, the Holy Wisdom of God (Hagia Sophia in Greek) is a divine attribute in which new Christians share to some degree through the sacrament of Confirmation (Confirmation not being a Sacrament in reformed traditions), when they receive the Holy Spirit and share in Pentecost. Holy Wisdom, also called Divine Wisdom ( Ancient Greek: Ἁγία Σοφία Hagia Sophia; Latin: Sancta Sophia) is the theological Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Confirmation is a Rite of initiation in many Christian Churches normally in the form of Laying on of hands and/or Anointing for Many churches are dedicated to it, the most famous being Hagia Sophia in Istanbul (Constantinople). Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya Αγία Σοφία " Holy Wisdom " Sancta Sophia or Sancta Sapientia) is a former patriarchal Basilica, later Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολις Konstantinoúpolis, or gr ἡ Πόλις hē Polis, Latin: la CONSTANTINOPOLIS It is sometimes associated with a sainted martyr of the same name, Saint Sophia, whose daughters are Faith, Hope and Charity. See 1 Corinthians 13 for the Biblical use of the phrase Faith Hope and Charity ( Latin: Fides Spes et Caritas, New Testament Many icons depict the four together. An icon (from Greek εἰκών eikōn, "image" is a religious work of art most commonly a painting from Eastern Christianity. ^[2]

It has also been suggested that "Whitsun" means simply "White Sunday"^[3] because, "(i)n the Primitive Church the newly-baptised wore white during the Easter Octave and were called albati ("white-robed"). They laid aside their white vestments the Sunday after Easter, which was therefore called "Dominica in albis depositis. " However, for the Solemnity of Pentecost, they put on their white baptismal garments one final time. Thus it too became a "Dominica in Albis" ("Sunday in White" or Whit Sunday. Note however that the priests' and deacons' vestments on this Feast are red for the Holy Spirit, not white. ^[4]

The only two other Germanic languages to name this holiday 'Whitsunday' are Faroese and Icelandic, where it is called Hvítusunnudagur and Hvítasunnudagur (White-Sunday), respectively. Faroese ( føroyskt ˈføːɹɪst or) often also spelled Faeroese (cf It and the following Monday, which is called Annar hvítusunnudagur and Annar hvítasunnudagur (2nd White-Sunday), respectively, are both official holidays in the Faroe Islands and Iceland. The Faroe Islands or Faeroe Islands or simply Faroe(s or Faeroes (Føroyar meaning " Sheep Islands" Færøerne Old Norse Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland ( ( Ísland or Lýðveldið Ísland ( Welsh, a Celtic language, refers to it as Y Sulgwyn (Sul: Sunday; gwyn: white).

Significance

During history, the Pentecost has acquired great meanings. The Rabbinic Judaism (Babylonian Talmud, Pesahim, 68b; Midrash, Tanhuma, 26c) commemorated through khag shavuot the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, because, according to Exodus 19:1, this event took place on the fiftieth day after the departure from Egypt. term " Torah " ( Hebrew: תּוֹרָה "teaching" or "instruction" sometimes translated as "Law" most commonly refers to For other places named Mount Sinai see Mount Sinai (disambiguation Mount Sinai (Arabic طور سيناء, Hebrew הר סיני also Some Christians place on the day of Pentecost the birth of the Church, a phenomenon characterized by the Descent of the Holy Spirit. In mainstream Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is one of the three entities of the Holy Trinity which make up the single substance The harvest itself can be a metaphor of the Final Judgement, as shown by Jesus in Matthew 9:37-38:

Then saith He unto His disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;/ Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest. In Christian eschatology, the Last Judgment or Day of the Lord is the judgment by God of every human who ever lived Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE)

Christians believe Pentecost to be a powerful feast of salvation, because it speaks about the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, about the founding of the Church, and about the Final Judgement. Pentecost is a parallel to Shavout, as Easter is to Passover. According to the Bible, on Passover, the Jews were delivered from slavery in Egypt; on Easter, mankind was delivered from slavery to sin; on Shavout, the Children of Israel received the "Law"; on Pentecost, the Church received the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

According to the practice of numerology, hamishshim yom is day 7²+1. Numerology is any of many Systems Traditions or Beliefs in a mystical or Esoteric relationship between Numbers and physical 7² points to the Creation after eschaton, i. e. the "new heaven" and the "new earth" from Revelation 21:1; while the +1 shows who is involved in the process: Yahweh, the Lord of the covenant (the mûlâ, In the Jewish tradition, circumcision (which is "a token of the covenant) must be done on the 7+1th day from birth). Revelation is the act of revealing or disclosing (see etymology or in the theological perception making something obvious and clearly understood through active or passive communication In the Christian tradition, Yahweh (the Lord of the covenant), resurrected Jesus on the 7+1th day of the week.

According to the Bible, the events experienced by the Apostles in Jerusalem during khag shavuot were believed by the Apostles to be the sending of the Holy Ghost, which had been promised by Jesus (John 14:26):

But the Comforter [παράκλητος], which is the Holy Ghost [το πνευμα το ‘άγιον], Whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) For the school of Peter Abelard, see Oratory of the Paraclete.

The Bible states that the Apostles believed that what happened to them was a descent of the Holy Spirit. In mainstream Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is one of the three entities of the Holy Trinity which make up the single substance Thus, in his sermon, Peter quotes the 2nd chapter of the Book of Joel. The Book of Joel is part of the Jewish Tanakh, and also the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. There are three major prophetic texts which speak about the descent of the Holy Spirit: Ezekiel 36:27, Isaiah 44:3 and Joel 3:1-5 (KJV has Joel 2:28-32). The Book of Joel is part of the Jewish Tanakh, and also the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. The Christian dogma (based upon John 14:20) affirms that the Descent of the Holy Spirit signifies the extension of the divine body of Christ in all the believers, since it is the last fundamental act of objective salvation (the salvation of mankind). Joel closely links this phenomenon to the eschaton (the end of the world) Peter quoted Joel:

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:/ And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out My spirit. / And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. / The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. / And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call. Mount Zion (הר צִיּוֹן Har Tzion) is a hill just outside the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem.

Events

Descent of the Holy Spirit

Eastern Orthodox Icon of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles. An icon (from Greek εἰκών eikōn, "image" is a religious work of art most commonly a painting from Eastern Christianity. At the bottom is an allegorical figure, called Kosmos, which symbolizes the world. An allegory (from αλλος allos "other" and el αγορευειν agoreuein "to speak in public" is a figurative mode of representation In its most general sense a cosmos is an orderly or harmonious system

In the biblical account, the events took place on the day of the Pentecost, in Jerusalem, at 09:00 ("the third hour of the day", according to Jewish timekeeping). The community of Christ's disciples, approximately 120 people, was gathered "into an upper room" in a building that Tradition locates on Mount Zion. In Christianity, the disciples were the students of Jesus during his ministry. Cenacle has a modern and a biblical meaning After the 19th century Cenacle is used for a small gathering of specialists (esp Sacred Tradition or Holy Tradition is a technical theological term used in some Christian traditions primarily in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Mount Zion (הר צִיּוֹן Har Tzion) is a hill just outside the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. The Tradition also says that it was the same room where Jesus ate His Last Supper. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) In the Christian Gospels the Last Supper (also called the Lord's Supper or Mystical Supper) was the last meal Jesus shared with his The phenomenon is described in Acts 2:1-4:

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

The phrase "a rushing mighty wind" is almost a literal translation of the Hebrew word ruah, meaning in Hebrew texts the Spirit of God. Believers hold that the experience is a powerful mystic one, hence the sensation of sacred possession (misinterpreted by passers-by as drunkenness) and the advent of supernatural gifts: the speaking with other tongues (glossolalia) and prophesying. Glossolalia is commonly called "speaking in tongues" For other uses of "speaking in tongues" see Speaking in Tongues (disambiguation. During the Apostolic times, many of the people who received Christian baptism were purported to have experienced the same extraordinary gifts. In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted Therefore, according to some, the real Christian baptism is a personal Pentecost.

Baptism of the three-thousand

Saint Peter Preaching at Pentecost, painting by Benjamin West (Bob Jones University). Benjamin West RA ( October 10, 1738 – March 11, 1820) was an Anglo - American painter of historical Bob Jones University ( BJU) is a private, Protestant fundamentalist, Liberal arts University

According to the Book of Acts, the experience of the Pentecost was noticed by all in the large crowd, causing confusion and awe. The Acts of the Apostles is a book of the Bible, which now stands fifth in the New Testament.

When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language…. Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? …Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?" Acts 2:6-12

Then the Apostle Peter, standing with the eleven other apostles, spoke to the crowd. He explained that these strange events had been predicted by the prophet Joel, and that Jesus' resurrection from the dead and exaltation to heaven had been prophesied by David. See also Book of Joel. Alternative spelling Yole Joel (יואל was a prophet of ancient Israel whose prophecies are recorded in the David, Arabic: داوود or داود dawud, "beloved" was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible Peter explained that these events confirmed David's prophecy. Peter then exhorted his listeners to turn to Christ. When Peter was asked what men should do he responded by saying "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. " About three thousand responded to Peter's sermon and were baptized and were therefore "added" to the number of believers or the church. A sermon is an oration by a Prophet or member of the Clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, or religious topic

Traditions and holidays

A pilgrim procession of the Way of the Cross, a traditional Roman Catholic celebration of Pentecost in Vepriai, Lithuania

• In Lebanon, Pentecost usually signals the end of the cold season. Stations of the Cross (or Way of the Cross; in Latin, Via Crucis; also called the Via Dolorosa or Way of Sorrows, or simply Vepriai (ˈvæpreɪ simplified Lithuanian transcription; Wieprze is the largest Town in Ukmergė district, Lithuania, situated south-west Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika is a Country in Eastern often referred to as Northern Europe or in the Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية After mass, families head out to the wilderness or to the pine forests or olive groves to picnic and enjoy the spring weather. Swings are tied to olive, pine or cedar branches and children enjoy riding them all day.
• In Denmark, it is rarely celebrated elaborately. The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe However, it is still celebrated as a public holiday, and children have the following day off from school. Many Danes, especially youths, do not know the meaning of Pentecost.
• In certain states of Germany, such as the predominantly Catholic states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, depending on when a school began classes for the year, Pentecost can be a two week break for students similar to a Spring break in the United States. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". A state is a political association with effective Sovereignty over a geographic Area and representing a Population. Bavaria ( German:, with an area of 70553 Km² (27241 square miles and almost 12 Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states ( Bundesländer) of the Federal Republic of Germany. A school (from Greek σχολεῖον - scholeion) is an Institution designed to allow and encourage Students (or "pupils" For an article concerning the Easter break see Spring Holiday. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the
• In Italy it was customary to scatter rose petals from the ceiling of the churches to recall the miracle of the fiery tongues; hence in Sicily and elsewhere in Italy Whitsunday is called Pasqua rosatum. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. The Italian name Pasqua rossa comes from the red colours of the vestments used on Whitsunday. Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy.
• In France it was customary to blow trumpets during Divine service, to recall the sound of the mighty wind which accompanied the Descent of the Holy Spirit. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics.
• In England the gentry amused themselves with horse races. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The Whitsun Ales or merrymakings are almost wholly obsolete in England. The Parish ale was a Festival in an English Parish at which Ale made and donated for the event was the chief drink At these ales the Whitsun plays were performed. Mystery plays and Miracle plays are among the earliest formally developed plays in Medieval Europe. In the old industrial heartlands of the North of England, in particular Greater Manchester, the first Friday after Pentecost is known as Whit Friday and is marked by Whit Walks and is often the occasion for brass band competitions. Greater Manchester is a Metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2 Whit Friday, meaning White Friday, is the the name given to the first Friday after Pentecost or Whitsun (White Sunday A brass band is a Musical group generally consisting entirely of Brass instruments, most often with a percussion section
• In Poland the Pentecost is called "the Green Holiday" - people decorate their houses with green branches, which - according to tradition - are said to bring God's blessing upon the home and the people living in it. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Another custom, which is slowly becoming rare, is making processions to the fields, where the crops are blessed.
• In Ukraine, Pentecost is called "Green Sunday". Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. The inside of the church is covered with fresh branches of green deciduous trees. Green branches are also placed on the outside banisters and doors of the church and people also place a green branch on the door of their homes. Clergy and altar boys also wear green vestments as do many in the congregation. This custom comes from the fact that on Pentecost 3000 people were baptized into the new faith. Green symbolizes new life and Pentecost is thought to be the birthday of the church.
• In the Netherlands Pentecost is called "Pinksteren", and the Monday after is a national holiday. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Since that Monday is the last holiday before Christmas, and the only one with a good chance to have decent weather, it is traditionally a day where fairs and festivals are held; most notably, Pinkpop, which derives part of its name from the Dutch name for Pentecost (Pinksteren). Pinkpop Festival, or Pinkpop for short is an annual Rock festival held at Landgraaf, Netherlands Dutch ( is a West Germanic language spoken by around 24 million people 22 million of which are from the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname

St. Andrew's Cathedral, St. Petersburg, decorated for Pentecost. Saint Andrew's Cathedral (Андреевский собор is the principal church of Vasilievsky Island and the last Baroque cathedral built in Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( tr: Sankt-Peterburg,) is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River

• In the Eastern Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Churches, Pentecost is one of the 12 Great Feasts of the church year, and is second in importance only to Pascha (Easter). The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world This article refers to Eastern Churches in full communion with the Holy See The feast of the Resurrection of Jesus, called Pascha (Easter is the greatest of the feasts of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Easter ( Greek: Πάσχα Pascha or Pasxa) is the most important religious feast in the Christian Liturgical year. It is celebrated with an All-Night Vigil on the Eve of the Feast and Divine Liturgy on the day of the Feast. For the musical setting by Rachmaninoff, see All-Night Vigil (Rachmaninoff The All-night vigil is a service of the Eastern Orthodox The Divine Liturgy is the common term for the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine tradition of Christian liturgy. An extraordinary service called the Kneeling Prayer, is served on the night of Pentecost. This is a Vespers service to which are added three sets of long poetical prayers, the composition of Saint Basil the Great, during which everyone makes a full prostration, touching their foreheads to the floor (prostrations in church having been forbidden from the day of Pascha (Easter) up to this point). Vespers is the evening Prayer service in the Roman Catholic, Eastern (Byzantine Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox, liturgies of the Basil of Caesarea, also called Saint Basil the Great (c 330 – January 1, 379) (Άγιος Βασίλειος ο Μέγας Latin Genuflection (or genuflexion) (Latin genuflexio "bending of the knee" is an act of reverence in Christianity, consisting of bending onto (usually Easter ( Greek: Πάσχα Pascha or Pasxa) is the most important religious feast in the Christian Liturgical year. The churches are decorated with greenery, and among the Russians the clergy and faithful carry flowers and green branches in their hands during the services. See also Eastern Orthodox Church Structure and organization The Slavic Orthodox Church is organized in a hierarchical structure Pentecost is a traditional time for baptisms. The week prior to the feast is known as "green week", during which all manner of plants and herbs are gathered. The Sunday of Pentecost is called "Trinity Sunday," the next day is called "Monday of the Holy Spirit," and Tuesday of Pentecost week is called the "Third Day of the Trinity. Whit Monday or Pentecost Monday (also known as Monday of the Holy Spirit) is the Holiday celebrated the day after Pentecost, a Movable feast "^[5] The Eastern Orthodox church considers the whole week following Pentecost to be an ecclesiastical feast (see Afterfeast) and is a fast-free week. An Afterfeast is a period of celebration attached to one of the Great Feasts celebrated by the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches (roughly equivalent to Fasting is primarily the act of willingly abstaining from some or all Food, Drink, or both for a period of time The second Monday after Pentecost is the beginning of the Apostles' Fast (which continues until the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul on June 29). The Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, or properly the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, is a feast commemorating the Martyrdom at Rome of the Apostles Theologically, Orthodox do not consider Pentecost to be the "birthday" of the Church; they see the Church as having existed before the creation of the world (cf. The Shepherd of Hermas^[6]) The Orthodox icon of the feast depicts the Twelve Apostles seated in a semi-circle (sometimes the Theotokos (Virgin Mary) is shown sitting in the center of them). The Shepherd of Hermas (sometimes just called The Shepherd) is a Christian work of the second century considered a valuable book by many Christians An icon (from Greek εἰκών eikōn, "image" is a religious work of art most commonly a painting from Eastern Christianity. Theotokos (Θεοτόκος translit Theotókos) is a title of Mary the mother of Jesus used especially in the Eastern Orthodox, At the top of the icon, the Holy Spirit, in the form of tongues of fire, is descending upon them. At the bottom is an allegorical figure, called Kosmos, which symbolizes the world. An allegory (from αλλος allos "other" and el αγορευειν agoreuein "to speak in public" is a figurative mode of representation In its most general sense a cosmos is an orderly or harmonious system Although Kosmos is crowned with glory he sits in the darkness caused by the ignorance of God. He is holding a towel on which have been placed 12 scrolls, representing the teaching of the Twelve Apostles.
• In Sweden Pentecost is celebrated rarely. "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. The Saturday is called "Pentecost Eve," and the following Sunday "Pentecost Day. " The Monday is called "Second Pentecost Day," but since 2005, it is no longer a public holiday. The National Holiday - 6th June - was made a "Red Day" instead. National Day of Sweden, or the Swedish Flag's Day ( Sveriges nationaldag or svenska flaggans dag) is observed in Sweden on June 6 "Red Days" are so called because the dates of holidays are coloured with red on Swedish calendars. The word Calendar consist of two words 1 Cal ( in Pashto means Year in Hindi and Persian is Sal- also means Year

The following Monday is a holiday in much of Europe. The day is known as Whit Monday in England, Wales, and Ireland, and is also celebrated in Iceland, Norway, Denmark, The Netherlands, Poland, Belgium, Luxembourg, parts of Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Hungary. Whit Monday or Pentecost Monday (also known as Monday of the Holy Spirit) is the Holiday celebrated the day after Pentecost, a Movable feast Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland ( ( Ísland or Lýðveldið Ísland ( Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Holidays in Poland are regulated by the Non-working Days Act of 18 January 1951 (Ustawa z dnia 18 stycznia 1951 o dniach wolnych od pracy — The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those Luxembourg (Groussherzogtum Lëtzebuerg Grand-Duché de Luxembourg Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small Landlocked country in Western Europe, bordered by Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic Since 1967, however, Whit Monday has not been a public holiday in the United Kingdom; the holiday has been moved to the fixed date of the last Monday in May, which sometimes but by no means always coincides with Whit Monday. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Whit Monday also ceased to be a statutory holiday in France in 2005, where the abolishment led to strong protests. Also in Sweden Whit Monday is no longer a holiday and June 6 (Swedish National Day) has become a day off. Events 1508 - Maximilian I Holy Roman Emperor, is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a three-year National Day of Sweden, or the Swedish Flag's Day ( Sveriges nationaldag or svenska flaggans dag) is observed in Sweden on June 6

The ultimate origin of all customs associating Pentecost with greenery is ostensibly the Jewish holiday of Shavuot when it is customary to decorate synagogues with greenery. Western Christianity is a term used to cover the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church, the Churches of the Anglican Communion, the Lutheran Church Families of churches Eastern Christians have a shared tradition but they became divided ( Schism) during the early centuries of Christianity in disputes about Events 1535 - French explorer Jacques Cartier sets sail on his second voyage to North America with three ships 110 men and Events 1180 - First Battle of Uji, starting the Genpei War in Japan 1305 - The Flemish Events 68 - The Roman Senate accepts emperor Galba. 536 - St Silverius becomes Pope (probable Events 763 BC - Assyrians record a Solar eclipse that will be used to fix the Chronology of Mesopotamian history Events 1416 - The Council of Constance, called by the Emperor Sigismund a supporter of Antipope John XXIII burns Jerome of Prague following Events 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the Papal bull Ad exstirpanda, which authorizes but also limits the Events 1179 - The Norwegian Battle of Kalvskinnet outside Nidaros. Events 781 BC - The first historic Solar eclipse is recorded in China. Events 1184 BC - Trojan War: Troy is sacked and burned according to the calculations of Eratosthenes. Events 927 - Simeon the Great, Tsar of Bulgaria, dies 1120 - Richard III of Capua is anointed Events 330 - Byzantium is renamed ''Nova Roma'' during a dedication ceremony but is more popularly referred to as Constantinople Events 763 BC - Assyrians record a Solar eclipse that will be used to fix the Chronology of Mesopotamian history Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Events 1099 - The First Crusade: The Siege of Jerusalem begins Events 1430 - Siege of Compiègne: Joan of Arc is captured by the Burgundians while leading an army to relieve Compiègne Events 1381 - Peasants' Revolt: in England, rebels arrive at Blackheath. Events 927 - Simeon the Great, Tsar of Bulgaria, dies 1120 - Richard III of Capua is anointed Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, proclaims himself Roman Emperor, entering Events 1535 - French explorer Jacques Cartier sets sail on his second voyage to North America with three ships 110 men and Events 1180 - First Battle of Uji, starting the Genpei War in Japan 1305 - The Flemish Events 68 - The Roman Senate accepts emperor Galba. 536 - St Silverius becomes Pope (probable Events 1218 - The Fifth Crusade leaves Acre for Egypt. 1276 - Magnus Ladulås is crowned Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Events 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the Papal bull Ad exstirpanda, which authorizes but also limits the Events 1179 - The Norwegian Battle of Kalvskinnet outside Nidaros. Events 781 BC - The first historic Solar eclipse is recorded in China. Events 325 - The First Council of Nicaea &ndash the first Ecumenical Council of the Christian Church is held Events 927 - Simeon the Great, Tsar of Bulgaria, dies 1120 - Richard III of Capua is anointed Events 53 - Roman Emperor Nero marries Claudia Octavia 62 - Claudia Octavia commits Events 1487 - Battle of Stoke Field, the last dying breath of the Wars of the Roses. Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Events 1099 - The First Crusade: The Siege of Jerusalem begins PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Shavuot (or Shavuos, in Ashkenazi usage Hebrew: שבועות, lit A synagogue (from Greek: grc συναγωγή transliterated synagogē, "assembly" he בית כנסת beit knesset, "house of This holiday marks the time when Moses received the Torah on Mount Sinai on behalf of the Nation of Israel, and tradition holds that Mount Sinai, despite being in the wilderness of the Sinai desert, miraculously flowered and bloomed in honor of this occasion. Moses ( Latin: Moyses,; Greek: grc Mωυσής in both the Septuagint and the New Testament; Arabic: ar موسىٰ term " Torah " ( Hebrew: תּוֹרָה "teaching" or "instruction" sometimes translated as "Law" most commonly refers to For other places named Mount Sinai see Mount Sinai (disambiguation Mount Sinai (Arabic طور سيناء, Hebrew הר סיני also The custom of decorating synagogues with greenery on Shavuot, mentioned in many halakhic works, commemorates the miracle, and may perhaps date back to the time of the Jewish Temple. Halakha ( הלכה; alternative transliterations include Halocho and Halacha) is the collective body of Jewish Religious law Etymology The Hebrew name given in Scripture for the building is Beit HaMikdash or "The Holy House" and only the Temple in Jerusalem is referred to by this name The Mishna records that the Oxen leading the processions bringing "first fruits" to the Temple (which began on Shavuot) wore wreaths of Olive branches on their heads. The Mishnah or Mishna (he משנה "repetition" from the verb shanah he שנה or "to study and review" is a major work of Rabbinic Judaism Shavuot (or Shavuos, in Ashkenazi usage Hebrew: שבועות, lit (Bikkurim 3:3) While there are no mishnaic sources for the Temple itself having been decorated with greenery at that time, the Tractate of Midot records there having been one band of flowery engravings surrounding the altar, which may be connected with commemorating the same miracle. This page is about the book of Bikkurim See First Fruits Old Testament for the offering What's more, there is no Talmudic record of what was done with the said wreaths following the slaughtering of the oxen. It would seem quite probable that the wreaths would have remained ad loc, decorating the area, in one sense or another.

Whitsunday remains one of the Scottish term days, at which debts are paid and leases traditionally expire, but this Scottish Whitsunday is now always considered to fall on May 15. Scottish term days were Holy days for the people of the Kingdom of Scotland in the Middle Ages. Events 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the Papal bull Ad exstirpanda, which authorizes but also limits the

Ordinations to the diaconate and priesthood are often held on Pentecost.

Date

Pentecost falls on the same fixed calendar date every year, and is part of the Moveable Cycle of the ecclesiastical year. The Paschal cycle in the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches is the cycle of the Moveable feasts built around Pascha (Easter The liturgical year, also known as the Christian year, consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons in Christian churches which determines when According to Christian tradition, Pentecost is always seven weeks after Easter Sunday; that is to say, 50 days after Easter (inclusive of Easter Day). Easter ( Greek: Πάσχα Pascha or Pasxa) is the most important religious feast in the Christian Liturgical year. Said otherwise, it falls on the eighth Sunday, counting Easter Day (see article on Computus for the calculation of the date of Easter). Computus ( Latin for Computation) is the Calculation of the date of Easter in the Christian calendar. Pentecost falls in mid- to late spring in the Northern Hemisphere and mid- to late autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. Northern Hemisphere is the half of a Planet that is North of the Equator —the word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' Southern Hemisphere is the half of a Planet that is South of the Equator —the word hemisphere literally means 'half ball'

Since the date of Easter is calculated differently in the North and the South, see Easter controversy, the two traditions will celebrate the feast on different days most years (though in some years both celebrations will coincide on the same day, as in 2007). The Easter controversy is a series of controversies about the proper date to celebrate the Christian festival of Easter. The earliest possible date in the West is May 10 (as in 1818 and 2285), and latest possible date is June 13 (as in 1943 and 2038). Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Events 1525 - Martin Luther marries Katharina von Bora, against the Celibacy rule decreed by the Roman Catholic Church for In the East, the earliest possible date is May 24, and the latest possible date is June 27. Events 1218 - The Fifth Crusade leaves Acre for Egypt. 1276 - Magnus Ladulås is crowned Events 1358 - Republic of Dubrovnik is founded 1709 - Peter the Great defeats Charles XII of Sweden

See also

• Pentecontad calendar

References

External links

• A collection of 22 prayers for Pentecost
• "Pentecost" article from the Catholic Encyclopedia
• "Pentecost" article from the Jewish Encyclopedia
• Feast of Pentecost Greek Orthodox Archdiocese
• Explanation of the Feast from the Handbook for Church Servers (Nastolnaya Kniga) by Sergei V. The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to today as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language Encyclopedia published by The Encyclopedia The Jewish Encyclopedia was an Encyclopedia originally published between 1901 and 1906 by Funk and Wagnalls. Bulgakov