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What is Christian Holiday Pentecost?

ByFaith and Rain

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A drawing of people praying to God-min

Christians all over the world celebrated the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.

Just like other Christian holidays, Pentecost is an important date on the Christian calendar.

This is because Christians believe Pentecost represents the birth of the Early Church.

The event falls 50 days after celebrating the Easter holiday or after Jesus Christ’s resurrection.

So, what is Pentecost and what significance does it have on Christians today?

What is the Pentecost Christian Holiday?

According to Wikipedia, Pentecost is a Christian holiday celebrated on the seventh Sunday after Easter.

It is a Christian holy day that marks the coming of the Holy Spirit.

It commemorates the overflow of the Holy Spirit on the disciples and the followers of Jesus Christ while they were in Jerusalem.

According to the Bible (New Testament), when the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles, they started speaking in tongues.

When observers heard the apostles speaking in unfamiliar languages, they thought they were drunk.

But Peter told them they were being inspired by the Holy Spirit.

He delivered the first Christian Sermon.

The First Christian Sermon

Thus, Christians believe the sermon was the birth of the Christian Church because 3000 people were converted to Christianity and baptized.

Today, millions of Christians around the world celebrate the Christian Holiday Pentecost.

However, they do not observe it as a First Fruit feast, but a day to commemorate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the disciples and the followers of Jesus Christ.

We also know the Pentecost as White Sunday or Whitsunday or Whitsun in the United Kingdom.

The Monday after the Pentecost is a Public holiday in various European countries.

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Pentecost is one of the Great Feasts of the church.

What is the history of Pentecost?

We derived the term Pentecost from the Greek, meaning Fiftieth.

In the Old Testament, you notice Pentecost is an old Jewish feast.

It refers to a Jewish feast that was celebrated on the fiftieth day after the first fruits.

We know the feast as Feast of Harvest, Feast of Weeks, or the Feast of 50 days.

It was a celebration of starting the prior weeks of harvest.

Passover is the festival that took place before Pentecost (Feast of First Fruits).

The Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles when they gathered together for Pentecost (Feast of First Fruits).

Today, Pentecost is not the Feast of First Fruits, but a day to commemorate the coming of the Holy Spirit.

Pentecost is 50 days after Easter

Therefore, Pentecost for Christians means something different from the Jews Pentecost.

Before they killed Jesus Christ; He promised His disciples that the Holy Spirit will come to help them.

John 14:16 – And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.

Fifty days after His resurrection (Easter) or ten days after He ascended into heaven, it fulfilled the promise.

Acts 2:1-4 – When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Since then, Christians have been celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit.

Although this day is hardly noticed by some Christians, European churches consider Pentecost a major feast day.

When is Christian Holiday Pentecost?

Pentecost is a major Christian festival that is celebrated on Sunday that falls on the fiftieth day of Easter.

But according to Wikipedia, Pentecost dates differ every year.

This is because we observe Pentecost on the 7th Sunday of Easter.

Therefore, the earliest date Christians can celebrate Pentecost is the 10th of May.

And the latest possible Pentecost date is the 13th of June.

These are seven weeks after Easter Sunday.

The main reason is that Easter does not have a fixed date.

In the early Church, Christians referred to the whole 50-day period from Easter as Pentecost.

Why do Christians celebrate Pentecost?

Today, Pentecost is not a holiday to celebrate a harvest.

It is the day Christians honor the coming of the Holy Spirit in the Church, as explained in Acts 2.

After Jesus had ascended into Heaven, the apostles gathered together for the Feast of Harvest.

Then the Holy Spirit filled the entire house.

Also, everyone (apostles and Jesus’ followers) were filled with the Holy Spirit.

They all spoke in tongues when blessed with the Holy Spirit.

The uncommon event attracted a vast crowd who thought they were drunk.

Then Peter spoke about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and repentance.

It was the first Christian sermon about the Gospel of Christ.

Then the Holy Spirit came upon the people, and the Church grew by 3000 people.

They converted and baptized 3000 people to Christianity.

This is the main reason Christians all over the world celebrate Pentecost.

How is the Pentecost Holiday celebrated?

Pentecost is a public holiday in several countries in Europe, including Germany, France, and Belgium.

During Pentecost Sunday, Christians attend special church services.

Christians hold prayers and repentance on that day.

In the United Kingdom and Ireland, a National holiday follows Pentecost Sunday on Monday.

In Roman Catholic, they make special masses on Pentecost.

In some countries, people gather for the Feast of Pentecost.

Summary

Pentecost is a great Christian holiday that is also known as Whitsun or Whitsunday in Ireland and the UK.

It is the festival that commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit among Jesus Christ’s apostles and His followers.

We celebrate Pentecost on the 7th Sunday after Easter every year.

Thus, Pentecost does not have a fixed date.

In Church traditions, Pentecost represents the birth of the former church.

We believe the sermon that was delivered by Peter on Pentecost was the birth of the Christian church.

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