Home  Kalendar  Program  History  Our Vicar  Pictures  Links  Shopping  Video  News   Worship... Baptism Divine Mercy Holy Eucharist Lectionary Mass, about Rosary ------------------- Calendar Church Year Liturgical Colors Advent Christmas Epiphany Lent Holy Week Easter Ordianry Time   Resources... Apostle's Creed Articles of Religion Athanasian Creed Lambeth 1886 1888 Natures of Christ Nicene Creed Preface 1st BCP Ten Commandments ---------------------- Apostles Books of the Bible Glossary Resource Page Sacraments Saints (Alpha) Saints (Patron) Sign of the Cross Vestments
 

Pentecost
(Whitsunday)

Pentecost is also known as Whitsunday and is a major festival in the Christian church. It is celebrated on the Sunday which falls on the 50th day after the Easter festival.

The name Pentecost comes from a Greek word which means 'fiftieth'.

Pentecost celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit in the form of flames to the followers of Jesus, as recorded in the New Testament. Jesus had told them to wait until the Spirit came to them. Ten days after Ascension, 50 days after the resurrection, the Spirit came.

The festival is often called Pentecost because when the disciples received the Holy Spirit and began to go out and preach about Jesus it was the Jewish festival of Pentecost.

Pentecost is recognized as the birth of the Church. The Apostle Peter preached a sermon which resulted in 3,000 people becoming believers. Whit Sunday is a favorite day for baptism. It is thought that because people are often baptized dressed in white, Whit Sunday was probably originally known as 'White Sunday'.

Whitsuntide is the week following with Whitsunday, which is always the seventh Sunday after Easter Sunday.
 

© 2005-08 Saint Matthew's Church
Biblical † Orthodox † Anglo-Catholic
Established 1886
Some pages require Adobe Reader
Contact the Webmaster