Pentecost 2019 What is Whit Sunday And Why It Is celebrated: Pentecost or Whit Sunday is considered to be one of the special days for all the members of the Christian faith. The seventh Sunday after Easter, or Pentecost, marks the descent of the Holy Spirit on Christ’s disciples.
What is Pentecost or Whit Sunday?
Pentecost Is celebrated on the seventh Sunday after Easter, celebrates and remembers the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles as well as other followers of Jesus Christ while they were in Jerusalem rejoicing the Feast of Weeks, as documented in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:1–31).
While in England, the traditional Pentecost celebrations are united with the pagan celebrations that are held on Summer’s Day. The week after Whit Sunday is used to be a holiday for medieval farm workers.
Whit Sunday continued as a British Bank Holiday up until the year 1971 when it was switched with the fixed Spring Bank Holiday.
Pentecost, the holy day is called “White Sunday” or “Whitsunday”, particularly in the United Kingdom, where by tradition the following day, Whit Monday, was also a public holiday.
What does Pentecost and Whit Sunday Mean?
The word Pentecost derives from the Greek meaning “fiftieth”. It speaks of about the festival celebrated on the fiftieth day after Passover, which is also called as the “Feast of Weeks” as well as the “Feast of 50 days” in rabbinic tradition.
On the other hand, the term “Whit Sunday” comes from “White Sunday” – a reference to the Old English homilies that specified: “The Holy Ghost, whom thou didst send on Whit-sunday.”
Why Whit Sunday is Celebrated?
Whit Sunday, also known as Whitsun and also Whitsunday, is basically the name used particularly in Britain and Ireland, as well as all over the world among Anglicans and Methodists, for the Christian festival of Pentecost, the seventh Sunday after Easter, which observes and honours the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Christ’s disciples (Acts 2).
When is Pentecost or Whit Sunday this Year?
This year in 2019, Whit Sunday or Pentecost is going to be observed on June 9 (Western) as well as on June 16 (Eastern).
How is Whit Sunday Celebrated?
At the present time, Whit Sunday is usually celebrated with church services it used to be a greater demonstration. In certain parts of England, there were church parades which were held in order to mark the special Holy Day.
All around the world, the Holy Day is celebrated with religious (church) services, festive meals, processions, baptism, confirmation, ordination, folk customs, dancing, spring & woodland rites as well as festive clothing.
Bible Verses about Pentecost
Acts 20:16
For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.
Acts 2:1-4
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
Exodus 23:16
“Also you shall observe the Feast of the Harvest of the first fruits of your labors from what you sow in the field; also the Feast of the Ingathering at the end of the year when you gather in the fruit of your labors from the field.
2 Chronicles 8:13
and did so according to the daily rule, offering them up according to the commandment of Moses, for the sabbaths, the new moons and the three annual feasts–the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Booths.
