Holidays Around The World � Christian Calendar

Orthodox New Year Celebrated by Orthodox Christians

Noel — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:00:30 +0000

Orthodox New Year: January 14

Orthodox New Year is a religious observance for Orthodox Christians all over the world.

Orthodox New Year is also known as Old New Year. The New Year falls on January 1 on the old Julian calendar, corresponding to January 14 on the modern Gregorian calendar, and it will remain as such until 2100. Orthodox Christians follow the Julian calendar that was the effective calendar before the appearance of the Gregorian calendar edited by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582.

History of Orthodox New Year

Julius Cesar introduced the Julian calendar as a reform to the Roman calendar in 46 BC. This was the widely accepted calendar until the twentieth century, when it was replaced by the Gregorian calendar introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. Some countries (mostly Roman Catholic countries) immediately adopted the new calendar, while others took some time to adopt it. Orthodox Churches nowadays use a revised Julian calendar to calculate the dates of their main celebrations.

Celebrations of New Year by the Orthodox countries are mainly marked by religious services dedicated to the circumcision of Jesus Christ, while on the more secular side, people celebrate New Year in the same fashion as everywhere else in the world. The Orthodox Church always tries to set a tone of moderation to New Year celebrations since these celebrations still fall under the days of Christmas season.

Orthodox New Year Traditions, Customs and Activities

As in many other countries, even though the date changes, the spirit of New Year is the same. It is a time when Orthodox countries look back on the year that ended and look with hope to the New Year that is about to start. It is a day that is spent among family and friends. Religious services are attended to celebrate the feast of the circumcision of Jesus. Orthodox churches organize parties and dinners for the entire congregation. Some churches use these dinners to promote charity events and gather funds for projects to start during the New Year.

In the ex-Russian republics, it is believed that on this day all their problems from the previous year will leave them with success arriving at their door during the New Year. In Orthodox Greece and Russia, the secular New Year date follows the Gregorian calendar, and the date of January 14 is mainly for religious celebrations. Even so, there are fireworks on this date as well as gatherings of family and friends around the table to enjoy a peaceful meal.

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Feast of the Immaculate Conception Celebrated by Christians

Noel — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 11:00:51 +0000

Feast of the Immaculate Conception Date: December 8

Feast of the Immaculate Conception is a religious observance for Christians all over the world.

On December 8, Christians all over the world celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. It is a day to celebrate the dogma of the conception of Mary, mother of Jesus, without any stain of the original sin.

History of the Immaculate Conception

On December 8, 1854, Pope Pius IX in the Constitution Innefabilis Deus stated that Mary, as Mother of Jesus Christ by a singular privilege and grace granted by God and previewing the merits of Jesus Christ, at the moment of her conception was preserved from all stain of the original sin. Therefore, as many people mistakenly think, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception isn’t about the conception of Jesus, celebrated on March 25. Instead, it is based on the conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The first celebrations of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception were organized by the early Church in Palestine during the seventh century, which at the time celebrated it more in focus with the role of the Virgin Mary in the history of Salvation than just the fact that her conception was indeed immaculate from the original sin. Later the feast spread to Christian the world within the monastic communities. Gradually the feast was celebrated in the cathedrals and later was finally approved by the Church and State as a holiday.

For years there was discussion among theologians about the exactitude of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. This led to delays in accepting the feast in many dioceses in Europe, and only in 1854 was the case settled and the Feast accepted universally. In 1847, Pope Pius IX proclaimed Mary, under the title of her Immaculate Conception, as patroness of the United States. Since then the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is the patron feast of the United States.

Many Eastern Orthodox Christians celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 9, placing the conception of Mary nine months less one day from the feast of her birth on September 8. The omitted day symbolizes that Mary was not in whole perfect as a human.

Feast of the Immaculate Conception Traditions, Customs and Activities

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is a public holiday in many countries, and it is a holy day of obligation for all Christians, meaning that they are obliged to participate in Mass and abstain from work that will disturb their focus on God through mind and body.

The predominant color for the day is white, and Christian communities emphasize the day with celebrations dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and spending time with family. In some countries there are processions which initiate the celebrations of Christmas. In Spain there is a tradition called the Dance of the Six in which young children dressed in jeweled clothes run through the streets holding a large figure of Mary as high as they can.

In Nicaragua the faithful set up altars at the entrance of their homes as a sign of thankfulness for the favors that the Virgin Mary has showed them during the year, while this neighbors come to the altar and sing songs to receive gifts and candies. In the afternoon around 6 p.m., people light up firecrackers in the streets in celebration of the day. Around Europe, since this is a non-working day in many countries, there are several cultural initiatives organized by the local dioceses. It is day to celebrate Mother Mary and look forward to Christmas.

For many years this day was celebrated as Mother’s Day, and it still is in Panama. However, it has been recently moved to the second Sunday of May in many Christian countries.

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Advent Sunday Celebrated by Christians Around the Globe

Noel — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 11:00:23 +0000

Advent Sunday: November 29

Advent Sunday is a religious observance for Christians around the world.

Advent Sunday is the fourth Sunday before Christmas and is the first day of the liturgical year for Western Christian Churches. It is the start of the season of Advent that will end on Christmas and is the time of preparation for the birth of Jesus and his presence among us. Advent comes from the Latin word adventus (arrival).

History of Advent Sunday

With traditions that started as early as the fourth century, the Advent season in the first Christian communities was seen as a period of penance, just like Lent before Easter. Clergy members usually wear purple colors, like during Lent. Even so, the fasting observed in those years would be broken on the third Sunday of Advent, giving way to the proximity of the joy of Christmas. Therefore on this day by tradition the predominant color isn’t purple, but instead it is pink. Later a change in the focus of the season occurred, becoming more a season to celebrate hope and anticipation for the birth of Jesus and to look forward to the second coming of Jesus.

Advent Sunday Traditions, Customs and Activities

It is custom that on Advent Sunday several preparations are made for the celebration of Christmas. The crown-shaped Advent wreath, with four or five candles in the center, is placed inside the church or in homes. One candle is lit for every Sunday of Advent season, and the fifth is lit on Christmas Day.

Advent calendars are used, marking the number of days since Advent Sunday until Christmas. Each day, one day is crossed from the calendar, counting down the days to Christmas.

Nativity scenes are frequently prepared representing the scene in Bethlehem of the birth of Jesus. Sometimes real live characters are used in more elaborate Nativity scenes.

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The Building of the Cross Observed by Orthodox Coptic Christians

Noel — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 06:00:14 +0000

Building of the Cross Date: September 27

Building of the Cross is a religious observance for Orthodox Coptic Christians all over the world.

The Feast of the Building of the Cross is celebrated on September 27. On the Coptic calendar it falls on the seventeenth day of the month of Tout, and it commemorates the dedication of the Church of the Holy Cross built by the mother of Emperor Constantine, Queen Helen.

History of Building of the Cross

This feast has its origins in Jerusalem and is connected with both the finding of the cross where Jesus died and the building of the Church of the Holy Cross to guard the relics of the wood of the cross. After the death of Jesus, Jerusalem was a troubled city, and all the sacred places where Jesus had passed and suffered his Passion had been desecrated by the Roman armies and the many wars that were fought over Jerusalem.

When the Roman Empire became Christian under the rule of Constantine, he ordered, under the influence of his mother Helen, that the sites where Jesus had passed should be found. Excavations began in Jerusalem and around the city. During these excavations the location of the Calvary and also the cross on which Jesus had died were discovered. A church was promptly built to keep the relic, and the mother of Constantine, Queen Helen, became a devout of the Holy Cross. The Feast of the Building of the Holy Cross was instituted and later, as with many feasts, it was passed on to all Christians in Constantinople and Rome.

Building of the Cross Traditions, Customs and Activities

During the Feast of the Building of the Holy Cross, the Coptic Orthodox Church organizes processions with the sign of the Cross in the streets of the cities that the churches serve. Chanting known as Shannon-Hosanna echoes through the streets as the faithful accompany the cross and the clergy, announcing the joy of the cross of Christ and joy of heart, the inner Jerusalem, as it receives the graces of Jesus. It isn’t one of the major feasts of the Orthodox Coptic Church, and it is the equivalent of the daily Feasts of the Saints. It is a day to be spent with family and friends as everyone gathers to join the processions and eat together after the religious celebrations.

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Jesus Transfiguration

Noel — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 16:32:56 +0000

Jesus’s Transfiguration Date: August 19

Jesus’s Transfiguration is observed by members of Orthodox Christianity.

Jesus’s Transfiguration is the event in which the Jesus was transfigured upon a mountain. It was on 19th of August that this mournful even took place and the world was astonished to see the transfiguration of the Jesus. Jesus became glowing and spoke to Moses and Elijah (very important figure of the Judaism) and was called Son by God. Those, who show this incident, was asked by the Jesus not to reveal about the even to anyone until he rises in the cross and that would be done on the third day of his death.

History of Jesus’s Transfiguration

Jesus’ Transfiguration is not very easy thing to be accepted by the people. When Jesus went up the mountain, he was not alone but he took Peter, James and John along with him. They were the three before whom the Jesus was transfigured. As soon as this took place the cloth the Jesus was wearing soon got changed to a dazzling white and very soon the two very popular figures of the Judaism Moses and Elijah appeared in front of him.
Peter spoke and asked if he could put shelter for all the three but in no time the cloud appeared and surrounded them, a voice came from this cloud which spoke “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.” After that, all of a sudden when Peter and all looked around they could only see Jesus and no one else. Jesus told them not to say about this happening to anyone until he rose from the death.

Why this Transfiguration did take place? This Transfiguration was mainly done to provide strength to Jesus for his long journey to Jerusalem and the cross. Jesus was not afraid of death or resurrection, as it was after death it is transformed into victory over sin and the grave.

Transfiguration of Jesus brought about a great change in the focal point of Luke’s Gospel from Jesus’ preparation. The mountain, thus, becomes a symbol for God. There is a belief among the people that if they become divine, then they can be God. However, it is not so to remain as a human being and then being transfigures is like filling one life with the divine light.

Jesus’s Transfiguration Traditions and Activities

This day is one of the major festivals for the Eastern Orthodox churches. Jesus’s Transfiguration on 19 August every year is celebrated in all churches by lighting candles, making altars and many more. On this day, churches are decorated very beautifully and all come and pray and ask God to help them in their life. This day is the day when Jesus had given up his life for the good of the human beings. It thought us and gave inspiration on how to come out from the difficult situation. It is a very memorable day; a day when Jesus had revealed himself in front of the Peter, John and James. In some of the Armenian Churches, this is celebrated for a continuous three days preceded by a six day fast. Different church makes this day especially differently.

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Assumption Day Observed Around the World

Noel — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 19:58:12 +0000

Assumption Day: August 15

Assumption Day is a Christian religious observance in many countries worldwide.

It is assumed that on the Assumption Day, the Virgin Mary raised into Heaven after her death. This is a famous Christian belief. This day is also called as the feast day of the Assumption of Mary. It is celebrated in many countries irrespective of nations on August 15 or around that day. Mostly in Europe and South America, this is celebrated in a grand manner. Some countries celebrate this day at other times of the year. This day is also known as the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God, or the Feast of Assumption or the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

History of Assumption Day

Mary’s Assumption is said to have been a divine endowment to Mary as “Mother of God.” Pope Pius XII defined this doctrine dogmatically and infallibly on November 1, 1950 in his Apostolic Constitution Munificentissimus Deus. The feast day is known as “The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary by Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christian.” The Assumption was recently defined as infallible dogma by the Catholic Church.

The Assumption Day is a day of obligation (which this year falls on a Saturday). Some Italian plazas are very much crowded on this day. Citizens would ride through ‘lakes’ and it was very common for people to carry bowls of rose water, which they sprinkled on themselves. This holiday has been observed since fourth century. It is a Christianization of an earlier cultivation festival. This is a Holy Day of Obligation in many Roman Catholic Jurisdictions. Many catholic and orthodox Christians seem that the Assumption is very important as the Virgin Mary’s heavenly birthday. Remnants of the ancient celebration include public illumination and nighttime beacons, both probably symbolic of the sun.

In some countries, the people throw coins from windows down to the streets. This is the symbolic evident of prosperity. Blue is the colour, which is generally associated with the Virgin Mary. Truth and clarity are symbolized by that colour. It also symbolizes the colour of the sky, which is compared to heaven. It is found that lily is also related with the Virgin Mary. This lily colour is the symbol of purity, simplicity and chastity.

The Assumption is a great source of hope for us. In Rome, the day was marked by a huge procession headed by the pope who went on barefoot. The pope carries a painting of Christ from the church of the Lateran to the church of St. Mary Major. By that process, it is seemed to commemorate the coming of Christ for his mother on Mary’s death.

In the fifth and sixth centuries, the idea of the assumption of Mary into the Heaven after her demise was first expressed. Till now, we have no genuine knowledge of day, year and the manner of Our Lady’s death. The probable assigned death of her varies between three and fifteen years after Christ’s Ascension. It is found that Mary lived at Ephesus after the death of Jesus. However, Mary’s grave was found in Jerusalem. Both Jerusalem and Ephesus claim to be the death place of Mary.

It is believed that Mary died in the presence of all the Apostles. However, after the burial when the tomb was opened the tomb was found empty. Thus, after that incidence, it was concluded that Mary’s body was taken up into the heaven. There are a lot of pictures of Mary painted by different well known artists where it is seen that the Mother of God stands on the moon, embellished with sun and twelve stars on her head for her crown. Again, they also say that the Lady was bestowed celestial elegance. We pray to be with the Blessed Mother. It is believed that Mother Mary always offers her blessings to the abused or orphan children, who have no one in this world. There is a special belief of the coastal area that they have a blessing of the water, the sea or the ocean. The Assumption Day is treated as public holiday in some countries like Austria, Spain, Poland, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Slovenia, Belgium, Chile, Croatia, some parts of Germany and Switzerland, Guatemala etc.

Assumption Day Traditions, Customs and Activities

On this auspicious day, a colourful procession moves through the streets and the fireworks exhibit the celebration of the Feast of the Assumption in Italy. In Sicily and the rural areas outside the city of Rome, the main event is a big procession. A statue of Mary decorated with flowers is carried through the town where a statue of Christ is carried by a group of people. They wait for the coming of the Mary’s Statue. After that, both the statues are inclined toward each other three times. The feast is called “Our Lady of the Navigators” in Sao Paulo and other parts of Southern Brazil.

Parades are held on magnificent canoes, three musicians, two rowers and a purser. The musicians are dressed as “Three Wise Men” in Bible. The phrase “having completed the course of her early life” raises two questions. The first one is “was Virgin Mary died before her Assumption?” and the next one is “was she assumed before her death?”

The Assumption Day is an admired day in France. This has a major priority in the list of the holidays. France celebrates this day with a great occasion. In Spain, there are many holidays for each region, city and town throughout the whole country besides the National Holidays. New Years’ Day is very much celebrated in Spain. The whole country is converted into festive mood on January 1. Day of Three Kings is celebrated on January 6, which is 12 days after the Christ Day. It is known as Christmas Day for children. On that day, three men dressed as the king move around the town and scatter sweets to the children in a magnificent procession. Labour Day is known here as Dia del Trabajo which is celebrated on March 1 throughout Spain. On July 24, San Juan is celebrated. On that day, the people around the coastal region rush into the sea and wash the sins. It represents the baptism of the Saint John Baptist.

In France during the Assumption Day, the feast of the Assumption of Mary celebrates the catholic faith that the Virgin Mary’s spirit and body ascended to the heaven. It is a very important occasion for rural and church festivals. It is celebrated as a public holiday. It is very important holiday in France, where the virgin Mary has been patron saint since 1638. Many Catholics in France go to the church premises on August 15, Assumption Day. The festival consists of parades, sports, markets or communal meals. The public life in the France remains quite normally. Banks, post offices, stores, and other businesses are closed. Except the tourists’ area, the restaurant and cafes are closed. However, some stores in Paris, airports, railways and main highways remain opened.

Assumption Day is a very popular summer festival at the villages, the islands and the towns of Greece.

The feast of Assumption is known in the Eastern Church as the “Falling Asleep of the All Holy Mother of God” in Poland. This day marks one of the dogmas of the church. Everywhere the day has its charming cultural customs. All women bearing the name of Mary keep the house open in our Lady’s honour and welcome all the guests who come to their home. In Poland, this day is also known as the feast of Our Lady of Herbs. The city is decorated with sweet smelling bouquet and green herbs. At the churches, the children sing hymns both in Polish and English and they dance of their regional culture. On August 15, the solemnity of the Assumption can be said a holy day of obligation in the church. For Lady, this is one of the oldest and highest feasts. This day possesses a blessing of herbs, flowers and foods of the garden.

In Portugal, the Assumption Day is called the Romeria. This Romeria is marked with the playing of a brass band and of drums and bagpipes and at churches, the statues of Mary and Queen of Angels are crowned.

Assumption Day is celebrated in some states in Germany. In Saarland and Bavaria, it is noted as a public holiday. Many people attend to the church and collect herbs. This is a tradition of these countries. The church started this celebration by ringing the bell. There are some unique traditions about trees and plants on that day. The first ripped walnuts, which are called the Mary’s nuts, are offered to the children. People may go to the field to collect the herbs like agrimony, clover, mullein, mugwort, verbena, yarrow etc. In some parts of Germany, the banks, businesses are closed, but some parts remain unaffected.

In Costa Rica, this day is celebrated as a ling procession of people wearing coloured dress through the street. This day is also combined with Mother’s Day in that country.

In the country of Andorra, the Assumption Day is observed magnificently. The people enjoy a lot. They pray for the Mother Mary. It becomes a public holiday in Andorra.

This day becomes a public holiday in Guatemala. This is also a time for family get together and luxurious feasts. You can see the parades in some major city. The people celebrate splendidly and use the day as a time for reflection.

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The Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul Celebrated Around the Globe

Noel — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 10:00:11 +0000

Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul Date: June 29

The Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul is a religious holiday celebrated around the world.

St. Peter was a patron of the fisherman, and St. Paul was known for his hand craft. Both were martyred on the same day leading to the celebration of these two individuals on the same day. They are celebrated on June 29 with Christians all over the world celebrating this day as the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul.

History of the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul

The Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul is one of the oldest festivals observed by Christians. There is evidence which suggest that this day was celebrated as far back as the fourth century.

St. Peter, a Galilean fisherman by profession, was chosen by Jesus Christ as one of his twelve apostles. He was also the first apostle of Jesus Christ, assigned a role of leadership. He was one of the few apostles who were with Jesus to witness the Transfiguration. Several churches including the Roman Catholic Church, the Oriental Orthodox Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Lutheran Church, and the Anglican Communion consider him to be a saint.

St. Paul on the other hand is the author of 13 of the 27 books of the Bible. He is also the hero in another book, the Acts of the Apostles. He was born in Tarsus, located in present-day eastern Turkey. He was a tentmaker by profession and was a Roman citizen. For someone who made a living by making tents with his hand, he could write with the fineness of a philosopher. He is considered one of the greatest people to have existed in the Western world, one who was responsible for establishing some of the very fundamental concepts of faith.

Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul Traditions, Customs and Activities

The Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul is celebrated as a public holiday in some countries with customs varying from location to location. Special masses in the churches may be held to commemorate the martyrdom of the two saints. Coastal and island communities may decorate their boats and wharfs to give praise to St. Peter, the patron saint of fishermen.

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St. John’s Day Celebrated in Many Parts of the World

Noel — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 10:00:19 +0000

St. John’s Day: June 24

St. John’s Day is a religious holiday celebrated around the world.

St. John’s Day (sometimes called the Feast of St. John) is celebrated on June 24 every year. The Roman Catholic Church, Orthodox Church, and some Protestant Churches commemorate the nativity of St. John on this day. John the Baptist is seen as a major religious figure who led the movement for Baptism near the Jordan River.

History of St. John’s Day

St. John was born to Zechariah and Elizabeth. Zechariah was a Jewish priest, and he and Elizabeth were childless. Both were beyond child-bearing age, but then a miracle happened. Gabriel, the Archangel appeared to him and told him that his wife Elizabeth would bear a child, and when the child was born, they were to name him John. It was when Elizabeth was six months pregnant with John that the Virgin Mary conceived Jesus Christ. Elizabeth, Mother Mary’s cousin, was informed of the happy news, causing the child in Elizabeth’s womb to “leap” for joy. Christians consider this St. John the Baptist’s first act of Prophecy.

St. John’s Day is one of the oldest festivals celebrated by Christians. It is celebrated six months before Christmas and is one of the principle festivals of the Christian religion. Like Christmas, this day is marked with three masses; first a vigil, second a dawn mass, and finally another at midday.

The day on which St. John the Baptist was born is also celebrated as the midsummer festival in many countries. Midsummer is the period centered on the summer solstice. Summer solstice is the time when the day is longest in the northern hemisphere and shortest in the southern hemisphere. Originally a pagan festival, celebrations for the midsummer festival date back to the pre-Christian era.

St. John’s Day Traditions, Customs and Activities

St. John’s Day is celebrated as a public holiday in some countries with customs varying from location to location. Typical customs may include the gathering of the perennial herb St. John’s Wort for medicinal, religious, or spiritual use. The collection of flowers for floral wreaths is popular. The wreaths are dried and hung in the house all year until the next St. John’s Day.

Fires are still important to many commemorators, used to represent Christ’s one brilliant light. While communal bonfires were traditional, many resort to small fires in the home that burn past midnight.

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The Feast of Corpus Christi Is Celebrated by People Around the World

Noel — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 10:00:40 +0000

The Feast of Corpus Christi Date: June 3

The Feast of Corpus Christi is a Western Catholic feast in many parts of the world.

According to the Bible, Jesus Christ was said to have given a “Last Supper” to his disciples before he was crucified. Eucharist is a Christian sacrament to commemorate this Last Supper. The sacrament is a rite in the religion of Christianity in which God is uniquely active.

Corpus Christi day is a moveable feast that is celebrated in honor of the Eucharist. No festivals may be celebrated on the Holy Week; hence, Corpus Christi is typically celebrated on the first Thursday after Trinity Sunday. In some countries, however, it’s celebrated on the first Sunday after Holy Trinity.

History of the Feast of Corpus Christi

This tradition of a feast in honor of the Holy Eucharist was started mainly due to the efforts of Juliana of Liège. She claimed that she had visions of Christ telling her that a feast should be celebrated in honor of the Holy Eucharist. She conveyed the same to bishops Hugh of St-Cher, Jacques Pantaléon, and Robert de Thorete. However, they were only successful in conducting this feast in their dioceses.

In 1264, Pope Urban IV gave a papal decree to celebrate this festival in the Roman Catholic Church. The pope however died soon after he gave the decree, and the decree wasn’t officially brought to all of the churches. It was only after pope Clement IV took matters into his hands and made the feast mandatory in 1311 did the festival become widespread.

The feast is known by another name, the “Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ”. The festival spread to the New World as well and was later adopted by the Church of England. The festival was dubbed as “The Day of Thanksgiving for the Institution of Holy Communion”. This festival is celebrated by orthodox churches also.

The Feast of Corpus Christi Traditions, Customs and Activities

The celebrations on this day usually involve a procession of the sacred host, the wafer that has been consecrated during the Mass. This is taken outdoors and displayed to the public. The host is kept on a monstrance and is protected from the sun by a canopy. This procession is taken across town, and people gather and pay their respects. This practice is usually carried out by the local church.

The late Pope John Paul II organized a procession from the Vatican to the people in the city of Rome. This set an example for churches all over the world to do similar processions. However, events and celebrations tend to differ from country to country, or even from church to church.

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Pentecost

Noel — Mon, 30 May 2011 17:32:49 +0000

Pentecost Date: May 31

Pentecost is observed throughout Europe and South America.

The Pentecost is one of the most important days on the Christian calendar, deriving its name from the ancient greek language, meaning fiftieth day. Also known as the feast of weeks, Pentecost falls on the fiftieth day after Easter which falls on the 31st of May for Western Christians and June the 7th this year for Eastern. The East and West calculate Easter differently which is still disputed by some so the festival dates are always different. This important day marks the giving of the ten Commandments.

Pentecost History

Ten Commandments, authored by God, were given to Moses on Mount Sinai. It also commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and other followers of Jesus. Christians believe the Holy Spirit leads people to faith in Jesus and thus enables them to lead a Christian lifestyle. The apostles were missionaries among the leaders of the early church. Chosen by Jesus these 12 disciples were to deliver special missions. Pentecost was also but much later celebrated by King Arthur who gathered his knights around the round table for a feast and a quest on Pentecost.

Pentecost Tradition and Activities

The Christian people celebrate the Pentecost festival by decorating their churches in red and white, red being the colour of flames meaning warmth, energy, excitement and power, and white for goodness. Others look at red as a symbol of the Holy Spirit and white being the colour of baptism, marking this day as White Sunday, later to become Whit Sunday. This festival day is still a popular date for baptism, and other celebrations like confirmations. The church reads bible readings and sermons for the Christian worshippers to celebrate the life of Jesus.Worshippers use Pentecost as a time for excitement, energy, movement, birth, fresh air and fresh commitment.

Pentecost Traditions and Activities

Many Christian people open their windows to let the fresh air in and circulate. Doves are also a symbol of of the Holy Spirit and many use these to decorate windows. This festival also sees the Christian people wearing red and white clothing or accessories and eating food in contrast with rich colouring and taste like pasta with spicy sausage and tomato sauce or mexican food. During the Pentecost dinner candles are lit for each individual person who is around the table.

Pentecost also known as:

Whit Sunday
Descent of the Holy Spirit
Christian Lifestyle

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