Pentecost Monday: May 23
Orthodox Pentecost Monday is a religious observance for Orthodox Christians all over the world.
Pentecost Monday, sometimes known as Monday of the Holy Spirit, is celebrated after Pentecost Sunday, the first day of the afterfeast of Pentecost. Pentecost is one of the twelve Great Feasts for Orthodox Christians and it is celebrated 50 days after Pascha; therefore, the date is movable. It is a day to celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit, symbolically portrayed as tongues of fire on the Apostles, and it marks the birth of the Christian Church.
History of Orthodox Pentecost Monday
Even if Pentecost is the privileged feast of the Holy Spirit, the afterfeast and Pentecost Monday stress the importance of the Holy Spirit and its participation in equality as one of the three persons from the Holy Trinity. The importance given to this Monday of the Holy Spirit increased in times when there were wrong ideas being taught about the Holy Spirit and its nature, as if the Holy Spirit was not one with God, not God himself, as he is in the Father and in the Son.
In the New Testament there are many manifestations of the Holy Spirit. During the passage of Pentecost when the apostles took refuge in the Upper Room where they had the Last Supper with Jesus, before his entrance in Jerusalem and death on the cross, they suddenly saw tongues of fire descend upon them. As they left the room they spoke in foreign toungues, considered to be gifts from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was, and is itself, the promised gift from Jesus, the one that would come as the comforter after his death. After the Resurrection of Jesus, the Orthodox Church’s Pentecost is second in importance alongside eleven other Great Feasts that include the nativity of Jesus, baptism of Jesus, and the ascension and transfiguration.
Orthodox Pentecost Monday Traditions, Customs and Activities
Pentecost Monday is celebrated religiously in the same way as Pentecost. It is the continuation of the celebration of the feast of Pentecost, and it is the first day of the afterfeast of Pentecost. During the entire week after Pentecost, fasting isn’t permitted. In England the day is known as Whit Monday, and it is tradition to organize throwing competitions. The famous cheese rolling in Gloucestershire is another organized event during this time.
t is also common in many countries to organize parades with the participation of clergy, bands, and local politicians. These parades are just the beginning of the celebrations that include food, dancing, and several competitions. In France it is a national holiday. The government has recently tried to remove the holiday, but when it did, millions of French just stayed at home and caused chaos all over the country. Now Pentecost Monday is again a public holiday in France.
Other interesting posts:
- Orthodox Christians Celebrate Orthodox Easter Monday
- Whit Monday Celebrated by Christians Around the Globe
- Orthodox Christians Celebrate Orthodox Clean Monday
- Orthodox Christmas Celebrated by Orthodox Christians
- Orthodox Ash Wednesday Observed by Western Rite Orthodox Christians
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