Jesus had announced it at the time of the last Cène which took place its day before Passion (the Banquet Pascal is commemorated the day known as of the Maundy Thursday). This festival is the heiress of the Jewish holiday of Chavouot, or celebrates Weeks or celebrates First steps.

Its setting-up marks the beginning of the expansion of the Christianisme in Palestine, Asia and in the basin méditérannéen. This festival is called the birth of the Church .

Origins of the festival

In New Testament

According to the Gospel according to holy Jean, in the Speech of the Cène (chapter 14, v. 15 to 31: the the Holy Spirit that the Père will send), (Jn, 15,16), Jesus announces that it will send the the Holy Spirit, that it calls the " Paraclet " (the Defender): “I told you these things while I remained near you; the Paraclet, the the Holy Spirit that the Père will send on my behalf, will teach you all things and will make you ressouvenir of all that I said to you. ” (the Bible, oecumenical Translation, full text, the Book of pocket, 1979).

The Gospel according to holy Jean is the only one to evoke the advertisement of the sending of the the Holy Spirit by the Père during the Cène (Speech of Cène). The synoptic Gospels refer to the Holy Spirit only after the Résurrection.

The first disciples accepted the the Holy Spirit in the Cénacle of Jerusalem ten days after the Ascension of Jesus: tongues of fire were posed on each one of them (see Acts of the Apostles, ac 2,2-3).

In the Hebraic Bible

In the Jewish calendar, Chavouot falls the “fiftieth day” after the festival from Pessa' H. Pessa' H (in Hebrew: פסח, i.e. “It passed over”) or Jewish Passover, is a festival instituted in the Hebraic Bible. This one 7 days duration religious commemoration (8 days apart from Israel) proceeds of the 14 to the 22 of the Hebrew month of Nissan (enters mid-March and mid-April), in remembering the Exodus and the release of the Hebrews slaves in Egypt. Pessa' H belongs to the three festivals of pilgrimage on the occasion of which the Jews went to the Temple of Jerusalem. Since the destruction of the Temple, Pessa' H remained a family and merry festival.

The Hebraic Bible Hebrew]] with the Mount the Sinai, fifty days after the left Egypt.

Commemorations

Sunday of Pentecost

Pentecost is celebrated the seventh Sunday after Easter. The date of Pentecost is variable since the 50 days are deducted as from Easter, itself a movable Feast (i.e. whose date varies from one year to another); Sunday for this year or Sunday in.

Since always Pentecost is a specific occasion for the catholics to commemorate the the Holy Spirit, third nobody of the Holy Trinity. Since the Vatican II which gave to the honor the worship returned to this divine person, this festival gives sometimes place to particularly festive celebrations, in particular within the charismatic communities which refer much to the action of the Holy Ghost.

Whit Monday

Until the council the Vatican II, the Whit Monday was a festival of obligation during which the Catholic church was addressed to new baptized and confirmed. Since this date, the Whit Monday is not solemnized any more. It takes place on variable date; for this year or in. (shortly after Sundays of Pentecost.)

Bank holiday in certain countries

The Whit Monday is currently Bank holiday in Germany, in England, Austria, Belgium, Hungary, with the Luxembourg, the Netherlands, in Suisse, Norway, with the Denmark, in Iceland, with Madagascar and in Greece. It is not it any more in France since 2004. In Sweden, it has not been it any more for 2005, year when on June 6th (national festival Swedish) became non-working.

But it is it in countries however of tradition catholic like the Italy, the Ireland, the Poland, the Spain, the Canada, the Portugal, neither with the Cameroun, nor in the orthodoxe countries of tradition like the Russia.

Day “of solidarity” in France

See also: Day of solidarity towards the elderly

In France, the shortly after Pentecost, called simply “Whit Monday”, remained simple a Bank holiday (law of the March 8th 1886) without another characteristic until in 2004. In 2004, it is one bank holiday not been unemployed in many companies. See “Day of solidarity towards the elderly” for more details.

Commercial exploitation

The “Veau of Pentecost” is an promotional operation of the meat of calf carried out by the French Confederation of butchery, born in the Années 1990 and taken again each year. This operation Marketing is independent of the Christian festival which does not give any specific food instruction for this day.

Internal bonds

Be-X-old: Тройца (сьвята) Nds-nl: Pinkster

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