Pentecost is a Catholic celebration.
Pentecost is a term that comes from the Latin Pentecost , although its more remote origins take us to a Greek word that can be translated as "fiftieth." The concept is used to name the holiday celebrated by the Catholic Church on the fiftieth day following Easter , which falls between May 10 and June 13 . This festival is dedicated to the Coming of the Holy Spirit .
Pentecost is also the holiday that the Jews instituted in memory of the law that God gave on Mount Sinai , which was celebrated fifty days after the Passover of the Lamb .
This Jewish holiday, called Shavuot , commemorates the giving of the commandments to the people of Israel . This led to the Christian liturgy, which is among the most important holidays of this religion , behind Easter and Christmas .
Pentecost in Christianity
In the Christian case, Pentecost is the celebration that ends the Easter season. This occasion allows us to celebrate the arrival of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the activity of the Church .
Certain books of the Bible attribute miraculous characteristics to the Holy Spirit , who provides courage and drives understanding. Some Orthodox Churches celebrate, along with Pentecost , the feast of the Holy Trinity or the Three Divine Persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit).
Germany, Belgium, France, Holland, Norway y Swiss son algunos de los países donde el día siguiente a Pentecost es festivo. Esto también ocurre en varias comunidades autónomas de Spain, como en Catalonia.
The festival of Pentecost is associated with the arrival of the Holy Spirit.
Differences with Judaism
According to Christian belief, the day the Holy Spirit (third person of the Holy Trinity) rested on the apostles, they were completely transformed: they went from staying in the shadows for fear of being murdered to being seen in full light. of the day preaching the teachings received from the mouth of Jesus. As the Bible describes it, that day leagues of fire descended on them that illuminated them deeply, giving them the gift of sharing what they knew and felt without any type of barrier: it is believed that they could speak multiple languages and understand each other perfectly with anyone.
This solemnity belongs to one of the mobile festivals of the Church ; This means that it does not have a specific day on the calendar but rather celebrates on a variable date depending on the current liturgical year .
In the case of the Jewish religion, Pentecost is also called Shavuot and has a religious meaning and another linked to nature and the world of agriculture: it is a date that is celebrated at the time of year in which ancient crops were harvested. the fruits. This explanation has led to this day being known for many years as the day of the Feast of First Fruits ; For a long time the first crops were taken as an offering to God to the Temple of Jerusalem, in this way the farmers were grateful for the rains and God's providence to take care of them and their work.
In this case the festival consists of two non-working days dedicated exclusively to meditation and getting closer to God . During the first night the devotees gather at the temple and stay awake all night studying the Torah. In the most orthodox communities (Sephardic and Hasidic) a text from the Tanakh is recited in public. The rest of the faithful can read some texts from the Talmud and Halakha in the seclusion of their home. All of these are sacred texts that belong to the Jewish liturgy and that to a greater or lesser extent, depending on the degree of devotion of each religious, must be strictly followed and respected as an immovable truth.