Did you know? (Sunday, May 19, 2024)

“Pentecost” means “the fiftieth day.” It is used in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. In the OT it refers to a feast of seven weeks known as the Feast of Weeks. The term is used in the NT to refer to the coming of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1), shortly after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension. Christians came to understand the meaning of Pentecost in terms of the gift of the Spirit. The Pentecost event was the fulfilment of a promise which Jesus gave concerning the return of the Holy Spirit. The speaking in tongues, which was a major effect of having received the Spirit, is interpreted by some to symbolize the church’s worldwide preaching. In the Christian tradition, Pentecost is now the seventh Sunday after Easter. The liturgical colour for the feast is red.