Pentecost
Pentecost ( altgr. πεντηκοστή ἡμέρα pentekostē Hemera, fiftieth day ") is a Christian festival. It is celebrated by the faithful sending of the Holy Spirit. Thus, it is 49 days after Easter Sunday, celebrated on the 50th day of the Easter festival circuit.
In the New Testament is told in the book of Acts that the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and disciples, as they to the Jewish festival of Shavuot ( τὴν ἡμέραν τῆς πεντηκοστῆς, on the 50th day ') were gathered in Jerusalem (Acts 2.1 to 41 EU ). This date will be understood in the Christian tradition as a foundation of the Church. As a Christian, Pentecost is first mentioned in the year 130.
Jewish origin
The Christian Pentecost event took place on the Jewish festival of Shavuot according to Acts 2:1 EU. This festival celebrates the revelation of the Torah to the people of Israel and one of the main festivals of Judaism. Shavuot means weeks and has with this name indicate the age of the fiftieth day seven weeks after the Passover. Dates back to the tradition of the Greek name pentekostē, from the German term " Pentecost" has emerged. Shavuot is also a harvest festival, as it marks the completion of beginning with Passover wheat harvest.
Pentecost in the New Testament
In the second chapter of Acts, the experience of the disciples of Jesus at the Feast of Pentecost, the Jewish Shavuot festival in Jerusalem are described:
- When Pentecost had come, there came a sound from heaven, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit:
" And when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire; and it sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. "
- Through the prophet Joel, God had predicted that he will pour out in the last days of his Spirit upon all flesh: and whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved:
" [ ...] That is the thing which was spoken by the prophet Joel [ see Joel 3:1-5 LUT ]: And it shall come in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; and on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy [ ... ] And it shall come to pass. whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved ' "
- After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit was poured out and the whole house of Israel shall know that God has made this Jesus both Lord and Christ:
" This Jesus hath God raised up; whereof we all are witnesses. Since he is now exalted to the right hand of God, and having received the promised holy spirit from the Father, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear [ ... ] Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God, this Jesus whom you you crucified, both Lord and Christ. "
- When Peter was asked what should be done, he said, to have to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, to receive the promise of the Holy Spirit. On the day of Pentecost three thousand people attended his word:
"When they heard this, were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the other apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Is unto you and to your children that promise, and all that are afar off, as many as the Lord our God shall call [ ... ] Those who accepted his word were baptized; and on this day were added about three thousand souls. "
Pentecost as a Christian festival
The Feast of Pentecost is a feast where the - announced by Jesus Christ - Coming of the Holy Spirit is celebrated, and also the solemn conclusion of the Easter season. According to the Christian faith - as Peter took him in his Pentecost sermon expressed - followed by repentance ( Acts 2:38 EU), the baptism in the name of Jesus Christ. The receiving of the Holy Spirit, by laying on of hands, as in Acts 8.15 to 17 EU, or even during the sermon, as in Acts 10.44 EU, happen. In the Gospel according to Luke ( Lk 24:49 EU) states that the Spirit of God will come down as " power from on high ". The Gospel of John (John 20:19-23 EU) describes that the Risen came on the evening of Easter in the midst of his disciples, breathed on them, and with the words "Receive! The Holy Spirit " to them was the Spirit of God. For this reason, Pentecost is also referred to sometimes as the " birthday of the church ".
As a " miracle of Pentecost " refers to the one described in the book of Acts the disciples miraculous ability to speak in other languages and understand other languages. Theologically, this is the mission of the church to appeal to all people regardless of nationality and ethnicity.
For the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church prayer belongs to the coming of the Holy Spirit in Pentecost Novena, the nine days between the Ascension and Pentecost. The Solemnity itself begins with Vespers on the eve and ends with the second Vespers of Pentecost Sunday. For the liturgy belongs Pfingstsequenz Veni Sancte Spiritus ( " Come, Holy Spirit " ), one of five sequences in the church year. The Whit Monday was maintained in some countries as a second holiday and day of the previous octave of Pentecost, but one liturgical actually no longer at Easter time, but since the age of Ordinary Time. In the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite the whole octave of Pentecost is still committed.
Pentecostalism
In Christian charismatic circles the New Testament Pentecost plays an essential role. In particular, in the Pentecostal movement, the personal experience of the work of the Spirit is emphasized.
Whit date
On what date Pentecost falls, depends entirely on the date of Easter. Christianity has the relationship between these parties adopted from Judaism based on the distance of 50 days between Passover and Shavuot. However, as in Christianity the festivals were placed Easter and Pentecost because of the importance of the resurrection day of Jesus on a Sunday, is included in the count of the fifty day of Easter Sunday as the first day. The Whitsunday thus always applies to the period between May 10 and June 13. If Easter falls for example, on 23 March ( as in 2008 ), then Pentecost is celebrated on May 11. Since the introduction of the Gregorian calendar Pentecost only five times fell on 12 June, in the years 1639, 1707, 1791, 1859 and 2011. The same is true for May 10 (earliest date) and June 13 ( latest date ). Here it was for May 10, the 1598, 1693, 1761 and 1818 (next occurrence: 2285 ). The annual figures for 13 June are as follows: 1666, 1734, 1886, 1943 (next occurrence: 2038 ). Even more rarely, namely only twice, the holiday fell on May 12 This happened in 1799 and 1940, and only in the year 2391 it will be that time again.
Customs at Pentecost
In many regions of Pentecost customs exist that are similar to elsewhere known Maibrauchtum, such as the Pentecostal tree planting in the Lüneburg Heath, in Oelde the Pentecostal wreath, in Mecklenburg decorating a Pentecostal oxen, in Frankfurt am Main Wäldchestag, in Halle ( Saale) of garlic Wednesday the billy goat auction in Bad Durkheim, the home Steiner fair in Heiligenstadt or the Pentecostal fair in Menden. In some places the "Birch Plug " is practiced, where in the Pentecostal eight bachelors open to provide their loved ones a birch against the wall.
In the Bergische Land cares for you the Pentecostal singing. Young men or male choirs from house to house, clad in the Pentecost greeting. For this they collect eggs, bacon and other gifts, but also money.
In Austria and parts of Germany is on the night of Pentecost on Pentecost Monday, the balance Eight ( Bosheitsnacht ). Originally evil spirits should be expelled that night, now in the " balance Eight " fellow citizens play pranks, such as the garden bench of the owner is hidden, or his front door is adjusted with flower sticks. These activities are referred to as " Pentecostal stealing". Anything that is not protected by a roof, must be taken and hidden.
In youth work Pentecostal camp are traditionally very popular.
Holiday
Whit Monday is a public holiday in Germany, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, in many parts of Switzerland and also in Hungary. In Germany, business associations demanded its abolition in 2005. All parties represented in parliament, with the exception of the FDP spoke, like the churches and trade unions opposed this proposal.
Only the state of Brandenburg treated explicitly as the Whitsunday holiday ( § 2 section 1 of the Public Holidays Act of the state of Brandenburg). However, this has no practical consequences because of the equality with Sundays.
In Frankfurt am Main until the 1990s was the Wäldchestag, a popular festival in the afternoon of Whit Tuesday, a day off. Elsewhere, too, got up in the 1960s, the workers on Tuesday after Pentecost a day off. In several German federal states is still the Whit Tuesday a vacation day in the schools or the beginning or end of several days of Pentecost.
In 2005, France is the attempt by the Raffarin government to make the Whit Monday for unpaid holiday, by the resistance of the population. A report prepared for the government report, however, came to the conclusion that despite the abolition of the Whit Monday last around 52 per cent of workers had not worked on that day. Schools and public offices were mostly closed. Whit Monday is public holiday since 2008.
In Sweden, the Whit Monday as a public holiday was abolished in 2005. Instead, from the same year, the Swedish National Day, June 6, now also a legal and hence non-working holiday.
In Italy ( with the exception of South Tyrol) Whit Monday as a public holiday was abolished a few years ago. There are attempts to re-introduce the Christian holiday, along with other religious holidays. It is an indication to that bill in the Italian Parliament on ( Senate No. 940; chamber: No 1647 ).