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| "Pentecost" by Juan Bautista Maino |
History
Pentecost is celebrated on the 50th day after
Easter. It’s also called Whitsun or Whitsunday in England, probably because it
was the traditional day for new Christians to wear white clothing and be
baptized at church. Pentecost is also considered to be the birthday of the
Church, because when the Apostles were gathered on this day, the Holy Spirit
rushed in like a mighty wind, leaving “tongues of fire” over each person’s
head, and suddenly they were all given the gifts they needed to tell people
about Jesus. It’s also the Jewish feast of Shavuot, celebrating the gifts of
the Ten Commandments to Moses at Sinai.
Activity
Your day should be filled with activities, because this is a
very important feast day! Make sure you go to Mass, of course, but for the rest
of your day, here’s a list of things – choose whatever works best for your
family.
1. Wear red clothing (red is the color of the Holy Spirit).
2. Read about the original Pentecost in your Bible – Acts 2.
3. Eat white foods (a Whitsunday tradition). How about some
powdered sugar donuts after Mass, mozzarella cheese sticks for a snack, cauliflower
for your side dish and supper and so on. Catholic Cuisine has more suggestions here.
4. Make a birthday
cake! A white cake with some sort of red
representing the tongues of fire is traditional. Here’s a recipe for strawberry cake.
5. If the weather cooperates, fly kites – remembering the
mighty wind that announced the arrival of the Holy Spirit.
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