Biblical festival explained simply Pentecost - why is it a public holiday again?

Pentecost is considered the birthday of the church - the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Jesus is celebrated. But what exactly is behind this Christian festival, which takes place on a different date every year?

The Bible study was several years ago and you no longer know why Pentecost is a public holiday in many cantons? blue News explains the background.

Alongside Christmas and Easter, Pentecost is one of the three most important festivals for Christians. It is celebrated 50 days after Easter - hence the name: "Pentecost" comes from the Greek pentēkostē, which means "the fiftieth".

According to the Bible, the Holy Spirit was poured out on Jesus' disciples on this day. They began to speak in foreign languages - a miracle, say believers. It was the moment when the disciples went out to take the message of Jesus to the world. That is why Pentecost is considered the birth of the church.

Pentecost is a so-called floating holiday - just like Easter. This is due to the lunar calendar. Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon in spring. Pentecost then follows seven weeks later (49 days later).

Therefore, Pentecost Sunday can be on May 10 at the earliest and June 13 at the latest. In 2025, it will fall on June 8.

The disciples of Jesus were gathered in Jerusalem, actually for the Jewish weekly festival of Shavuot. Suddenly, according to the Acts of the Apostles, Jesus came down from heaven "in the form of a dove".

Then tongues of fire appeared and fell on the disciples. They began to speak in other languages - and everyone present understood them, regardless of which country they came from.

This so-called miracle of Pentecost is interpreted as a sign: the Church was born, the message of Christ was destined for all nations.

Yes, but not the same everywhere. Whit Monday is a public holiday in most cantons - for example in Zurich, Bern, Basel, the whole of eastern Switzerland and western Switzerland. In other cantons, it depends on the municipality or employer.

Whitsunday is basically a Sunday and therefore already a day off work, but only in a few cantons is it an official public holiday.

Very much so: Pentecost marks the end of the Easter period. This begins with Good Friday - the death of Jesus - and extends through Easter and Ascension Sunday to Pentecost Sunday.

While Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus, Pentecost commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples - the beginning of their worldwide proclamation and the actual start of the church.

Pentecost and the Jewish festival of Shavuot do not always fall on the same day, but they do have a connection in terms of content: Shavuot commemorates the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai - a central moment of divine revelation in Judaism.

The Acts of the Apostles tell us that the miracle of Pentecost took place during the Shavuot festival. Christians therefore interpret Pentecost as the fulfillment of an Old Testament promise.

Muslims do not celebrate Pentecost. It has no significance in Islam, as it refers to an event that is only described in the New Testament: the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Jesus. In Islam, Jesus (Isa) is considered an important prophet, but not the Son of God. The concept of the Holy Spirit is also understood differently in Islam.

In Switzerland, Pentecost is more of a quiet festival - large parades or rituals are rare. It's different in Germany, for example, where there was (and still is) the Pentecost ox, which is paraded through the village decorated. Or Pentecost singing, where young men went from house to house collecting food.

In this country, Whitsun is mainly known for the numerous Whitsun camps. The holiday is also popular for excursions, weather permitting. Many people use the long weekend for hikes or family outings.

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