Pentecost 2028: Date, History & Significance

Red — for the fire of the Spirit — is the colour of the day; hymns to the Spirit (Veni Sancte Spiritus, Veni Creator) are sung, and the Easter season ends. Pentecostal and charismatic churches, large and growing in India, keep it as a central feast with prayer for the gifts of the Spirit. It falls on the same day as the Jewish Shavuot, from which it takes its name (Greek pentekoste, 'fiftieth').

By Acts 2, the disciples were together in Jerusalem for the feast of Shavuot when the Spirit came with wind and fire. Peter, who had denied Jesus weeks before, stood and preached to the crowd of pilgrims from many nations, each hearing in their own tongue; about three thousand were baptised that day. From frightened followers in a locked room, the Church became a movement that spread across the world.

Source: The Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles; the liturgical calendar of the Church

Pentecost is among the three great feasts of the ancient Church (with Easter and Christmas); the 'Whit' of Whitsunday refers to the white robes of the newly baptised. It is not a public holiday in India.

• Indian Christian community practice (Latin, Syro-Malabar, Syro-Malankara, CSI, CNI, Orthodox)
• The Roman Missal / liturgical calendars

1. Fifty days after Easter, churches celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit on the apostles, the birthday of the Church.
2. Red vestments are worn, the sequence 'Come, Holy Spirit' is sung, and many parishes hold confirmations.
3. The day closes the Easter season; the paschal candle is moved to the baptistery.

• India-wide Christian communities. A red-vestment festive Mass, hymns to the Holy Spirit, and the close of the Easter season; a central feast for Pentecostal and charismatic churches.

• Parish feast — Many parishes hold a community lunch after the confirmations.

Pentecost falls on Sunday, 4 June 2028. Descent of the Holy Spirit, 50 days after Easter.

at sunrise

Pentecost is dated by The 50th day of Easter — a Sunday (movable); May or June. The movable feasts of the Christian year (Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Easter, Ascension, Pentecost) are all reckoned from Easter, which is the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the spring equinox; the fixed feasts (Christmas, Epiphany, the Annunciation, All Saints and All Souls) keep the same civil date each year.

The date is set by the Hindu lunisolar calendar and shifts against the Gregorian year.