What is Pentecost?
Key takeaways
- People new to Germany are often surprised by the number of public holidays in the spring.
- As Reverend Aljona Hofmann, a pastor at Berlin's Protestant Gethsemane Church, explains: "The disciples were a bit lost after the death and resurrection of Jesus and then after the Ascension.
- That strength inspired them to talk to others about what they had experienced.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
People new to Germany are often surprised by the number of public holidays in the spring. Pentecost is one of them, but its significance is not well known.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Dyp JA white dove symbolizes the Holy Spirit in Christian tradition Image: Fred de Noyelle/Godong/picture alliance Advertisement In Germany, spring is dotted with public holidays with their origins in Christian tradition: Good Friday and Easter, which celebrate the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ; Ascension, commemorating the Christ's ascent into heaven; and Pentecost, considered the birthday of the Christian Church.
Also known as Whitsun or Trinity Sunday by some religious traditions, it marks when the Holy Spirit is believed to have descended upon the Apostles of Jesus, Mary and other followers of Christ, 50 days after Easter — hence the name, which comes from a Hellenistic Greek word meaning "fiftieth." Though the holiday is important for Christians, it has its roots in Judaism.