In the Bible, Shavuot marked the wheat harvest in the Land of Israel. It occurs on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan in the 21st century, it may fall between May 15 and June 14 on the Gregorian calendar. Shavuot ( listen ⓘ), or Shvues ( listen ⓘ) in some Ashkenazi usage ( Hebrew: שָׁבוּעוֹת, romanized: Šāvūʿōṯ, lit.'Weeks'), commonly known in English as the Feast of Weeks, is one of the biblically-ordained Three Pilgrimage Festivals. In the Jewish Museum of Switzerland's collection. The inscription reads: "Jom Chag Ha Schawuot ha se". Decoration of homes and synagogues with greenery ( Orach Chayim, 494).Ħth day of Sivan (or the Sunday following the 6th day of Sivan in Karaite Judaism)Ĭoloured papercut in mixed technique depicting symbols pertinent to Judaism and nature. Recital of Akdamut liturgical poem in Ashkenazic synagogues. Culmination of the 49 days of the Counting of the Omer.įestive meals. Commemorates the wheat harvesting in the Land of Israel. Celebrates the revelation of the Five Books of the Torah by God to Moses and to the Israelites at Mount Sinai, 49 days (seven weeks) after the Exodus from ancient Egypt. When Peter preached immediately afterwards, around 3,000 people believed and were baptised.Hebrew: שבועות or חג השבועות ( Ḥag HaShavuot or Shavuos) It marks the beginning of Christianity as a purposeful movement and a new community. At Pentecost, this Babel confusion is reversed.ĩ. God confuses their language so they can no longer understand each other. The story links back to one of the earliest of the Old Testament stories, in Genesis 11, when the people begin to build the huge Tower of Babel. The nature of the original experience has been queried, but in Luke's telling of it the point is that it breaks down barriers between people. In John 8:12 he says, "I am the light of the world." The picture in Acts seems to be of a single flame that separates and symbolically rests on each of them the disciples will do what Jesus did. Jesus told his disciples, "You are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14). Tongues of fire separate and come to rest on each of them. The Pentecost wind represents the power of God to bring life to the 'dry bones' of faith. Ezekiel 37 tells the story of the prophet's vision of a valley of dry bones which come together: when the 'breath' of God enters them, they come to life and stand on their feet. A violent wind filled the house: breath or wind is a symbol of the Spirit of God. Luke tells of three distinct experiences. Modern Pentecostals trace their origins to the Azusa Street Revival in 1906 Los Angeles. They stress the possibility of a direct personal experience of God, like the first disciples, which – just as it was then – is often manifested in dramatic ways. Pentecostals are so called because of the emphasis they place on the gifts of the Spirit, particularly speaking in tongues. Modern day Pentecostals emphasise the gifts of the Spirit. One promise is in the Old Testament – Joel 2:28, which says "I will pour out my Spirit on all people", and one in the New, where Jesus says he will send another Counsellor, the Spirit of truth (John 16: 5-15).ĥ. Pentecost is the fulfilment of two promises. Others point out that what the disciples said seems to have been understood by their hearers.Ĥ. Some scholars think he was referring to an experience of 'glossalalia' or speaking in tongues, an ecstatic outpouring of praise in an unknown language. There's debate about speaking in tongues. Another explanation is that it derives from the Anglo-Saxon word 'wit', which we still use for verbal cleverness but which meant 'understanding' – Pentecost was when God poured out the wisdom of the Spirit.ģ. It's believed that this is because it was a day for baptisms and those being baptised would wear white. The word Pentecost has become more common in the UK, but traditionally the Church celebrated it as Whitsun – 'White Sunday'. A representation of Pentecost by Soichi Watanabe. It's traditionally celebrated as Whitsun. It's the 50th day after the Sabbath of Passover week and in Judaism is called the Feast of Weeks (Leviticus 23:16).Ģ. Pentecost is from the Greek word 'Pentekostos', which means 'fifty'. It marks the coming of the Holy Spirit on the disciples and their transformation from frightened and confused people to men who would face martyrdom for what they believed. In modern popular culture it isn't nearly as well known as Christmas or Easter, but for Christians it's profoundly significant. Pentecost is one of the great festivals of the Church.
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