"O SING unto the Lord a new song for he hath done marvellous things." (Psalm 98: 1)
Pentecost is the feast of the universal church that
commemorates the descent of the Holy Ghost on the Apostles
fifty days after the resurrection of Our Lord. The holiday
coincides with the Jewish harvest festival know as Shavuot.
Within the English church, the holiday is known as Whitsuntide due
to the colour of the garments worn by those who were baptized
during the vigil of the feast.
As a Christian celebration, Whitsunday dates back to the first century, and as a result, it is not surprising that there is little early evidence of it. The feast which was originally only one day in duration, and fell on a Sunday; additionally, it was so very tied to Easter that it appears to have not been much more than the end of Paschaltide.
In previous generations civil and ecclesiastical courts did not sit during Whitsuntide, and
servile work was forbidden. In addition, in England the
gentry amused themselves with horse races and Ember day commemorations.
While Whitsun Ales and county merry-makings are almost wholly forgotten
in England, in Italy it is still custom to scatter
rose leaves from the ceiling of the churches to recall
the miracle of the fiery tongues; hence in Sicily and
elsewhere in Italy Pentecost is called Pascha rosatum.
The colour of the vestments worn for the feast
is red, symbolic of the love of the Holy Ghost or of
the tongues of fire.
