Pentecost

Pentecost is the feast commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and the Virgin Mary in Jerusalem, fifty days after Easter. It is regarded as the birthday of the Church — the moment when the Holy Spirit publicly empowered the Apostles to begin the universal mission of the Gospel (CCC 731–732).

What Happened

As recorded in Acts 2:1–11, the disciples were gathered in Jerusalem when suddenly a sound like a rushing wind filled the house and tongues of fire appeared over each of them. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, so that people from many nations heard the Gospel in their own tongue. Peter stood and preached, and three thousand were baptized that day (CCC 1287).

The Fulfillment of Christ's Promise

Before his Ascension, Jesus promised: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8). Pentecost was the fulfillment of that promise — the launch of the Church's universal mission (CCC 730).

The Old Testament Background

Pentecost was already a Jewish feast — the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot) — celebrated fifty days after Passover, commemorating the giving of the Law to Moses at Sinai. The Christian Pentecost, fifty days after the new Passover (Easter), fulfilled the old: the Holy Spirit replaced the Law written on stone with the Law written on the heart (CCC 1094).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the relationship between Pentecost and Confirmation? Through Baptism and Confirmation, the gift of the Holy Spirit given at Pentecost is extended to every member of the Church in every age. Confirmation is the personal Pentecost of each Christian (CCC 1287, 1302).