About Pentecost

Pentecost is the third of the major Christian holidays and takes place 49 days after Easter, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus. It falls on the 50th day after Easter or on the seventh Sunday after Easter.

The name Pentecost comes from the Greek word “pentēkostē”, meaning fiftieth. Pentecost is often considered the birthday of the Christian Church, as it was during Pentecost that the Holy Spirit came to the disciples, giving them strength and the ability to spread the message of Jesus.

Pentecost is sometimes referred to as the “unknown holiday”, as it is less widely celebrated than Easter and Christmas. There have even been discussions in Norway about reducing the holiday period. In 1993, the Brundtland government proposed making Whit Monday (the second day of Pentecost) a regular working day instead of a public holiday. However, the proposal did not gain support in the Norwegian Parliament.