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 Fifty days or seven weeks after the feast of Passover is Pentecost or Shavuoth and it is an ancient harvest festival. It is also called the day of First Fruits, and is celebrated on the sixth day of the Hebrew month Sivan (June- July). The name "Pentecost" comes from the Greek word Pentékosté (fiftieth [day]), since Shavuot occurs 50 days after Passover. According to Church tradition, Pentecost is always celebrated seven weeks after Easter Sunday. It falls in mid-spring in the Northern Hemisphere and mid-Autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.
It marks the birth of Christian Church. The festival also commemorates the events on Mount Sinai, when Moses received the Ten Commandments from God. The day is accordingly known as the festival of the giving of the Torah (teachings or instructions). The synagogues are decorated with the greenery to stress the harvest origin of the festival. The Book of Ruth is read during the religious services. In homes, dairy food is customarily eaten. It begins with the offering of the barley during Passover and ended with the offering of the wheat at Shavuot. This feast provides closure for the festival activities during and following the holiday of Passover.
(Last Updated on : 22-12-2008)
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