Whitsun - also Whitsunday, Whit Sunday or Whit

Traminer

Traminer

Markgraf von Baden-Baden
Dec 28, 2014
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#1
Whitsun - also Whitsunday, Whit Sunday or Whit


Is this a holiday in your country?

Whitsun (also Whitsunday, Whit Sunday or Whit) is the name used in the UK and Ireland for the Christian festival of Pentecost, the seventh Sunday after Easter, which commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Christ's disciples (Acts of the Apostles chapter 2).
In England it took on some characteristics of Beltane, which originated from the pagan celebration of Summer's Day, the beginning of the summer half-year, in Europe.
Whitsuntide, the week following Whitsunday, was one of three vacation weeks for the medieval villein; on most manors he was free from service on the lord's demesne this week, which marked a pause in the agricultural year. Whit Monday, the day after Whitsun, remained a holiday in the UK until 1971 when the movable holiday was replaced with the fixed Spring Bank Holiday in late May.
Whit was the occasion for varied forms of celebration. In the North West of England, church and chapel parades called Whit Walks still take place at this time (sometimes on Whit Friday, the Friday after Whitsun).
Typically, the parades include brass bands and choirs; girls attending are dressed in white. Traditionally, Whit fairs (sometimes called Whitsun ales) took place.
Other customs such as morris dancing are associated with Whit, although in many cases they have been transferred to the Spring Bank Holiday.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitsun




From what I know - many English nowadays have only a very vage idea what Whitsun is all about.
Same in Germany :biggrin:


But here it is a so-called double holiday, like Christmas and Easter.


Whit Monday is a public holiday - like Easter Monday.
 
#2
Whit Sunday - like Easter Sunday, is a holiday that depends on the moon. :smile:


This year Whit Sunday is on the 24th of May.


Und today in a few weeks we have Whit Saturday - if there is such a thing.
 
#3
How Whit Sunday is celebrated somewher in Gloucestershire:


St Briavels, Gloucestershire on Whit Sunday Evening
On Whit Sunday evening at St Briavel's Church in the Forest of Dean, two people standing on the high church wall throw bread and cheese from baskets to members of the congregation leaving after evensong. Local legend claims that the 'scramble' in some way commemorates the rights bestowed on the villagers by King John, allowing them to graze their animals and collect wood on a thousand acres of land known as the Hunnalls.




According to tradition these rights were won by the Countess of Hereford, who followed the example of Lady Godiva by riding naked through the village.
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http://www.projectbritain.com/curious/breadandcheese/index.htm
 
#12
Hawaii, USA... This is the first time I've ever heard of this, and I was raised Catholic. Interesting what sticks, culturally, in different areas of the world.
 
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