This Sunday, June 9th the Church celebrates Pentecost.

Facts about Pentecost

• Pentecost, pentekoste in Greek, means “fiftieth”.
• The number fifty represents the fulfillment of divine promise (see Luke 24:45-49).
• In Judaism, it’s one of the Seven Set Feasts and Three Great Festivals when males were required to be presented to the Lord. Other names in Judaism: Festival of Weeks, Festival of Harvest, Festival of First Fruits, Shavu’ot.
• In Christianity, it’s the fiftieth day after Easter Sunday and Easter’s jubilee.
• Forty days after Jesus resurrected from the dead, He ascended into heaven. Ten days after Jesus ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples on Pentecost (see Acts 2:1-11).
• It’s a solemnity, celebration of great importance in the Catholic Faith, and considered to be the birthday of the Church.
• Antique name: Whitsunday. Those initiated into the Church at the Easter Vigil wore white (whit) for the fifty days of the Easter season, until the solemnity.
• On Pentecost, Saint Peter preached to the Jews in Jerusalem and approximately three thousand were baptized.
• The novena, nine consecutive days of prayer for a specific intention, is from Scripture. After the Ascension, the disciples prayed for nine days in the cenacle — the upper room where the Last Supper took place. On the tenth day, they received the Holy Spirit.
• Common symbols: descending dove, flames, the Blessed Virgin Mary, any symbol of the Church, lighthouse, circle
• Liturgical color, color worn by the priest and in the church: red.
• When one receives the Sacrament of Confirmation, one is sealed with the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, fear of the Lord.

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in them the fire of Your love.

Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created.
And You shall renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray. O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.