Whitsunday (also Whitsun or Whit Sunday) is the name Anglicans use for the Christian High Holy Day of Pentecost. It is the seventh Sunday after Easter, commemorating the Holy Spirit’s descent upon Christ’s disciples (as described in Acts 2). In England, Whitsunday took on some characteristics of Beltane, a pagan celebration that marked the beginning of the summer half-year in Europe. This connection is not due to shared religious significance, but rather the timing of the two events. Whitsuntide, the week following Whitsunday, was one of three holiday 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 Britain until 1971.

In the North West of England, the spirit of Whitsunday is not just a religious observance, but a vibrant cultural celebration. It is kept alive through church and chapel parades known as whit walks , which still take place at this time, sometimes on Whit Friday, the Friday after Whitsun. These parades, often accompanied by brass bands and choirs, see girls dressed in white, adding a touch of purity to the festivities. Traditionally, Whit fairs, also known as Whitsun ales, were a part of the celebration. Other customs, such as Morris dancing, were also associated with Whitsun, adding a lively and cultural aspect to the holiday.

The term ‘Whitsunday’ is not just a name, but a linguistic journey that reflects the evolution of the feast. It is a contraction of ‘White Sunday’, as attested in ‘the Holy Ghost, whom thou didst send on Whit-Sunday’ in the Old English homilies, and parallel to the mention of ‘hwitmonedei’ in the early 13th-century Ancrene Riwle.  Linguist Walter William Skeat noted that the Anglo-Saxon word also appears in Icelandic’ hvitasunnu-dagr ‘, but in English, the feast was called Pentecoste until after the Norman Conquest, when ‘white’ (hwitte) began to be confused with ‘wit’ or understanding, leading to the term ‘Whitsunday ‘.

According to one interpretation, the name derives from the white garments worn by catechumens, those expecting to be baptized on that Sunday. Moreover, in England white vestments, rather than the more usual red, were traditional for the day and its octave. A different tradition is that of the young women of the parish all coming to church or chapel in new white dresses on that day. Although “white” was the tradional color, the praish uses red to denote the descending of the Holy Spirit “like tongues of fire” upon the disciples.  Red is also the color used for ordinations as well as Feast Days for martyred Saints of the Church.

Pentecost is the 50th and last day of Easter, counting first and last. The word is used interchangeably in the Anglican World with Whitsunday.  Like the first day, Easter Day, it is a Sunday, the seventh Sunday. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and is regarded as the official ‘Birthday’ of the Church. This is because it marks the day when the Holy Spirit empowered the Apostles to spread the teachings of Jesus, effectively establishing the early Christian community. Understanding this significance helps to deepen our appreciation for the role of Pentecost in the Christian faith.