Holy Spirit Monday in Greece
Holy Spirit Monday, known as Agios Pnevmatos, is a national holiday in Greece.
When is Orthodox Pentecost Monday?
Orthodox Pentecost Monday, also known as Holy Spirit Monday, is observed fifty days (approx. seven weeks) after Orthodox Easter.
The date in the Orthodox church will differ from the Western church due to the different methods of calculating the date of Easter.
History of Orthodox Pentecost Monday
It marks the end of the Easter cycle, which began 92 days before with Orthodox Shrove Monday.
Pentecost Sunday commemorates the coming of the Holy Spirit in the form of flames to the Apostles, as recorded in the New Testament in Acts, 2.
The Holy Spirit allowed the apostles to speak in other languages through 'tongues of fire', and they started preaching the word of Jesus to the Jews who come to Jerusalem for the feast of Shavuot (Pentecost), a festival that celebrates of the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai.
Many Christians recognise this day as the birth of the Church for two reasons. Firstly, the descent of the Holy Spirit completed the Trinity - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit - the basis of Christian theology. Secondly, it was the first time that the Apostles had preached to the masses.
The following day, Pentecost Monday is celebrated as a holiday in some East European counties.
Holy Spirit Monday in Greece
In Greek Orthodox churches this is a popular three-day religious celebration. It is a joyous occasion and may be referred to as the second Pascha (Easter).
As this is a legal holiday in Greece, schools and businesses are closed, but shops, restaurants, and cafes remain open. Many people will use the long weekend to leave Athens and other big cities for their islands and villages.
Festivities for Pentecost begin on the Friday or Saturday before the day itself. The Sunday is also known as Trinity Sunday. Public celebrations tend to be local and church related, with many local fairs held on the Saturday. The largest churches in cities, villages and islands hold services and the town centres have the biggest and most colourful festivals.
