What Is Pentecost 2017? This Year's Pentecost Sunday to Be Observed on June 4

By Amee Florence Payno, Christian Post Contributor Friday, April 07, 2017

Pentecost is a festival observed by members of the Christian faith in celebration of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles of the resurrected Jesus Christ after his ascension into heaven.

As told in Acts 2:1-13, the disciples were afraid after Christ left and ascended into heaven. Hence, they gathered inside a room to pray. While they were in the middle of their prayers, they heard a loud blowing sound and tongues of fire were marked on the heads of each disciple. This miraculous event gave strength and courage to Jesus' disciples to spread the Gospel to different places.

The name of the event originates from the Greek word "pentekoste," which translates to "fiftieth," and is named as such because it takes place 50 days after Easter Sunday, or on the seventh Sunday after Easter.

Since the date of Pentecost is dependent on the date of Easter, its date also changes each year dependent upon Easter's established date for that particular year.

Hence, for 2017, Pentecost will be celebrated on Sunday, June 4.

For Pentecostal Christians, who are considered to be the "most ardent followers of the Holy Spirit," the Pentecost festival is very special because it marks the beginning of Christianity and the start of the Great Commission as detailed in the Bible passage Matthew 18:19-20. This passage mentions the instructions to the apostles to find disciples in other countries.

There are a wide range of Christian celebrations for Pentecost. Most churches at the very least mention it in prayer, song or sermon, while some churches do not observe the holiday at all. There are also churches that go all-out in their celebration, with worship focused on commemorating the first Pentecost and praying for a similar event to happen in the present in order to receive an outpouring of divine power.

Essentially, celebrating the Pentecost reinforces the multilingual, multiracial and multicultural mission of the Church, in which all people live harmoniously in a community that is drawn together by God's love in Christ.