Discover the Pentecost meaning and origins. Learn about the Holy Spirit, Pentecost Sunday, (June 8, 2025), Whitsunday and the Church’s birth.
What is Pentecost?
Pentecost is recognised by Christians as the birth of the New Covenant Church, and the start of the Church’s mission. The Christian celebration of Pentecost has its roots in Shavuot, a Jewish harvest festival. It was during this time that the Holy Spirit came down to Jesus’ apostles and disciples.
This event was marked by a sound like a violent wind and what seemed like tongues of fire resting on them. The apostles were enabled by the Holy Spirit to speak in different languages. Some people who were looking at this event take place believed they were drunk, but the apostle, Peter, said that they were filled with the Holy Spirit’s presence and power. You’ll find this in Acts 2:2–3.
Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
What is the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit, as a divine person within the Trinity, is God’s active presence guiding believers. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would be with his followers after he went to heaven to be with God, and the Holy Spirit is the third part of the trinity: Father (God), Son (Jesus) and the person of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is referenced throughout the Bible as advocate and comforter, and is believed to be the presence of God that guides Christians today.
Where does Jesus explain the coming of the Holy Spirit in the Bible?
The Holy Spirit as teacher and reminder (John 14:26). Jesus said, ‘But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.’
The Holy Spirit as witness to Jesus (John 15:26). He also spoke of the Spirit testifying about him: ‘When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.’
Jesus’ departure necessary for the Spirit’s arrival (John 16:7). Importantly, Jesus explained why he needed to leave: ‘But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.’
When is Pentecost in 2025?
Pentecost Sunday occurs 50 days after Easter, and this year falls on 8 June 2025.
Learn more about Easter
Read our true meaning of Easter blog to learn about its significance.
What does Pentecost represent?
Pentecost is an important event for many Christians in different ways:
1. The formation of the early church
The Holy Spirit coming down and the events that followed marked the formal beginning of the Christian Church as unified people who believe in Jesus. This shared experience of being filled with the Spirit created a powerful unity among Jesus’ followers. As Acts 2:42–45 says:
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
This new community, born in the Spirit, was the beginning of the Church as we know it.
2. Language barriers were broken down
The presence of people from all different nations in Jerusalem wasn’t accidental. When the Holy Spirit fell upon the apostles, they began speaking in various native languages that those in the crowds could understand. This meant they were able to share the good news of Jesus, or the gospel, into further parts of the world than had been done before.
With the apostles speaking in their native languages, it expressed the Christian message, just as the gospel that was meant to reach all of humanity with different languages and cultures. Acts 2:6–8 says:
When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: ‘Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?’
3. The empowering of apostles
The immediate impact of the Holy Spirit’s arrival was the empowering of the apostles. No longer timid, they were filled with boldness to share the message of Jesus. Immediately after Pentecost, Acts 2:41 tells us,
Those who accepted his message were baptised, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Peter’s sermon, fuelled by the Holy Spirit, directly led to this incredible response, demonstrating the power they received. This was the fulfilment of Jesus’ instruction to wait for the Spirit. As Peter himself declared, quoting the prophet Joel, this was the moment God poured out his Spirit on all flesh (Acts 2:16–21).
The work of the Holy Spirit in today’s society
While the book of Acts vividly portrays the work and outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the story doesn’t end there. Just as the Holy Spirit empowered the apostles, he remains at work within believers, equipping us with spiritual gifts to bless and serve one another, as explored in passages like 1 Corinthians 12–14, Romans 12:6–8 and 1 Peter 4:10–11, all intended to build up and serve the community of believers.
Beyond these gifts, the Holy Spirit cultivates within us the fruits of the spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22–23). This fruit isn’t just about our personal character, but equips us to live out the greatest commandment: to love God and to love our neighbour as ourselves (Matthew 22:36–40).
The Holy Spirit’s presence, like a powerful wind that first came upon the apostles at Pentecost, now fills the hearts of all believers, providing the very power and peace that equips Christians to do what Jesus called the Great Commission – to go and help people become followers of him (Matthew 28:18–20).
What is Whitsunday?
During the early Church in Europe, baptisms became more popular during Pentecost Sunday. Traditionally, people would wear white clothing when they were newly baptised. This was called White Sunday, more commonly known today as Whitsunday.
