Whit Monday in United States

Whit Monday follows Pentecost, which commemorates the descent of the Holy Ghost upon Jesus Christ's disciples according to Christian tradition. ©iStockphoto.com/tiburonstudios

What do people do?

Some churches in the United States organize Whit Monday prayer rallies, which include prayers and street marches. Many churches acknowledge Whit Monday as part of Whitsun Week, or Whitsuntide, which includes Whit Sunday, or Pentecost.

Public life

Whit Monday is not a federal holiday in the United States, so most aspects of public life do not differ to any other Monday.

Background

Christian Pentecost commemorates the Holy Spirit’s visit to the apostles who received the “gift of tongues” on the 50th day after Easter.  It also marks the birth of the Christian Church. Although it is not certain when Pentecost was first observed by Christians, it may have been early as the first century. Pentecost occurs roughly seven weeks after Easter Sunday, or 50 days after Easter, including Easter Day. Like Pentecost, Whit Monday is movable because it is determined by the Easter date.

Whit Monday used to be one of the major annual holidays in Pennsylvania Dutch country in the United States. From around 1835 to just after the Civil War, Whit Monday was referred to as the “Dutch Fourth of July” in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where people came to eat, drink and be entertained.

In some Orthodox churches, Whit Monday is observed after the date set by the western churches. This is because some Orthodox churches still observe holidays according to the Julian calendar, which preceded the Gregorian calendar adopted by many western churches. 

Symbols

Whit Monday gets its English name from Whitsunday, or Whit Sunday, which referred to the white garments worn on Pentecost by the newly baptized. The symbols of Pentecost are those of the Holy Spirit and include flames, wind, and a dove.

About Whit Monday in other countries

Whit Monday Observances

Related holidays

• Pentecost–Sunday, May 31, 2009
• Easter Sunday–Sunday, April 12, 2009

Other holidays in June 2009 in United States

• Statehood Day (Monday, June 1, 2009)
• Jefferson Davis Birthday (Monday, June 1, 2009)
• Jefferson Davis Birthday (Wednesday, June 3, 2009)
• International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression (Thursday, June 4, 2009)
• World Environment Day (Friday, June 5, 2009)
• Trinity Sunday (Sunday, June 7, 2009)
• Corpus Christi (Thursday, June 11, 2009)
• Kamehameha Day (Thursday, June 11, 2009)
• Flag Day (Sunday, June 14, 2009)
• Bunker Hill Day (Wednesday, June 17, 2009)
• World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought (Wednesday, June 17, 2009)
• Juneteenth (Friday, June 19, 2009)
• World Refugee Day (Saturday, June 20, 2009)
• West Virginia Day (Saturday, June 20, 2009)
• June Solstice (Sunday, June 21, 2009)
• Father's Day (Sunday, June 21, 2009)
• Public Service Day (Tuesday, June 23, 2009)
• International Day in Support of Victims of Torture (Friday, June 26, 2009)
• International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (Friday, June 26, 2009)

Other calendars

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