ABSTRACT
Pentecost, meaning "fiftieth" in Greek, is a holiday that takes its name from its calendrical position on the fiftieth day after Easter. Whitsun ale festivals accompanied by "ludicrous gestures and acts of foolery and buffoonery" testify that Pentecost was by no means universally celebrated in a manner consonant with its pious origins. Pentecost, meaning "fiftieth" in Greek, is a holiday that takes its name from its calendrical position on the fiftieth day after Easter. The Essenes considered Pentecost a very important holiday, one on which to celebrate the entrance of new members into the community as well as the renewal of the covenant. In Christianity, as in Judaism, Pentecost is one of the three most important feasts of the year, ranking beside Christmas and Easter. In the early church, Pentecost was the favored time for ordinations and entries of novices into orders and of converts into the faith.
