Pentecost Sunday

For one day only, we have gone red for Pentecost.  Tomorrow it's back to Ordinary Time.  I speak the strange language of liturgy here, in which I am not really fluent, being a humble Baptist in origin.  I think that green is the correct colour for Ordinary Time.  Doubtless some pedant or other will post a comment if I am wrong.*

Pentecost used to be called Whitsuntide.  Nobody calls it that any more.  It's gone the way of Mothering Sunday.  I presume 'Whit' meant 'white', and was something to do with the robes worn by baptismal candidates, back in the days of the desert fathers, or some such.  But these days the colour is red.  Red for the tongues of fire which descended on the disciples from heaven with the sound of a mighty rushing wind.  That's what Pentecost is about: the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the birthday of the church.  In case you were wondering.

Why isn't it a Bank Holiday?  Surely we used to have Whitsun Bank Holiday?  This year Easter was late, therefore Pentecost is late; so the festival has become detached from its holiday by a couple of weeks.  Still, we have enjoyed our traditional English glorious Bank Holiday weather, regardless.

* the correct wording for complaints in cathedral circles is: 'I was saddened and disappointed, though not surprised, to read...'