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Pentecost (Ancient Greek pe?t???st? [?µ??a], pentekoste [hemera], "the fiftieth day") is one of the prominent feasts in the Christian liturgical year, celebrated the 49th day (7 weeks) after Easter Sunday—or the 50th day, inclusively, whence its name is derived from the Greek. Pentecost falls on the tenth day after Ascension Thursday. Historically and symbolically related to the Jewish harvest festival of Shavuot or the day, fifty days after the Exodus, on which God gave the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai. In the New Testment times, Pentecost now commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus as described in the Book of Acts, Chapter 2. Pentecost is also called Whitsun, Whitsunday, or Whit Sunday, especially in the United Kingdom. The New Testament records that many Christian converts experienced the same extraordinary gifts. The modern Pentecostal and charismatic movements believe that these gifts are still given today when Christians are baptized in the Holy Spirit in a personal Pentecost. Such Christians believe that when they 'speak in tongues' (practise glossolalia) they are engaging in the same activity as at Pentecost. The phrase "a rushing mighty wind" is almost a literal translation of the Hebrew word ruah, meaning in Hebrew texts the Spirit of God. The Book of Acts goes on to describe how the apostles spoke in languages they had not learned (xenoglossy). While visitors to Jerusalem from around the Roman Empire understood the languages spoken, some misunderstood and thought that the apostles were drunk. According to the Book of Acts, the experience of the Pentecost was noticed by all in the large crowd, causing confusion and awe.
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