Whitsuntide

The Book of Common Prayer calls yesterday 'Whit Sunday' and today 'Monday in Whitsun' or 'Whit Monday'. More contemporary lectionaries mark yesterday as 'Pentecost' and return to 'Ordinary Time' today.

Whit Sunday
Whit Sunday is a favourite day for baptism. It is thought that because people are often baptised dressed in white, Whit Sunday was probably originally known as 'White Sunday'.

Whisuntide is the week following Whitsunday, which is always the seventh sunday after Easter Sunday.

Whit Monday
Whit Monday in England, Wales and Northern Ireland used to fall anywhere between 11 May and 14 June, as it was the Monday after Whit Sunday. In 1971,Whit Monday was formally replaced by a fixed spring bank holiday on the last Monday in May.

Whit Walks
Christians in some towns and cities have traditionally taken part in Whit Walks. Whitsun was the time for walks and processions. The traditional "Procession of Witness" has long been celebrated throughout the North West.

This is how I remember Whitsuntide in my childhood and youth in South Yorkshire. Whitsuntide meant new Sunday clothes and the Procession of Witness with decorated waggons and banners on Whit Monday. The Colliery Band provided music and we all finished up in the park where there would be singing and speeches at the bandstand followed by a picnic and games. It was one of the highlights of our year. First you road on a waggon, then walked in procession, and eventually graduated to assisting with the carrying of the banner.