PENTECOST (Gr. pentecoste, fiftieth) was the name given to the feast among the Jews, held on the fiftieth day after the passover, in celebration of the "ingathering," and in thanksgiving for the harvest. See FESTIVALS. From the Jewish use it was introduced into the Christian, and with special solemnity, as being the day of the descent of the Ghost on the apostles, and of time first solenin preaching of the Christian religion. From early times, pentecost has been regarded as one of the great festivals of the Chris tian year, and it was chosen as one of the times for the solemn administration of bap tism; mid the English name of the festival, is derived from the white robes in which the newly-baptized were clad. It is regarded as specially sacred to the third person of the blessed Trinity, to whose honor the services of the day are directly addressed. Many curious usage4 were anciently connected with the celebration. The
dove, being held as an emblem of the Holy Ghost in some churches, a figure of a dove, suspended bya cord from the ceiling, was lowered so as to alight on the high altar durihg the service. In others, figures of cloven tongues, or red rose-leaves were similarly intro duced. The latter practice is said to be still retained at Messina, but in general these scenical representations have been discontinued. In some places, however, in the east as well as in the west, the practice prevails of decorating the churches with evergreens and flowers, as is done in England at Christmas. The whole time intervening between easter and pentecost is celebrated in the Roman Catholic church with special solemnity, and with some peculiar usages, and of this something is retained in the church of England.