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What does Pentecost commemorate in the Christian church year?
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Church year
A church altar decorated with saint icons for All Saints' Day.
Pentecost is a major festival in the Christian church year, celebrated on the Sunday that falls 50 days after Easter. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other disciples following the Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus Christ.12
As recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, this event is considered the inauguration of the church's mission to the world. The outpouring of the Spirit serves as the final seal upon Christ’s redemptive work, signaling the beginning of a new age in which the way to salvation was opened to all peoples. In many Western traditions, the day is marked by the use of red vestments and decorations to symbolize the "tongues of fire" that descended upon the disciples.12