Pentecost

Pentecost, which we celebrate on Sunday, marks the conclusion of Easter and the birth 

of the Church.

It commemorates the day when the Holy Spirit descended upon the followers of Christ, when “tongues as of fire” came to rest on each of them.

The Apostles then began speaking various languages, proclaiming the Gospel to Jews who gathered in Jerusalem for the feast. The Apostles began their public ministry following this event, with 3,000 people baptised that very day.

It is one the oldest celebrations in the Church, with Saint Paul noting the importance of the day in the Acts of the Apostles and his Letter to the Corinthians.

In his Pentecost Homily in 2025, Pope Leo XIV drew on the knowledge of both his predecessors.

In his own words, Pope Leo XIV said: “Pentecost renews the Church and the world! May the strong wind of the Spirit come upon us and within us, open the borders of our hearts, grant us the grace of encounter with God, enlarge the horizons of our love and sustain our efforts to build a world in which peace reigns.”