Pentecost celebration within the framework of the “new normal”
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Pentecost is a notable Christian holiday, celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter Sunday. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and marks the birth of the Christian Church. Hungarians usually organise family gatherings for the long weekend or visit the country’s open-air baths. Many believers take part in the pilgrimage to the miraculous Virgin Mary statue in Csíksomlyó. This year, the celebration of Pentecost is not going to be the same as usual due to the coronavirus pandemic, but technology provides opportunities for people to adapt to the circumstances.
József Steinbach, Bishop of the Transdanubian Reformed Church District, emphasised that the meaning and the significance of Pentecost have remained the same. On Sunday, believers celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit, and the most important role of the Holy Spirit is to give faith to people.
Since church services are allowed with precautions in Hungary, the bishop informed Infostart that people could attend the Lord’s Supper, but confirmation ceremonies would be postponed to September.
The Hungarian Catholic Bishops’ Conference issued an announcement describing the most important events that are connected to Pentecost: the descent of the Holy Spirit, the founding of the Christian Church, and the beginning of global missionary work. Pentecost is the third largest Christian holiday and the oldest one after Easter.
Masses and church services on Pentecost Sunday
On Sunday at 11:30, Cardinal Péter Erdő, the Archbishop of Esztergom−Budapest, celebrates a Mass in the Basilica in Esztergom, reported Alon. According to the basilica’s website, believers can only attend the Mass in masks, and they have to undergo body temperature measurement. The ceremony can be followed live on the archdiocese’s Facebook page.
Bishop István Bogárdi Szabó, the pastor of the Hungarian Reformed Church’s synod, preaches on Sunday in the Reformed Church in Buda Hill. The recording of the service is uploaded on the congregation’s Youtube channel and Facebook page.
