The name of the holiday comes from the Greek word pentecoste, i.e., fiftieth, and its day falls between 10 May and 13 June each year. Originally it was the day to show gratitude for the completed harvest (Sávuot) and later became a feast for Mount Sinai legislature. Although Pentecost is only mentioned as a holiday in the II. century by Christian writers, celebrating it is the same age as the church. As early as 305, a bishop's synod ordered the celebration of the coming of the Holy Spirit. As it is a holiday associated with Easter, it has been a moving holiday since the Council of Nicaea (325 AD).The day of Pentecost, ie the coming of the Holy Spirit and at the same time the founding of the church is celebrated by the Christian world on Sunday, the fiftieth day after Easter. Pentecost is also considered the birthday of the Christian Church. According to the gospel, after the ascension of Christ, the apostles, Mary, and the closest disciples celebrated together: after the preaching of Saint Peter, many were converted and they became the first Christian congregations.

Pentecostal customs

In Hungary, just like in many European countries, Christian and ancient pagan, ancient (Roman) elements are mixed in the celebration of Pentecost. Folk customs are dominated by fertility, the celebration of marriage and their symbolic representation.

Pentecostal king election

The Pentecostal King is chosen from bachelors in skill competitions. It has been a custom in most of Europe since the Middle Ages, equestrian competitions, various skill tests and contests are common. The winner could drink for free at the pub for a year, others obeyed him, and he wore the Pentecostal crown - the term "Pentecostal Kingdom" refers to the short period of his reign.

Pentecostal queen

Originally, four (later several) older girls took around the smallest, most beautiful little girl in the village. She was the queen, over whose head a handkerchief was held or covered with a veil. In the meantime, they sang and at the end they picked her up and said fertility rhymes.  It was part of the Pentecostal tradition that they received a gift at the end of the songs and rhymes. In Transdanubia, this custom of the Pentecostal traditions was later supplemented by fundraising.

Pünkösdölés

Usually, the queen is the leading person in this Pentecostal tradition, but often they marched through the village in pairs with the king, accompanied by dancers, while collecting donations in a basket. This Pentecostal tradition primarily had a fundraising function. The custom is similar to the Pentecostal queen, but it was the Pentecostal tradition that was primarily for fundraising.

Maypole

The Maypole was usually set up by 1 May, with the directions of the courting bachelor.  It is for the bachelors to express their intention that they would like to court the girls, it is a gift of love.As the Pentecostal tradition differs from region to region, in some areas a pole was also set up for the girl’s relatives, which was decorated with colored ribbons, food and drink. Many times, different communities also erected a Maypole, the felling of which was accompanied by a ceremony and a dance party. It is a Pentecostal tradition to pull down the Maypole at Pentecost.

Eating habits

At Pentecost, peasant families also put festive food on the table.  They ate meat less often, but in the countryside where they kept sheep, they ate lamb and mutton stew not only at Easter, but also at Pentecost. Elsewhere, they rather put beef and poultry on the table. Scrambled eggs were attributed a magical effect (eggs are a symbol of fertility) and it was also mandatory to make some sweet cake (braided brioche, cottage cheese pie, poppy seed brioche). In Sárköz, however, they did not bake sweet pastry, but salty brioche, which was smeared with sour cream and pepper. Syrup and tea brewed from the leaves and flowers of elder were attributed a healing effect. 

Pentecost symbols

• peonies: peonies are usually sprinkled in the bathing water to keep them healthy. The bachelors placed a peony in the window of the girl they wanted to court.

• white dove: in many places, white doves were released in the church as a symbol of the Holy Spirit.

• green branch: birch branches, fruit branches, elderberries were placed on houses and stables at Pentecost to keep the harmful, evil spirits away from them.

Beliefs

• whoever is born at the dawn of Pentecost will be lucky.

• there are places where bread crusts were burned, their ashes were sprinkled on the cornfield to have a good and rich harvest.

• according to folklore, if the weather is nice on Pentecost, the wine will be good.

• May rain is worth gold, but Pentecost rain rarely brings good.

• some plants picked at the dawn of Pentecost are used as herbs.

• Pentecost is a weather-forecaster day.

• Pentecostal prohibitions apply to agricultural work and certain household chores, especially baking bread.