Pentecost 2027 is Sunday, May 16. It falls 49 days after Easter Sunday, which is March 28, 2027, and marks the day Christians believe the Holy Spirit came to Jesus’s apostles.
The next day, Whit Monday, May 17, 2027, is a public holiday in Germany, France, the Netherlands, and many other countries.
Key takeaways
- Pentecost means “fiftieth” in Greek; counting Easter Sunday as day 1, Pentecost is day 50.
- Eastern Orthodox churches celebrate Pentecost on Sunday, June 20, 2027, five weeks later.
- Pentecost 2027 is early because Easter 2027 is early; it was May 24 in 2026.
- Pentecost is also called Whit Sunday or Whitsun in the UK, Pfingsten in Germany, and Pentecostés in Spanish.
Table of Contents
Pentecost 2027 key facts
| Pentecost (Western churches) | Sunday, May 16, 2027 |
|---|---|
| Whit Monday | Monday, May 17, 2027 |
| Orthodox Pentecost | Sunday, June 20, 2027 |
| Easter Sunday 2027 | March 28 |
| Rule | The seventh Sunday after Easter (49 days later) |
| Commemorates | The Holy Spirit coming to the apostles (Acts 2) |
| Also called | Whit Sunday, Whitsun, Pfingsten, Pentecôte, Pentecostés, Pinksteren |
| Liturgical color | Red in Western churches; green in Orthodox churches |
| Next date | Sunday, June 4, 2028 |
What is Pentecost?
Pentecost is the Christian feast of the Holy Spirit. It recalls the day described in Acts 2 of the Bible. The apostles in Jerusalem heard a sound like a rushing wind, saw what looked like tongues of fire, and began to speak in other languages.
The word comes from the Greek pentēkostē, meaning “fiftieth,” according to Wikipedia. Many Christians call Pentecost the birthday of the Church, because the apostles began preaching that day.
Pentecost is a feast day, not a denomination. Pentecostal churches take their name from it, because they emphasize the gifts of the Holy Spirit described at Pentecost, but nearly all Christian churches celebrate the feast.
How the date of Pentecost is set
Pentecost is always the seventh Sunday after Easter. Counting Easter Sunday as day 1, Pentecost is day 50, which is how it got its name.
Because Easter moves, Pentecost moves too. Western Pentecost can fall between May 10 and June 13. In 2027, Easter is on March 28, one of its earlier dates, so Pentecost comes early as well, on May 16.
Orthodox churches count from Orthodox Easter, which uses the Julian calendar. In 2027, Orthodox Easter is May 2, so Orthodox Pentecost is June 20.
Pentecost dates, 2025–2036
The table gives Western Pentecost, Whit Monday, and Orthodox Pentecost for each year. In some years, the two Pentecosts fall on the same day.
| Year | Pentecost | Whit Monday | Orthodox Pentecost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | June 8 | June 9 | June 8 (same day) |
| 2026 | May 24 | May 25 | May 31 |
| 2027 | May 16 | May 17 | June 20 |
| 2028 | June 4 | June 5 | June 4 (same day) |
| 2029 | May 20 | May 21 | May 27 |
| 2030 | June 9 | June 10 | June 16 |
| 2031 | June 1 | June 2 | June 1 (same day) |
| 2032 | May 16 | May 17 | June 20 |
| 2033 | June 5 | June 6 | June 12 |
| 2034 | May 28 | May 29 | May 28 (same day) |
| 2035 | May 13 | May 14 | June 17 |
| 2036 | June 1 | June 2 | June 8 |
The five-week gap in 2027 between the Western and Orthodox feasts is the widest possible, matched in 2032. In the 12 years shown, the two Pentecosts share a date four times.
Pentecost and the feasts around it in 2027
Pentecost closes the 50-day Easter season. Several other feasts are counted from Easter in the same way.
| Feast | Rule | 2027 date |
|---|---|---|
| Easter Sunday | First Sunday after the spring full moon | Sunday, March 28 |
| Ascension Day | 40th day of Easter (a Thursday) | Thursday, May 6 |
| Pentecost | 50th day of Easter | Sunday, May 16 |
| Whit Monday | Day after Pentecost | Monday, May 17 |
| Trinity Sunday | Sunday after Pentecost | Sunday, May 23 |
| Corpus Christi | Thursday after Trinity Sunday | Thursday, May 27 |
Ascension Day, Whit Monday, and Corpus Christi are public holidays in parts of Europe. In Germany and Austria, all three fall in May 2027, three weeks in a row from May 6 to May 27, by our count.
Is Whit Monday a holiday in 2027?
Whit Monday, May 17, 2027, is a public holiday in 44 countries and territories, according to Office Holidays. They include Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland (most cantons), Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Hungary, Luxembourg, and Monaco.
- Germany: Whit Monday is a holiday in all 16 states. Pentecost Sunday is not a legal holiday, so the long weekend runs Saturday, May 15, to Monday, May 17, the motoring club ADAC notes.
- France: Lundi de Pentecôte is a public holiday, but many employers use it as the journée de solidarité. That is an unpaid working day that funds care for older and disabled people (Service-Public.fr).
- United Kingdom: Whit Monday is no longer a bank holiday. The Spring Bank Holiday on the last Monday of May replaced it, which is May 31, 2027 (GOV.UK).
- United States: Whit Monday is not a federal holiday; offices, banks, and schools are open.
All UK dates are on our UK bank holidays 2027 page.
Pentecost around the world
Pentecost has a different name in each language, and many countries add their own customs.
| Language or country | Name | Custom |
|---|---|---|
| English (UK) | Whit Sunday, Whitsun | Whit Walks, church parades with brass bands, in northern England |
| German | Pfingsten, Pfingstmontag | Birch branches placed around churches in southern Germany |
| French | Pentecôte, lundi de Pentecôte | Trumpets once sounded at Mass to recall the rushing wind |
| Spanish | Pentecostés, Pascua de Pentecostés | Masses with red vestments |
| Italian | Pentecoste | Rose petals dropped from church ceilings to recall tongues of fire |
| Dutch | Pinksteren, Tweede Pinksterdag | A long weekend with Whit Monday off |
| Ukrainian and other Orthodox | Trinity Sunday (Triytsia) | Homes and churches decorated with green branches |
Customs come from Wikipedia. The name “Whit Sunday” is thought to come from the white clothes worn by people baptized at Pentecost.
Pentecost and Shavuot
Pentecost grew out of Shavuot, the Jewish Festival of Weeks, held seven weeks after Passover. The apostles were in Jerusalem for Shavuot when the events of Acts 2 took place, and Greek-speaking Jews already called that festival Pentecost.
The two now follow different calendars. In 2027, Shavuot begins at sundown on Thursday, June 10, and ends at nightfall on Saturday, June 12, outside Israel (Hebcal). That is nearly four weeks after Christian Pentecost, because 2027 is a Hebrew leap year with an extra month.
Frequently asked questions
When is Pentecost 2027?
Pentecost 2027 is Sunday, May 16. Orthodox Pentecost is Sunday, June 20, 2027.
What does Pentecost mean?
Pentecost comes from the Greek word for “fiftieth,” because it falls on the 50th day of the Easter season, counting Easter Sunday as day 1.
Why is Pentecost so early in 2027?
Pentecost follows Easter by seven weeks, and Easter 2027 is early, on March 28. The latest Pentecost in the coming years is June 9, 2030.
Is Whit Monday a holiday in the UK?
No. The UK replaced it with the Spring Bank Holiday on the last Monday of May, which is May 31, 2027.
When is Pentecost 2028?
Pentecost 2028 is Sunday, June 4, the same day for Western and Orthodox churches.
What is Whitsun?
Whitsun is the traditional English name for Pentecost and the days around it. Whit Sunday is May 16, 2027, and Whit Monday is May 17.
Is Pentecost the same as Pentecostal?
No. Pentecost is a feast day celebrated by nearly all Christians. Pentecostal refers to a group of churches named after the feast.
Every May date is on the May 2027 calendar, and every other 2027 date is in the 2027 calendar.
Cite this page: [Author name]. “Pentecost 2027: Sunday, May 16, Meaning and Whit Monday.” Datescal. Published [date]. https://datescal.com/pentecost/
