When is Whitsun bank holiday 2022?

WHITSUN is a significant date in the Christian calendar and has historically been marked with a bank holiday.

While you might not realise it, your spring bank holiday is thanks to Whitsun.

When is Whitsun bank holiday 2022?

The exact date of Whitsun changes every year because it follows Easter.

Seven weeks after Easter, Christians celebrate Whitsun - meaning the actual date is June 5, in 2022.

Since it is a Sunday, Whitsun itself is not the bank holiday, it is Whit Monday that the bank holiday is held on.

And the Whitsun bank holiday is always on the last Monday in May - except in 2022.

This year, the bank holiday has moved to Thursday, June 2, to extend the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations to a four day weekend.

What is Whitsun?

Whitsun is also known as Pentecost or Whitsunday and commemorates the Holy Spirit's arrival, seven Sundays after the resurrection of Christ.

In the biblical account the Holy Spirit appears to the apostles, who were praying at the Shavuot - the 50th day of Passover.

When the Holy Spirit descended, the apostles began speaking in tongues - this attracted onlookers who thought they were drunk.

Saint Peter then explained that they had in fact been inspired by the spirit and delivered a sermon.

This was the first Christian sermon and lead to the baptism and conversion of thousands.

It is thought by many to be the birth of the Christian church.

The exact origin of the name is unknown although Whitsun is believed to be a shortening of "White Sunday".

Other origins point to the word "wit" which is an Anglo-Saxon word that means understanding.

How is Whitsun celebrated?

Many people honour the biblical origins by choosing Whitsun for baptisms.

Even those not being baptised will wear white and spend the day in worship.

Some churches will also hold traditional Whit Walks, which are filled with music and parade elements.