After the major Christian festival of Pentecost, Martinique celebrates yet another religious holiday — Whit Monday which falls on May 25. Taking place the day after Pentecost, Whit Monday, also called ‘Pentecost Monday’ or ‘Monday of the Holy Spirit’ is a Christian holiday that has been around since the first century. On this day, Christians everywhere, including in Martinique, commemorate the Holy Spirit, who descended before Christ’s faithful apostles, giving them the power to speak in different languages so they could spread Christ’s message to the world.
Whit Monday (Saint Martin)
Whit Monday in Saint Martin is celebrated each year on the day after Pentecost and this year it will be marked from May 25. The day, which is also called ‘Pentecost Monday’ or ‘Monday of the Holy Spirit,’ is a Christian holiday celebrated in the Easter season, usually in May or June. Observed in many European countries and former colonies, Whit Monday is the last celebration of the Easter season and occurs 90 days after ‘Ash Wednesday,’ a holiday that kicks off Lent in the Christian tradition. During Whit Monday celebrations in Saint Martin, people take the day to enjoy themselves with family and friends.
Cheese Rolling Gloucester
The Cheese Rolling Gloucester, also known as the Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling and Wake, is an annual event that’s usually held on the day of the Spring Bank Holiday at Cooper’s Hill, Gloucestershire in the United Kingdom. The activity usually occurs on the last Monday in May, and takes place on May 25 this year. For the Cheese Rolling and Wake, participants race down Cooper’s Hill, which is a 200-yard-long hill, following the rolling down of a round of Double Gloucester cheese. The Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling was initially a tradition among residents of the local village of Brockworth, however, now people from all over the world take part in the activity.