Whitmonday

a Christian holiday, the day after Whitsunday, celebrated in May or June on the 50th day after Easter; it is connected with the myth of the “coming of the holy spirit” upon the apostles and of their receiving the gift of preaching Christianity in “other tongues”; it symbolizes the replacement of the “law of Moses” with the “law of the gospel.” In Rus’, Whitmonday coincided with the Slav feast of Semik, when sacrificial offerings were made to the spirits of vegetation and of the ancestors.

Whit-Monday (Whitmonday)

Between May 11 and June 14; Monday after PentecostThe day after Whitsunday ( Pentecost) is known as Whit-Monday, and in Great Britain it is also the Late May Bank Holiday ( see Bank Holiday). The week that includes these two holidays, beginning on Whitsunday and ending the following Saturday, is called Whitsuntide.
Until fairly recently, Whit-Monday was one of the major holidays of the year in Pennsylvania Dutch country. In the period from 1835 to just after the Civil War, Whit-Monday was referred to as the " Dutch Fourth of July " in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where rural people came to eat, drink, and be entertained. In Lenhartsville, another Pennsylvania Dutch town, Whit-Monday was known as Battalion Day, and it was characterized by music, dancing, and military musters. So much carousing went on that one Pennsylvania newspaper suggested that the name "Whitsuntide" be changed to "Whiskeytide."
See also Walking Days
SOURCES:
BkDays-1864, vol. I, p. 643
BkFest-1937, p. 98
BkFestHolWrld-1970, p. 65
DictDays-1988, p. 131
FestWestEur-1958, pp. 12, 26
OxYear-1999, p. 632

Whitmonday

Whit·mon·day

Whitmonday

Whitmonday

Whit-Monday (Whitmonday)

Whitmonday

Synonyms for Whitmonday

noun the day after Whitsunday

Synonyms

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