Whit Monday

Culture of origin: Christian · Cultural

Holiday sources: Australia (national) · Canada (federal) · Christianity · France · Germany (nationwide) · United Kingdom (England and Wales) · United States (federal)

Whit Monday, or Pentecost Monday, takes its name from Whitsunday, said to come from the white garments of those newly baptised at Pentecost. It is a public holiday in more than thirty countries and territories, among them Germany, France, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland, often called "the second day of Pentecost". Britain replaced it with the Spring Bank Holiday in 1971, and since 2018 Catholics keep it as the memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church.