What does white sunday mean?

Question

A German person wished me one.

I know she wasn't referring to the holiday in Samoa, because that's the second Sunday in October.

Answer 1

blue dwarf is correct in telling you about whit sunday in regard to "Pfingsten". "White Sunday", though, is also the day that roman catholic children (when they are in third grade, so about age 9) go and have "first communion". I don't know if you are catholic or know what this implies, so here goes a short description:

If you are roman catholic, there are two ceremonies later in your life that will reenforce your "membership" in church, so to speak. the first one of those is first communion. Kids normally start to prepare for that day a year in advance. They have special classes in which the bible is read, discussed and explained, and they do special projects like collecting money for the poor and so on.

First communion, or white sunday, traditionally was on "Pfingstsonntag", Pentecost-sunday. The girls would wear a white dress (which has become rather like a miniture wedding dress in recent years! Ridiculusly expensive!) and the guys wear a suit, and they are basically the main act in church that day (apart from God, of course) when they are invited to share the communion with the rest or the church congregation for the first time.

Nowadays, the white sunday is not always on whitsunday, but rather around that time of year, when the congregation and the priest find a convenient date for everyone. At least, that's what it's like in the congregation I belong to.

Answer 2

Yes tomorrow is 'Pfingsten' as we call it in Germany. The English translation is Whit Sunday. Monday is also a holiday in Germany and the weather in here is warm and sunny!;-)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentecost