Pentecost 2023, 2024 and 2025 in Iceland

Pentecost is a major Christian observance in Iceland that takes place on the fiftieth day of Easter – 49 days after Easter Sunday. It is also known as Whit Sunday, and is celebrated with Whit Sunday and Whit Monday public holidays each year.

Year	Date	Day	Holiday
2023	28 May	Sun	Whit Sunday
	29 May	Mon	Whit Monday
2024	19 May	Sun	Whit Sunday
	20 May	Mon	Whit Monday
2025	8 Jun	Sun	Whit Sunday
	9 Jun	Mon	Whit Monday
2026	24 May	Sun	Whit Sunday
	25 May	Mon	Whit Monday
Please scroll down to end of page for previous years' dates.

Pentecost is the final celebration of the seven-week Easter period. According to Christian belief, Pentecost commemorates the day that the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and disciples of Jesus, giving them the ability to speak in different languages to share the good news about Jesus.

The name “Whit” Sunday and Monday comes from the white clothes traditionally worn by those being baptised on this popular day for baptisms. In Icelandic, Whit Sunday is known as hvitasunna.

Many times, kids who attend church in Iceland will be “confirmed” at age 14, on hvitasunna. Sometimes, however, this happens on Easter Sunday instead. Some may also be baptised on this day and may even wear the traditional white garments from which Whit Sunday gets its name. And the young women of Iceland traditionally appear in church wearing white dresses on Pentecost regardless of whether they are being confirmed or baptised that day or not.

Since Whit Monday is also a day off in Iceland, this gives families a chance to enjoy the warmer spring weather of May or June after having made it through another frosty Icelandic winter.

Previous Years

Year	Date	Day	Holiday
2022	5 Jun	Sun	Whit Sunday
	6 Jun	Mon	Whit Monday
2021	23 May	Sun	Whit Sunday
	24 May	Mon	Whit Monday
2020	31 May	Sun	Whit Sunday
	1 Jun	Mon	Whit Monday
2019	9 Jun	Sun	Whit Sunday
	10 Jun	Mon	Whit Monday
2018	20 May	Sun	Whit Sunday
	21 May	Mon	Whit Monday
2017	4 Jun	Sun	Whit Sunday
	5 Jun	Mon	Whit Monday