Pentecost and Whitsun cake

Pentecost as a holiday is considered the day of the Holy Spirit. Since this holiday is always after the Ice Saints, it also welcomes the reawakening of nature.

But what is a traditional Pentecost meal? Good question: In reference to the Holy Spirit, people associated the idea with a dove: roasted on the table. Later the Pfingstwecken was created; a pastry in the shape of a dove (Wecke= yeast pastry). They are also known as Allgäu bread birds. It is difficult to find such a typical festive pastry as the Christstollen at Christmas. In Bavaria, however, there are still the Heiglig-Geist-Krapfen today.

And the Whitsun ox? Oxen were driven through the villages in a Pentecost procession. The strongest ox was decorated, named the Whitsun Ox and then served on a plate.