Kirkenes festivals provide an insight into the cultural heritage of the Norwegian people. Situated in the Sor-Varanger municipality, Kirkenes has a multicultural landscape with Sami, Russian, Polish and Finnish people living together. Kirkenes is mainly known for its scenic landscape and winter sports locales. However, the people of Kirkenes also celebrate their festivals with great vigor. The mining town of Kirkenes doesn’t boast of regional festivals, i.e. it observes most of Norway’s national festivals. One of the most widely celebrated festivals in Kirkenes is the Whitsunday or the Moveable Sunday feast that is usually referred to as the Pentecost (meaning, fiftieth day).

Religious Kirkenes Festival: Festival of Moveable Sunday

Celebrated 50 days or about seven weeks after Easter, this is actually one of the three Moveable feasts that are popular throughout Norway. The other two being Moveable Thursday or Ascension Day feast and Moveable Monday or Whitmonday feast. While the festival of Moveable Sunday falls on Sundays, Moveable Monday is observed as a national holiday in Norway.

Among these feasts, the Moveable Sunday is largely believed to be observed by most families. This is a Christian celebration and is looked upon as an opportunity to feast with close family members and friends. The feast is a way of celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Christ’s chosen disciples. The residents of Kirkenes can be seen visiting the church. Usually, the marketplaces of Kirkenes are adorned with decorative lights, just like Christmas celebrations.