ASCENSION DAY
The Feast
of the Ascension of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, also known as Holy Thursday, Ascension Day, or Ascension Thursday, commemorates the Christian belief of the bodily Ascension of Jesus into heaven. It is one of the ecumenical feasts (i.e., universally celebrated) of Christian churches, ranking
with the feasts of the Passion, of Easter, and Pentecost. Ascension Day is traditionally celebrated on a Thursday, the fortieth
day of Easter (following the accounts given in Mark 16:19, Luke 24:51, Acts 1:2), although some Christian denominations have moved the observance to
the following Sunday.
According to one of the early church
fathers, Augustine of Hippo, the Feast of Ascension originated
with the Apostles. It may be one of the oldest feasts practiced by the Church,
possibly going as far back as AD 68. There is no written evidence, however, of
the church honouring Ascension Day until Augustine's time in the fourth century.
Churches around the world have observed Ascension Day Feasts for centuries,
including ceremonies and traditions including processions, prayer vigils, and
Catholic masses.
As an Ecumenical feast, Ascension
Day is one of the six holy days where attendance at Mass is mandatory for Roman
Catholics and Anglicans. The event is generally a one-day public commemoration,
although the Church, in keeping with earlier traditions regarding festivals,
offers devotions for seven days.
The night before the feast, priests and deacons attend a vigil of prayers and scripture readings. On the day of the feast, Mass is attended and the Paschal candle, which was lit on Easter Sunday, is extinguished. Liturgies proclaiming the finished work of salvation and the ascension of the glorified Christ into Heaven are recited, followed later by evening prayers. At the end of the seven-day devotion, two additional days are kept by the priests, making a total of nine days (a novena). The novena allows for the preparation of Pentecost, which takes place the next day.
Churches around the world observe many Ascension Day traditions, such as "the blessing of the first fruits," in which grapes and beans are blessed. Some churches depict the Ascension of Christ by raising a statue of Jesus above the altar and lifting it through a special door in the roof. Other churches have outdoor processions with torches and banners. In an old Ascension Day tradition from England, parishioners carried a banner bearing the symbol of a lion at the head of the procession, and a second banner bearing the symbol of a dragon at the rear. This represented the victory of Christ over the devil.
For many Christians, Ascension Day's meaning provides a sense of hope that the glorious and triumphant return of Christ is near. It is a reminder of the Kingdom of God within their hearts, and of the ever-present Spirit of God, watching over and protecting them as they spread the light of Jesus throughout the world.
The night before the feast, priests and deacons attend a vigil of prayers and scripture readings. On the day of the feast, Mass is attended and the Paschal candle, which was lit on Easter Sunday, is extinguished. Liturgies proclaiming the finished work of salvation and the ascension of the glorified Christ into Heaven are recited, followed later by evening prayers. At the end of the seven-day devotion, two additional days are kept by the priests, making a total of nine days (a novena). The novena allows for the preparation of Pentecost, which takes place the next day.
Churches around the world observe many Ascension Day traditions, such as "the blessing of the first fruits," in which grapes and beans are blessed. Some churches depict the Ascension of Christ by raising a statue of Jesus above the altar and lifting it through a special door in the roof. Other churches have outdoor processions with torches and banners. In an old Ascension Day tradition from England, parishioners carried a banner bearing the symbol of a lion at the head of the procession, and a second banner bearing the symbol of a dragon at the rear. This represented the victory of Christ over the devil.
For many Christians, Ascension Day's meaning provides a sense of hope that the glorious and triumphant return of Christ is near. It is a reminder of the Kingdom of God within their hearts, and of the ever-present Spirit of God, watching over and protecting them as they spread the light of Jesus throughout the world.
Author: Michella Eleanor
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