Ascension
Introduction
The Feast of the
Ascension of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ is celebrated each year on
the fortieth day after the Great and Holy Feast of Pascha (Easter). Since the
date of Pascha changes each year, the date of the Feast of the Ascension
changes too. The Feast is always celebrated on a Thursday.
The Feast itself
commemorates when, on the fortieth day after His Resurrection, Jesus led His
disciples to the Mount of Olives, and after blessing them and asking them to
wait for the fulfillment of the promise of the Holy Spirit, He ascended into
heaven.
Biblical
Story
The story of the
Ascension of our Lord, celebrated as one of the Twelve Great Feasts of the
Church, is found in the book of the Acts of the Apostles 1:3-11. It is also
mentioned in the Gospels of Mark (16:19) and Luke (24:50-53). The moment of the
Ascension is told in one sentence: "He was lifted up before their eyes in
a cloud which took Him from their sight" (Acts 1:9).
Christ made His last
appearance on earth, forty days after His Resurrection from the dead. The Acts
of the Apostles states that the disciples were in Jerusalem. Jesus appeared
before them and commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for
the "Promise of the Father". He stated, "You shall be baptized
with the Holy Spirit not many days from now" (Acts 1:5).
After Jesus gave these
instructions, He led the disciples to the Mount of Olives. Here, He
commissioned them to be His witnesses "in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8). It is also at this time
that the disciples were directed by Christ to "go and make disciples of
all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy
Spirit" (Matthew 28:19). Jesus also told them that He would be with them
always, "even to the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20).
As the disciples watched,
Jesus lifted up His hands, blessed them, and then was taken up out of their
sight (Luke 24:51; Acts 1:9). Two angels appeared to them and asked them why
they were gazing into heaven. Then one of the angels said, "This same
Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as
you have seen Him going into heaven" (Acts 1:11).
Hymns
Troparion
(Tone 4)
O Christ God, You have ascended in Glory,
Granting joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy
Spirit.
Through the blessing they were assured
That You are the Son of God,
The Redeemer of the world!
Kontakion
(Tone 6)
When You did fulfill the dispensation for our sake,
And unite earth to Heaven:
You did ascend in glory, O Christ our God,
Not being parted from those who love You,
But remaining with them and crying:
I am with you and no one will be against you.
Sources: http://www.comeandseeicons.com