| FEAST
OF THE ASCENSION OF
OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST
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. 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).
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1. Christ ascending
into heaven in a mandorla.
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Icon of the Feast
The icon of The Ascension of Our Lord is a joyous icon. It is painted
with bright colors. Christ is shown ascending in His glory in a
mandorla 1. A mandorla is a design which is almond-shaped or round.
Inside the mandorla is the figure of a holy person. Christ blesses
the assembly with His right hand 2. In His left is a scroll. The
scroll is a symbol of teaching 3. This icon shows that the Lord
in heaven is the source of blessing. In addition, Jesus is the source
of knowledge. The icon reminds us that Christ continues to be the
source of the teaching and message of the Church, blessing and guiding
those to whom He has entrusted his work.
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| 2.
Christ blessing with His right hand those who are witnessing
His glorious Ascension into heaven (detail). |
3.
The Scroll in Christ's left hand (detail). |
The Theotokos occupies a very special place in this icon 4. She
is in the center of the icon, immediately below the ascending Christ.
The gesture of her hands is gesture of prayer. She is clearly outlined
by the whiteness of the garments of the angels 5. The Theotokos
is depicted in a very calm pose. This is quite different from the
appearance of the Disciples. They are moving about, talking to one
another and looking and pointing towards heaven. The entire group,
the Theotokos and the disciples represent the Church.
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4.
The Theotokos amongst the Angels and Apostles
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The icon of the Ascension includes some who did not witness the
Ascension. St. Paul is shown to the left of the Theotokos, but we
know that he was not present at the Ascension 6. At that time, St.
Paul did not yet believe in Jesus. But he became a Christian and
one of the greatest Apostles and missionaries of Church.
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| 5.
The Theotokos (detail). |
6.
Saint Paul, who did not witness Christ's Ascension, is depicted
in the icon (detail). |
The icon expresses the sovereignty of Christ over His Church; He
is its Head, its guide, its source of inspiration and teaching;
it receives its commission and ministry from Him, and fulfils it
in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Orthodox Christian Celebration of
the Feast of the Ascension
This Feast of our Lord is celebrated with the Divine Liturgy of
Saint John Chrysostom, which is conducted on the day of the Feast
and preceded by the Matins service. A Great Vespers is conducted
on the evening before the day of the Feast. Scripture readings for
the Feast are the following: At Vespers: Isaiah
2:2-3, 62:10-63:9;
Zechariah
14:1,4,8-11. At the Orthros (Matins) Mark
16:9-20; At the Divine Liturgy: Acts
1:1-12; Luke
24:36-53.
Hymns of the Feast
Apolytikion (Fourth Tone)
O Christ our God, You ascended in Glory and gladdened Your disciples
by the promise of the Holy Spirit. Your blessing assured them that
You are the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world.
Kontakion (Plagal of the Second Tone)
O Christ our God, upon fulfilling Your dispensation for our sake,
You ascended in Glory, uniting the earthly with the heavenly. You
were never separate but remained inseparable, and cried out to those
who love You, "I am with you and no one is against you."
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Icon of the Ascension of Our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ, used with permission from Theologic
© Greek Orthodox Archdiocese
of America
ResourcesThe Incarnate God: The Feasts of Jesus
Christ and the Virgin Mary, Cathering Aslanoff, editor and Paul
Meyendorff, translator (Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir’s Seminary
Press, 1995).
Festival Icons for the Christian Year by
John Baggley (Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 2000),
pp. 134-139.
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