Ascension Day

Ascension Day, or also know as The Solemnity of Ascension commemorates Jesus' return to Heaven 40 days after His resurrection on Easter. Most commonly, Ascenstion day in on the 6th Thursday of Easter. In many cultures, this celebration which is most commonly celebrated with a feast is transferred to the Sunday after the traditional date. Alternative names for this Solemnity holiday is Analepsis and Episozomene.

 

Acts 1:6-11 6 So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." 9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."

Jesus' ascension into Heaven is the final component to the paschal mystery, which is one of the central concepts of the Christian faith relating to the history of salvation. Its main focus is on the passion, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The ascension of Jesus was the first event where humanity was taken into Heaven and the "final blow" against Satan's power. Thus, the symbol of ascension came from the lion (Jesus) conquering the dragon (Satan).

by James Apple Jr.

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