Great Feast
Ascension
The Ascension of the Lord
When: the 40th day of Pascha (a Thursday).
Forty days after Pascha, the risen Christ led His disciples to the Mount of Olives, blessed them, and was taken up into heaven (Luke 24, Acts 1). Two angels promised that He would return in the same way.
The feast celebrates that Christ took our human nature with Him to the right hand of the Father. It always falls on a Thursday, and the Paschal greeting is used until its eve.
The icon shows Christ in glory above, and below the Theotokos standing calmly among the apostles, an image of the Church awaiting His return.
Written for this app in our own words from the Gospels and long-standing Church tradition. All Great Feasts & Holy Week · Calendar