Feast of the Ascension of the Lord: history, features and interesting facts

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

The Ascension of the Lord, or, in Latin, ascensio, is an event in the history of the New Testament. On this day, Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, having completely completed his earthly existence. A holiday was established in honor of this religious sacrament.

It is tied to Great Easter, so it is celebrated not on a specific date, but strictly on the 40th day after the Resurrection of the Lord. In many countries of the world, this holy day is a weekend and a public holiday.

Ascension of the Lord is one of the twelve twelfth holidays in Orthodoxy. What does this day mean? Why do Christians celebrate the end of Christ's earthly life? The sacred day and its meaning will be discussed in the article.

The holiday and its origins

This is the so-called Lord's holiday, that is, it is associated with the Lord Jesus Christ. His resurrection testified that his earthly life had come to an end.life. But for another 40 days he continued to communicate with his students, blessed them for good deeds, gave them advice.

That is, in fact, on the fortieth day after the death of Jesus Christ, we remember him and the tragic events of the crucifixion.

On this day Christ gathered the apostles on Mount Olivet, blessed them and ascended to heaven. In the New Testament, in the Acts of the Apostles (chapter 1:9-11), these events are described as follows:

“He ascended before their eyes, and a cloud took Him out of their sight. And when they looked at the sky, at the time of His ascent, suddenly two men in white clothes appeared to them and said: Men of Galilee! why are you standing and looking at the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you have seen him go into heaven.”

The story of the Ascension of the Lord is described in the Acts of the Holy Apostles, in the Gospel of Luke, at the end of the Gospel of Mark.

After the miracle of the Ascension, his disciples returned to Jerusalem happy and joyful, since this event is not the day of the loss of the Almighty, but is a symbol of the transformation and ascension of all people into His Kingdom.

Jesus took his place at the right hand of God the Father and has been a constant presence on Earth ever since.

Ten days after the Ascension, the Holy Spirit descended to the apostles, and gave them the strength to preach the Christian faith among the people. Pentecost is celebrated on this day (50th day after Easter).

History of the celebration

Almost until the 5th century, Ascension and Pentecost were the same holiday. It was a period in the calendar, which was called "Joyful". But later Pentecost became a separate holiday. The first mention of this is found in the sermons of John Chrysostom, as well as in St. Gregory of Nyssa.

Celebration tradition

Since the Feast of the Ascension is dedicated to the Lord, during the divine services, the clergy are dressed in white clothes, symbolizing the Divine light. The celebration includes one day of prefeast and eight days of afterfeast.

The day before the holiday, the rite of "giving away" Easter is held in all churches. On the Day of the Ascension of Christ, a solemn liturgy is served, and while the bells are ringing, the part of the Gospel that is dedicated to this event is read. The end of the holiday (lasts 10 days) comes next Friday (that is, on Friday of the seventh week after Easter). On this day, the same prayers and hymns are read that were performed at the service of the Ascension of the Lord.

Icons in honor of the holy religious event

All icon painters adhere to a clear iconography when describing the sacrament of the Ascension of Christ. The icon always depicts the twelve apostles, between which stands the Mother of God. Jesus Christ ascends to heaven on a cloud, surrounded by angels. Some icons on the Mount of Olives depict the footprint of Christ.

The most famous icon belongs to Andrey Rublev. He created it for the Assumption Cathedral in the city of Vladimir in 1408. He wrote the holy image of Christ in accordance with the history of the New Testament. ATthe icon is currently in the Tretyakov Gallery.

Ascension churches

At the site of the sacrament, on Mount Eleon, a temple was erected in the 4th century, but in 614 it was destroyed by the Persians. It is believed that it was he who served as a model for the Dome Rock, a Muslim sanctuary. The footprint is kept in the Chapel of the Ascension. Believers believe that this print belongs to Christ.

In Russia, the Christian holiday of the Ascension of the Lord has long been revered. Monasteries and temples were consecrated in his honor. The most famous of them:

• Ascension Convent, founded in 1407 in the Moscow Kremlin. Its founder is Princess Evdokia Dmitrievna, the wife of Dmitry Donskoy, in this monastery she herself took tonsure, becoming a nun Euphrosyne. After her death, she was buried in the main monastery cathedral - Voznesensky. The temple became a tomb for many princely daughters and wives, the following were buried here: Sofia Vitovtovna (wife of Vasily I), Paleolog Sofia (wife of Ivan III), Glinskaya Elena (mother of Ivan the Terrible), Anastasia Romanovna (wife of Ivan the Terrible), Irina Godunova (sister Boris Godunov and the wife of Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich). After the Revolution of 1917, the monastery was closed, and in 1929 it was destroyed. At present, the administrative building of the Kremlin stands on the site of the monastery. The burial places of queens and princesses were moved to the cellars of the Archangel Cathedral.
• In Pskov there are two monasteries dedicated to this holiday: the Old and New Ascension monasteries. The first mention of them is found inchronicle sources in the 15th century.
• The Church of the Ascension was built in the village of Kolomenskoye in 1532. This is the first hipped stone temple in Russia. It seems not at all high, and only from afar you can see how majestic and huge it is. The Church of the Ascension of the Lord was built by decree of Vasily III in honor of the birth of his son and heir to the throne (Ivan IV or the Terrible). The construction of this temple marked the beginning of a unique temple-architectural style that lasted until the middle of the 17th century. Historians and architects suggest that Italian craftsmen built the temple. In the Soviet years, it was transferred to the reserve-museum. The church was consecrated only in 2000, and a lengthy restoration was completed in 2007.



• The Church of the Ascension outside the Serpukhov Gates was built at the expense of Tsarevich Alexei. The lower part of the church was consecrated in 1714 and named after the Icon of the Mother of God of Jerusalem. After the execution of the prince, construction was suspended for a while. The Church of the Ascension of the Lord outside the Serpukhov Gates was fully consecrated in 1762. In the middle of the 19th century, it was rebuilt. During the years of Soviet power, it was closed, in 1930 the bell tower and fence, as well as the almshouse, were destroyed. Inside the building housed government offices. The newest history of the church began in 1990. Currently, it is a functioning Orthodox Church of the Ascension of the Lord. Its work schedule: daily liturgies begin at 8:00, vespers - at 17:00. Liturgy on Sundays and feast dayscarried out at 9:00.
• The Church of the Ascension of the Lord on Nikitskaya is also called the "Small Ascension". The name has spread among the people since 1830, this is due to the fact that a new church was built outside the Nikitsky Gate, which was nicknamed the "Big Ascension". And before its construction, the temple on Nikitskaya was called "Old Ascension". The official name is "Church of the Ascension of the Lord on Bolshaya Nikitskaya". The first written mention of it dates back to 1584. It was originally a wooden building, which was destroyed by fire in 1629. Five years later, a stone structure was erected. At the end of the 17th century, the church was rebuilt, the southern limit was added. In the 30s of the 18th century, another fire broke out in the Church of the Ascension of the Lord on Bolshaya Nikitskaya, as a result of which it suffered greatly and was restored only in 1739. In the 19th century, an arched gallery was built and a warm porch was built. In 1830 the temple was decorated with a new iconostasis. In the 70s of the 19th century, the church was rebuilt, and restored at the beginning of the 20th century. The Church of the Ascension of the Lord after the Revolution continued to operate for some time, but in the 1930s the bells were knocked down from it and finally closed seven years later. Crosses were torn down from it and the interior was refurbished. Returned to the jurisdiction of the Orthodox Church only in 1992.

Church of the Ascension of the Lord "Big Ascension" is located at the Nikitsky Gate. In this area there was a wooden church, the first mention of which dates back to 1619, in 1629 it burned down. At the end of the 17th century, Empress Naryshkina Natalya Kirillovnaordered the construction of a stone Ascension Church, which was located just to the west of the modern building. Potemkin's nephew G. A. - Vysotsky V. P., after the death of his uncle at the end of the 18th century, gave the priest Antipas a power of attorney and money for the construction of a new, more magnificent temple. The design was entrusted to the architect M. F. Kozakov. In 1798, the construction of a refectory with two borders began. But during the fire of 1812, the unfinished building burned down completely, so the construction was completed only in 1816. Here the wedding of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin and Natalya Goncharova took place. The construction of the entire temple complex was completed in 1848. The iconostases were made by the architect M. D. Bykovsky in 1840

The official name is "The Church of the Ascension of the Lord outside the Nikitsky Gates", the name "Big Ascension" has stuck among the people, in contrast to the older church of the "Small Ascension".

Parishioners of the "Great Ascension" were many representatives of the intelligentsia of that time and nobles. Shchepkin M. S., Yermolov M. N. were buried here. The sisters of Potemkin G. A. were buried in the temple. Here Chaliapin Fedor read the “Apostle” at the wedding of his daughter. In the year 25 of the 20th century, Patriarch Tikhon performed his last divine service in this church.

In the 1930s, the church was closed, and the building housed garages. The icons were burned right in the temple, the wall paintings were painted over, and interfloor ceilings were built. In 1937, the bell tower was demolished (buildingXVII century). Since the 1960s, the building housed the laboratory of the Krzhizhanovsky Power Engineering Institute. In 1987, it was removed and it was planned to equip a concert hall here. But the plans were not destined to come true. In 1990 the building was handed over to the church. Restoration work began, during which the foundation of the bell tower, demolished in 1937, was discovered. A new 61-meter bell tower was built on this site in 2004, according to the project of architect O. I. Zhurin. From 2002 to 2009, the facade was restored, the refectory and stairs from Malaya Nikitskaya Street were restored, as well as the fence. Currently, services are regularly held in the Church of the Ascension of the Lord and the Sunday School operates.

Old Believer Ascension churches

Old Believers continue the ancient Slavic tradition of building churches in the name of the Ascension of Christ. Currently, the holiday is honored by the communities of the Old Believer Orthodox Church in the village of Baranchinsky, Sverdlovsk Region, in the village of Novenkoe, Ivnyansky District, Belgorod Region, in the cities of Tirgu Frumos, Tulcha. In honor of the Ascension of the Lord, churches were consecrated in the USA in the city of Woodburn and in Lithuania in the town of Turmantas, Zarasai region.

Folk traditions

The holiday for many centuries of the existence of Christianity in Russia has absorbed both agrarian and pagan customs. There were folk beliefs and signs that had nothing to do with the religious meaning of the holiday, but well illustrated the attitude of the people to the Holyday and customs of Russian peasants.

From this day on, people believe that spring turns into summer. In the evening they kindled bonfires as a symbol of summer, danced round dances, began to perform the ritual of "cumulation" - this is an old Slavic rite, after which the victims became close people, like sisters or like brothers.

On this day they baked pies and "ladders", on which there must have been seven crossbars (seven heavens of the apocalypse). They were consecrated in the church, and then thrown from the bell tower. So people guessed that if all the steps are intact, then the person leads a righteous life, and if the stairs are broken into small pieces, then a sinful one.

With ladders they also went to the field, where they prayed and threw them into the sky so that the crop would grow high.

Also, birch trees were always decorated in the field, which remained in such decoration until the end of the harvest. Festivities were arranged around them, boiled eggs were thrown and they asked Christ to help in the growth of the crop.

In the folk calendar, this day is considered the day of commemoration of deceased ancestors and parents. To commemorate and propitiate them, they baked pancakes, fried eggs, and then ate everything either in the field or at home.

The meaning of the Ascension of the Lord

Archpriest, rector of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral Igor Fomin explains the meaning of this religious action in this way. He says that Christ instructs each of us by His Ascension to heaven. He does this through the apostles, his disciples. They became witnesses of this sacrament. Before his Ascension, Jesus Christ appeared to them for forty days, strengthening their faith andgiving them support and hope for the Kingdom of Heaven. And with his departure, Christ puts an end to his human form of existence and ascends to Heaven. His sacrifice of atonement is ending. But the Lord does not leave us alone. Christ sends the Holy Spirit to accompany and comfort us. This consolation lies in the meaning of the next religious holiday - Pentecost, which the Orthodox celebrate 50 days after Easter.

Recommendations and Prohibitions of the Holy Day

The Ascension of the Lord is especially revered by believers. This is one of the 12 main Orthodox holidays. What can be done on this day and what is strictly prohibited?

Don't:

• Say the religious greeting “Christ is Risen!” as the Shroud is taken out of churches on this day.
• Doing dirty or hard work.
• Quarrel with loved ones and others.
• Think bad. It is best to remember on this day all the deceased relatives and friends.
• Throw trash and spit, because you can hit Jesus Christ, who can pass by in any guise.

In addition to prohibitions, there are prescriptions for what you can do on this day. Religious traditions are closely intertwined with folk traditions, so signs play a very important role.

You can do:

• Going to visit relatives and friends, in the people it is called "walking at the crossroads".
• Keep peace and tranquility in the soul.
• Bake pancakes, rolls, pies. Cook any egg dish.
• Be happy and have fun.

You believed in the holiday: if thisday of good weather, then until St. Michael's Day (November 21) it will be warm and dry. If it rained, there would be crop failure and disease.

On the Ascension of the Lord, the girls were guessing, braiding birch twigs into a braid. If they do not wither before the Trinity (that is, 10 days), then this year there will be a wedding.

Medicinal herbs were always collected in the morning, it was believed that they had miraculous powers and were able to cure even the most neglected disease.

What must be done on this day

In addition to prohibitions and recommendations, on this day you should definitely do the following:

• Ask the Lord for help. It is believed that on this day he hears everyone and everything that is asked of him. It is necessary to pray and ask for what is vital. However, it is better not to ask for we alth and money on this holy day, unless they are needed for survival or for medicines.
• Bake special rolls, cookies or Staircase pies. They must be consecrated in the church. It is believed that after that they become a talisman for the home and family. These pastries are kept behind icons.
• Remember all deceased relatives and friends. It is necessary to fry pancakes and boil eggs and visit the cemetery, if possible.
• Give alms. It can be clothes, shoes, food - it doesn’t matter, the main thing is to give something to the poor.
• Wash with morning dew. It is believed that she has miraculous powers, helps girls to preserve their beauty, and gives old people he alth and strength.
• You need to think about faith, yourself, kindness, the world.
• Pray to the Lord God, it is believed that on this day He forgives even the biggest sinners. It is customary to read the Troparion, Kontakion and Majesty in honor of the Holy Holiday.

Troparion

Thou ascended in glory, Christ our God, creating joy to the disciple by the promise of the Holy Spirit, announced to them by the former blessing, as You are the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world.

Translation from Church Slavonic into Russian:

[You ascended in glory, Christ our God, rejoicing the disciples with the promise of the Holy Spirit, after Your blessing confirmed them in the faith that You are the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world].

Kondak

Translation from Church Slavonic into Russian:

[Fulfilling the whole plan of our salvation, and uniting the earthly with the celestials, You ascended in glory, Christ our God, not leaving the earth, but being inseparable from it and crying out to those who love You: “I am with you, and no one shall not overcome you!"]

Magnificence

We magnify Thee, Life-Giver Christ, and honor the hedgehog to heaven with Your pure flesh Divine Ascension.

Translation from Church Slavonic into Russian:

[We glorify You, the Giver of life Christ, and honor in heaven with Your pure flesh Divine Ascension]

Dates of the celebration of the Holy Day in the coming years

Orthodox Christians celebrate Ascension on the fortieth day after Easter, always on Thursday. In 2018, the holiday falls on May 17, a year later all Orthodox will celebrate it on June 6, in 2020 on May 28, and a year later on June 10.

On the Internet you can find a huge number of conspiracies and rituals that are recommended to be carried out on this holy day, but it is better to never do this. Perhaps the desired result will be achieved, but the punishment for this sin will fall not only on the person himself, but also on his children and grandchildren. The Church forbids such actions, so you should not take sin on your soul for the sake of fame and fortune.