Many of us identify ourselves as Orthodox Christians. At the same time, most people still have a very vague idea about the details, history of formation and significance of the main holidays of Christians. The time has come to restore the gaps in your knowledge and figure out why the church holiday of the Ascension is of such great importance for the vast majority of believers.
When this significant event is celebrated
A great multitude of eyewitnesses leaves no doubt that forty days after his resurrection, Jesus Christ, being in the flesh, ascended into heaven to God the Father and sat down at the right hand of the Creator. According to the research of historians, the Feast of the Ascension began to be celebrated separately only in the fourth century AD. Until that time, this event was celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter, on the day when the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles. At the place where Christ ascended to God the Father, Queen Elenaerected a temple in honor of this event. And until now, this shrine, standing on the Mount of Olives, inspires believers with great joy and hope, which the Savior gave us. Until now, it contains a stone imprint of the foot of Christ - this relic can be seen with your own eyes. Around the same time (4th century AD), the Church decided to dedicate a separate day to this event, and the Feast of the Ascension began to be celebrated on the 40th day after Easter. Hundreds of centuries have passed, some states have disappeared from the face of the Earth, and this tradition has still remained unchanged and is still one of the most revered in the Christian world. We add that the feast of the Ascension of the Lord in 2013 fell on June 13, and in 2014 this day will be celebrated on May 29.
What the New Testament says
This historical fact is described in detail in the Holy Scriptures from Luke (chapter 24, verse 50-51) and in the book about the acts of St. apostles (chapter 1, verses 9-11). A brief summary of this event is given in the Gospel of Mark (Gl.16, v.19). The Feast of the Resurrection every year reminds us of those days when Jesus, having overcome Death, repeatedly appeared to future apostles in order for them to ascertain the truth of his bodily resurrection. With his words, he prepared them to receive the Holy Spirit, and his presence strengthened their faith more and more. Finally, the moment came when Jesus led his disciples to the Mount of Olives in Bethany. There he gave them his blessing, and then, raising his hands, he gradually began to move away and rise into the sky. According to the description of thisevents in the Acts of St. apostles, in the end, Christ disappeared behind the clouds, and then two angels appeared, announcing to the disciples about his Second Coming. With this joyful news, the apostles returned to Jerusalem, where, after ten days, their hearts were filled with the Holy Spirit.
Feast of the Resurrection: traditions and reasons for joy
Because this day is entirely dedicated to our Lord, priests wear only white clothes during worship. This is a symbol of the Divine light that Jesus brought with him into our world. On this day, it is forbidden to engage in all sorts of difficult and black deeds. It is best to spend it in a quiet circle with your loved ones and relatives. The Feast of the Ascension gives people the opportunity to feel great joy that the Lord accomplished a great feat - he was able to defeat death, and now our souls can be resurrected. Thanks to him, the sky - the eternal and new home - is always open to man. Having ascended to the Father, Christ not only did not leave the Earth, but became even closer to us. By setting a great example, he pointed out how we should live in order to be truly happy. And we, as children, can only listen to his words and stop rejecting long-proven truths.
