Feast of the Ascension#Eastern and Oriental Orthodox

The observance of this feast is of great antiquity. Eusebius seems to hint at the celebration of it in the 4th century.Eusebius, Life of Constantine IV.54 At the beginning of the 5th century, Augustine of Hippo says that it is of Apostolic origin, and he speaks of it in a way that shows it was the universal observance of the Catholic Church long before his time. Frequent mention of it is made in the writings of John Chrysostom, Gregory of Nyssa, and in the Constitution of the Apostles. The Pilgrimage of Aetheria speaks of the vigil of this feast and of the feast itself, as they were kept in the church built over the grotto in Bethlehem in which Christ is traditionally regarded as having been born.Louis Duchesne, Christian Worship: Its Origin and Evolution (London, 1903), 491–515. It may be that prior to the 5th century the event narrated in the Gospels was commemorated in conjunction with the feast of Easter or Pentecost. Some{{who|date=May 2020}} believe that the much-disputed forty-third decree of the Synod of Elvira ({{Circa|300|lk=no}}) condemning the practice of observing a feast on the fortieth day after Easter and neglecting to keep Pentecost on the fiftieth day, implies that the proper usage of the time was to commemorate the Ascension along with Pentecost.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}} Representations of the mystery are found in diptychs and frescoes dating as early as the 5th century.{{citation needed|date=July 2016}} Hymns for this feast are found in the Georgian Chantbook of Jerusalem,{{Cite journal |last=Frøyshov |first=Stig Simeon |title=[Hymnography of the] Rite of Jerusalem |url=https://www.academia.edu/4874556 |journal=Canterbury Dictionary of Hymnology}} which contains material composed during the 5th century.{{Cite book |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1047578356 |title=The first Christian hymnal : the songs of the ancient Jerusalem church |date=2018 |others=Stephen J. Shoemaker |isbn=978-1-944394-68-4 |location=Provo, Utah |oclc=1047578356}}

The Latin terms used for the feast, {{lang|la|ascensio}} and, occasionally, {{lang|la|ascensa}}, signify that Christ was raised up by his own powers, and it is from these terms that the holy day gets its name. In the Book of Common Prayer of the Anglican Communion, "Holy Thursday" is listed as another name for Ascension Day.[http://www.churchofengland.org/media/877842/5-table-vigils-fasts.pdf Church of England, "A Table of the Vigils, Fasts and Days of Abstinence to be observed in the year"] William Blake's poem "Holy Thursday" refers to Ascension Day; Thomas Pruen used the term to refer to Ascension Day in his Illustration of the Liturgy of the Church of England, published in 1820;{{cite book |last=Pruen |first=Thomas |title=An Illustration of the Liturgy of the Church of England|url=https://archive.org/details/anillustrationl00pruegoog|access-date=11 May 2014|year=1820|publisher=W. Bulmer and W. Nicol|language=en |page=[https://archive.org/details/anillustrationl00pruegoog/page/n303 173] |quote=Ascension Day. This, called also Holy Thursday, is ten days before Whitsuntide.}}{{cite book |last=Keene |first=Michael |title=Christian Life|year=2000|publisher=Nelson Thornes |isbn=9780748752874|page=60|quote=The day is sometimes called Holy Thursday.}} however use of the term "Holy Thursday" to mean Ascension Day is rare,[http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/holy-thursday Collins English Dictionary]: Definition of "Holy Thursday" and the term is more generally applied by most Christian denominations to Maundy Thursday in Holy Week.

In Western Christianity, the earliest possible date is April 30 (as in 1818 and 2285), the latest possible date is June 3 (as in 1943 and 2038). In the Catholic Church, the Ascension of the Lord is ranked as a Solemnity and is a Holy Day of Obligation. In the Anglican Communion, Ascension Day is a Principal Feast.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}

The three days before Ascension Thursday are sometimes referred to as the Rogation days, and the previous Sunday—the Sixth Sunday of Easter (or the Fifth Sunday {{em|after}} Easter)—as Rogation Sunday.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}

Ascension has a vigil and, since the 15th century, an octave, which is set apart for a novena of preparation for Pentecost.{{cite web|title=Rules to Order the Christian Year |publisher=Church of England |year=2015 |url= https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-worship/worship/texts/the-calendar/common-worship-rules/rulesyear.aspx |access-date=14 May 2015 |quote=Rogation Days are the three days before Ascension Day, when prayer is offered for God's blessing on the fruits of the earth and on human labour. The nine days after Ascension Day until Pentecost are days of prayer and preparation to celebrate the outpouring of the Spirit.}}

In traditional Methodist usage, The Book of Worship for Church and Home (1965) provides the following Collect for Ascension Day, commonly called Holy Thursday:{{cite book|title=The Book of Worship for Church and Home: With Orders of Worship, Services for the Administration of the Sacraments and Other Aids to Worship According to the Usages of the Methodist Church|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ckw6vgAACAAJ|access-date=25 March 2017|year=1964|publisher=Methodist Publishing House|language=en |pages=122}}

{{blockquote|Almighty God, whose blessed Son our Saviour Jesus Christ ascended far above all heavens, that he might fill all things: Mercifully give us faith to perceive that according to his promise he abideth with his Church on earth, even unto the end of the world; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. {{strong|Amen.}}}}

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{{Dates for Ascension Day}}

Catholic parishes in a number of countries that do not observe the feast as a public holiday have obtained permission from the Vatican to move observance of the Feast of the Ascension from the traditional Thursday to the following Sunday, the Sunday before Pentecost. Similarly, the United Methodist Church allows the traditional celebration on Holy Thursday to be moved to Sunday.{{cite book|last=Hickman|first=Hoyt L.|title=United Methodist Altars|year=2011|publisher=Abingdon Press|language=en |isbn=9781426730696|page=52}} This is in keeping with a trend to move Holy Days of Obligation from weekdays to Sunday, to encourage more Christians to observe feasts considered important.On the following Sunday in some areas: see Sunday observance The decision to move a feast is made by each Conference of Catholic Bishops with prior approval of the Apostolic See.Canon 1246 §2 In some cases the Conference may delegate the determination for specific feasts to the bishops of an ecclesiastical province within the conference, i.e. an archbishop and the neighbouring bishops.

The switch to Sunday was made in 1992 by the Conference of Catholic Bishops in Australia;

{{Cite news|title=Column 8 |date=14 May 1992 |work=Sydney Morning Herald |page=1 }}

before 1996 in parts of Europe;

{{Cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/1996/1010/96101000034.html |title=Church holy day changes sought |date=10 October 1996 |newspaper=The Irish Times |page=5 |access-date=2009-06-11}}

in 1997 in Ireland;

{{Cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/1996/1017/96101700054.html |title=Holy days moved to following Sunday |last=Pollak |first=Andy |date=17 October 1996|newspaper=The Irish Times |page=7 |access-date=2009-06-11}}

before 1998 in Canada and parts of the western United States;[http://www.stclouddiocese.org/worship/transfer.htm Ascension Day is Moving] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040119055844/http://www.stclouddiocese.org/worship/transfer.htm |date=2004-01-19 }} Michael Kwatera, OSB. Office of Worship, Diocese of Saint Cloud. in many other parts in the United States from 1999; and in England and Wales from 2007 to 2017, but in 2018 reinstated to Thursday.[http://www.spectator.co.uk/the-magazine/the-week/658911/part_2/the-spectators-notes.thtml The Spectator's Notes: Charles Moore's reflections on the week] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203233429/http://www.spectator.co.uk/the-magazine/the-week/658911/part_2/the-spectators-notes.thtml |date=2008-12-03 }}, Charles Moore The Spectator, Wednesday, 7 May 2008 In the U.S., the determination of whether to move Ascension was delegated to the provinces by the USCCB, and the ecclesiastical provinces which retain Thursday observance in 2022 are Boston, Hartford, New York, Omaha, Philadelphia,[http://catholicism.about.com/od/holydaysandholidays/f/Ascension_Holy.htm Is Ascension a Holy Day of Obligation?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707075031/http://catholicism.about.com/od/holydaysandholidays/f/Ascension_Holy.htm |date=2011-07-07 }} Scott P. Richert, About.com{{Cite web |author=Staff Reports |date=2022-03-22 |title=Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord permanently transferred to Sunday - Catholic Star Herald |url=https://catholicstarherald.org/solemnity-of-the-ascension-permanently-transferred-to-sunday/,%20https://catholicstarherald.org/solemnity-of-the-ascension-permanently-transferred-to-sunday/ |access-date=2023-05-18 |language=en-US }}{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} and the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter. When celebrated on Sunday, the earliest possible date is May 3, and the latest is June 6.

In the Eastern Church this feast is known in Greek as Analepsis, the "taking up", and also as the Episozomene, the "salvation from on high", denoting that by ascending into his glory Christ completed the work of our redemption.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}} Ascension is one of the Twelve Great Feasts of the Orthodox liturgical year.

File:Ascension2007-04.jpg]]

The feast is always observed with an All-night vigil. The day before is the Apodosis (leave-taking) of Easter (i.e., the last day of the Feast of Easter). Before the Vigil, the Paschal Hours are said for the last time and the Paschal greeting is exchanged.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}}

The Paroemia (Old Testament readings) at Vespers on the eve of the Feast are {{bibleverse||Isaiah|2:2–3|KJV}}; {{bibleverse||Isaiah|62:10–63:3|KJV}}, {{bibleverse-nb||Isaiah|63:7–9|KJV}}; and {{bibleverse||Zechariah|14:1–4|KJV}}, {{bibleverse-nb||Zechariah|14:8–11|KJV}}.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}} A Lity is celebrated. The troparion of the day is sung, which says:{{quote without source|date=May 2019}}

{{blockquote|

O Christ God, You have ascended in Glory,

Granting joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit.

Through the blessing they were assured

That You are the Son of God,

The Redeemer of the world!}}

During the Polyeleos at Matins, the Epitaphios, which was placed on the altar on Holy Saturday (either at Matins or the Midnight Office, depending on local custom) is taken from the altar and carried in procession around the church. It is then put in the place reserved for it. The Gospel is {{bibleverse||Mark|16:9–20|KJV}}. The kontakion is sung, which announces:{{quote without source|date=May 2019}}

{{blockquote|

When You did fulfill the dispensation for our sake,

And unite earth to Heaven:

You did ascend in glory, O Christ our God,

Not being parted from those who love You,

But remaining with them and crying:

I am with you and no one will be against you.}}

The megalynarion and irmos from Ode IX of the Canon (also sung at liturgy) is:

{{blockquote|

Magnify, O my soul, Christ the Giver of Life,

Who has ascended from earth to heaven!

We magnify you, the Mother of God,

Who beyond reason and understanding

gave birth in time to the Timeless One.}}

At the Divine Liturgy, special antiphons are sung in place of Psalms 102 and 145 and the Beatitudes. The Epistle is {{bibleverse||Acts|1:1–12|KJV}}, and the Gospel is {{bibleverse||Luke|24:36–53|KJV}}.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}}

Ascension Thursday also commemorates the Holy Georgian Martyrs of Persia (17th–18th centuries).{{Cite web |title=Мученики, в долине Ферейдан: житие, иконы, день памяти |url=https://azbyka.ru/days/sv-mucheniki-v-doline-ferejdan |access-date=2023-04-04 |website=Православный Церковный календарь |language=ru}}

Ascension has an Afterfeast of eight days. The Sunday after Ascension is the Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council at Nicaea.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}} This council formulated the Nicene Creed up to the words, "He (Jesus) ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father; and shall come again, with glory, to judge the living and the dead; Whose kingdom shall have no end."{{cite wikisource |title=Nicene Creed (Niceno-Constantinopolitan)|wslink=Nicene_Creed_(ECUSA_Book_of_Common_Prayer)}} The Afterfeast ends on the following Friday, the Friday before Pentecost. The next day is appropriately a Saturday of the Dead (general commemoration of all faithful departed).

The Eastern Orthodox Church uses a different method of calculating the date of Easter, so the Eastern Orthodox commemoration of Ascension will usually be after the western observance (either one week, or four weeks, or five weeks later; but occasionally on the same day). The earliest possible date for the feast is May 13 (of the Western calendar), and the latest possible date is June 16. Some of the Oriental Orthodox Churches, however, observe Ascension on the same date as the Western Churches."The Church in Malankara switched entirely to the Gregorian calendar in 1953, following Encyclical No. 620 from Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem I, dt. December 1952." [http://sor.cua.edu/Calendar/index.html Calendars of the Syriac Orthodox Church]. Retrieved 22 April 2009.

The feast has been associated with specific hymns and other church music. The oldest hymn in German related to the feast is the Leise "Christ fuhr gen Himmel", first published in 1480. Johann Sebastian Bach composed several cantatas and the Ascension Oratorio to be performed in church services on the feast day. He first performed Wer da gläubet und getauft wird, BWV 37, on 18 May 1724, Auf Christi Himmelfahrt allein, BWV 128, on 10 May 1725, Gott fähret auf mit Jauchzen, BWV 43, on 30 May 1726 and the oratorio, Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen, BWV 11, on 19 May 1735.

Many Messianic psalms are used at the feast of Ascension including Psalm 24, Psalm 47 and Psalm 68. The dialogue "Lift up your heads, O ye gates" from Psalm 24 (verses 7–10) has inspired Handel's setting in Part II of his Messiah in the scene "Ascension", and Christoph Bernhard Verspoell's 1810 hymn in German, "{{lang|de|Öffnet eure Tore|italic=no}}". Phillip Moore's anthem The Ascension sets words based on the same verses.{{Cite web|title=Philip Moore – Ascension (Lift Up Your Heads) SATB & Organ|url=https://www.boosey.com/shop/prod/Moore-Philip-Ascension-Lift-Up-Your-Heads-SATB-Organ/641577|access-date=2021-04-20|website=www.boosey.com}}

Olivier Messiaen wrote an orchestral suite, later partly transcribed for organ, called L'Ascension in the 1930s.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}

Settings of "God is gone up" have been composed by William Croft, Arthur Hutchings and Gerald Finzi (words by Edward Taylor).{{Cite web|date=2015-10-15|title=Finzi G – God is gone up|url=https://www.sjcchoir.co.uk/listen/sjc-live/finzi-g-god-gone|access-date=2021-04-20|website=The Choir of St John's College, Cambridge|language=en|archive-date=2021-04-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210420102300/https://www.sjcchoir.co.uk/listen/sjc-live/finzi-g-god-gone|url-status=dead}} Other settings suitable for the occasion include William Matthias's Lift up your heads. "Im Himmel hoch verherrlicht ist" (Highly gloryfied in Heaven) is a 1973 hymn in German for the occasion.

The RSCM has produced an extensive list of music (including hymns, anthems and organ music) suitable for Ascension.{{Cite web|title=Sunday by Sunday on the web: Musical resources for Ascension Day|url=https://www.rscm.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/ResourcesAndInfo/SBS/ascension.pdf}}

• Ascension of Jesus in Christian art
• Feast of the Transfiguration

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