Feast of the Ascension of Christ


About this icon

The Lord Jesus remained for forty days on earth after His Resurrection from the dead, appearing continually in various places to His disciples, with whom He also spoke, ate, and drank, demonstrating His Resurrection.

On this Thursday, the fortieth day after Pascha, He appeared again in Jerusalem. After He had first spoken to the disciples about many things, He gave them His last commandment: to go forth and proclaim His Name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. But He also commanded them that for the moment they were not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait there together until they receive power from on high, when the Holy Spirit would come upon them.

Saying these things, He led them to the Mount of Olives, and raising His hands, He blessed them. He was parted from them and taken up, and a cloud of light received Him; as a royal chariot, it bore Him up into Heaven, and after a short time He was concealed from the sight of the disciples, who remained where they were with their eyes fixed on Him.

At this point, two Angels in the form of men in white raiment appeared to them and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." (Acts 1:11).

And so, having fulfilled all His dispensation for us, our Lord Jesus Christ ascended in glory into Heaven, and sat at the right hand of God the Father. His sacred disciples returned from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem, rejoicing because Christ had promised to send them the Holy Spirit.

The Lord ascended to Heaven not to sadden us with His departure, but in order to do what is best for us. "It is to your advantage that I go away", He had told His disciples. For "if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you" (John 16:7) I will pray the Father and He will give you another Comforter, to be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth... The Comforter, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things". (John 14:16,26) The Savior saw that His mission on earth was accomplished. The goal of His incarnation was to proclaim the Divine Truth to the world, to direct men into the path of repentance and salvation, and deliver us from Eternal Death. The Lord accomplished our salvation and man acquires it through the action of the Holy Spirit.

Troparion:

Thou hast ascended in glory, O Christ God, granting joy to Thy disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit. Through the blessing they were assured that Thou art the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world!

Kontakion

When Thou didst fulfil the dispensation for our sake, and unite earth to heaven, Thou didst ascend in glory, O Christ our God; not being parted from those who love Thee, but remaining with them and crying: I am with you and no one will be against you!