The Ascension of Jesus Christ is depicted in a mural at the Saint-André church in Domancy, Haute-Savoie, in 2019. This event is the third part of a trilogy important to Christians, which also includes the crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter Sunday. The Ascension, when Jesus was taken up to heaven forty days after his resurrection, is commemorated on a Thursday. In 2024, Catholics and many Protestants following the Gregorian calendar will celebrate Ascension on Thursday, May 9th, while Orthodox Christians, who use the Julian calendar, will celebrate on Thursday, June 13th.
The Ascension Thursday has been a public holiday in France since 1801, established in the concordat between Napoleon Bonaparte and Pope Pius VII. In some Catholic countries like Spain and Italy, Ascension is celebrated on a Sunday to avoid an additional holiday. However, in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and France, Ascension Thursday remains a non-working day. This day holds significant meaning and symbolism for Christians, and there are five key questions that can help understand its significance.
During the Ascension of Jesus, according to the Gospels, Jesus appeared to his apostles, friends, and disciples, both men and women, for forty days after his resurrection to impart his final teachings about the kingdom of God. At the end of this time, Jesus invited his apostles to Bethany on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem. There, he ascended into heaven in front of them, disappearing in a cloud. This event is recorded in the Gospels of Mark and Luke, where it is described how Jesus ascended to heaven and sat at the right hand of God, leaving his followers amazed.
The first Christian communities seem to have celebrated Easter for fifty days until Pentecost, which marks the arrival of the Holy Spirit. Over time, they began to distinguish different dates to commemorate the death, resurrection, Ascension of Jesus, and the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Ascension has been a key part of Christian tradition for centuries, and the story of Jesus ascending to heaven is a central aspect of Christian belief. The Ascension offers believers hope and reassurance of Jesus’ promise to return in the same way he ascended.
Ascension Thursday is a time for reflection and contemplation for Christians, as they remember the significance of Jesus’ ascension into heaven. The image of Jesus ascending to the right hand of God serves as a powerful symbol of his divinity and authority. For believers, the Ascension is a testament to Jesus’ victory over death and his return to his heavenly home. It is a time to reaffirm faith in Jesus as the Son of God and to celebrate his continuing presence in the hearts of believers.
