Ascension of Jesus Christ

The feast of the Ascension of Our Lord, one of the most important celebrations of Christianity, takes place on a Thursday, forty days after Easter.

For Christians, the Ascension (in Latin ascensio, in Greek analepsis) designates the moment when Jesus Christ ascends into heaven, after his resurrection from the dead. The feast of the Ascension refers to the elevation of Christ to heaven, which symbolizes eternal life. According to the Bible, the dead and risen (alive) of Jesus, forty days after Easter, and disappeared before the eyes of the Apostles.

This episode is described at the end of the Gospel according to Luke (XXIV, 51): Jesus takes his apostles to Bethany, a village in Judea where he liked to retire to flee the persecutions of Jerusalem. There he blesses them. “And it came to pass, as he blessed them, that he parted from them, and was carried up into heaven. For them, having worshiped him, they returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were constantly in the Temple at praise God”.

Where is the location of the Ascension of Jesus Christ (Jesus Christ)?

• Outside the city of Jerusalem, near Bethany, on a hill called the Mount of Olives, which is only “a Sabbath walk” away from Jerusalem. The “Sabbath walk” was about 2000 steps or about 1.5 km (1 mile).
• Obviously this ascension was not within the city of Bethany, which is east of the Mount of Olives, about 3 kilometers (2 miles) east of Jerusalem.
• Mount Olivet (English: Mount Olivet or Mount Olive) consists of 3 peaks that extend for about 2 kilometers (1.5 miles).
• The Church of the “Church of the Holy Ascension” was once founded there, before being captured by Saladin in 1187 and converted into the “Chapel of Ascension” mosque until now. According to tradition, this is the place where Jesus ascended.

Read also: The History of Easter, Symbols and Traditions in Christianity

What do people do on the Feast of the Ascension of Jesus Christ?

The Feast of the Ascension of Jesus Christ is officially celebrated on Thursday on the 40th day of Easter (or 39 days after Easter Sunday). In countries where there are public holidays, this holiday is one of the days that workers look forward to.

Many people have the weekend off because the day falls on a Thursday. Fridays in between are usually quiet, especially in shops and offices.

In which countries are public holidays for the Ascension of the Messiah?

Ascension Day is not a federal public holiday in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. It is a public holiday in several countries, including:

• Austria.
• Belgium.
• Denmark.
• Finland.
• France.
• Germany.
• Indonesia.
• Luxembourg.
• Dutch.
• Norway.
• Sweden.
• Vanuatu.

Government offices, schools, banks and many businesses are usually closed in countries where Ascension Day is a public holiday. Public transportation services may run on a weekend schedule in some countries that observe the Feast of the Ascension of Jesus Christ as a public holiday.

Easter Celebration: Commemorating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Sources: PinterPandai, BBC, Jesus Christ Savior

Photo description: Jesus ascended to heaven. Painter (1775): John Singleton Copley

Photo credit: Wikimedia (Public Domain). Source/Photographer: abcgallery.com