Resources For Ascension Day

Ascension Day is the fortieth day after Easter. On this day, the church recalls the ascension of Christ into heaven and celebrates his rule over all Creation. The following information provides a helpful start for local congregations that want to revive the observance of this day. Originally the Ascension was celebrated with Pentecost as a unitive festival. Their evolution into two different festivals took place during the end of the fourth century. The date for the Ascension is always forty days after Easter, following the tradition of Acts 1:3: "appearing to them during forty days and speaking of the kingdom of God. " It has never been a day of great ceremony, even though it is a day of celebration. The impact the celebration of Ascension is to make on us is announced in the words of the preface prayer. "O Almighty God, whose blessed Son our Savior Jesus Christ ascended far above all heavens that we might fill all things: mercifully give us faith to perceive that, according to h…