Feast Day: The Thursday of the sixth week of Pascha (Forty days after Pascha)
About: And while they beheld, He was taken up from their midst, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. Being thus escorted by the Angels, who exhorted each other to lift up the Heavenly Gates and were astonished that His flesh was reddened with blood, He Ascended and sat at the right hand of the Father, deifying the flesh, and—I make bold to say—putting it on a level with God. For through the flesh we were reconciled to God and the ancient enmity was destroyed. The Angels stood before the Apostles in the form of men, saying: “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye in amazement, gazing up into Heaven? This Jesus, Whom ye saw as God in the flesh, will come again thus, that is, in the flesh; save not as before, in poverty and gentleness, but with great Glory, as ye behold Him now escorted by Angels.”…
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Prayers
Apolytikion: Thou hast Ascended in Glory, O Christ Our God, and gladdened Thy disciples with the promise of the Holy Spirit; and they were assured by the blessing that Thou art the Son of God and Redeemer of the world.
Kontakion: O Christ our God, upon fulfilling Your dispensation for our sake, You Ascended in Glory, uniting the Earthly with the Heavenly. You were never separate but remained inseparable, and cried out to those who love You, “I am with you and no one is against you.”
Megalynarion: We magnify Thee, O Life-Giver Christ, and we honour Thy Divine Ascension with Thy most pure flesh into Heaven.
A Chant: The Lord was taken up to Heaven, in order to send the Holy Spirit to the world. The Heavens prepared His Throne; the clouds were the means of His approach. Angels marvel, seeing a human being higher than themselves. The Father receives Him whom He has coeternal in His bosom. The Holy Spirit gives the order to all His Angels, “Lift, up the gates, O you rulers.” Oh, clap your hands, all you nations! For Christ has ascended to where He was before.
A Chant: As You were being lifted up from the Mount of Olives, O Christ, the Angelic Hosts were watching, and they said one to the other, “Who is this?” And the other responded, “This is He who is strong and mighty; this is He who is powerful in battle. He is truly the King of Glory.” “And why are His garments red?” “He comes from Bozrah, which is the flesh.” You, as God, sat at the right hand of the majesty, and You sent us the Holy Spirit, to guide us and to save our Souls.
Luke 24 :50-53
And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.
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Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into Heaven.
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And they worshiped Him,
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and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.
Below is a photo of the place from with Christ Ascended into Heaven. His Most Holy Footprint can be seen in the rock, outlined in blue.
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Mark 19
“So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into Heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.”
Acts 1:9-12
Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward Heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into Heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into Heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into Heaven.”
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