Ascension Day
Marking forty days from Easter to the ascension into heaven.
Ascension Day falls forty days after Easter Sunday, always on a Thursday, and commemorates Jesus's bodily ascension into heaven as recounted in the Book of Acts and the Gospel of Luke. It marks the close of Jesus's post-resurrection appearances and looks ahead to Pentecost ten days later. Reflect on the feast with our Prayers collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Ascension Day commemorate?
Ascension Day marks the biblical event when Jesus Christ, forty days after his resurrection, ascended bodily into heaven in the presence of his apostles, as described in the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles.
Why does the date of Ascension Day change every year?
Because it is calculated as the fortieth day after Easter Sunday and always falls on a Thursday, its date shifts each year along with Easter, which itself depends on the ecclesiastical lunar calendar. It generally falls in May, occasionally in late April.
How do Christians observe Ascension Day?
Traditions include special church services and processions, and in some countries it remains a public holiday. Many believers mark the occasion with Prayers reflecting on the ascension narrative and its meaning.
What does Ascension Day mean theologically?
For Christians it signifies the completion of Jesus's earthly ministry and his return to divine glory, and is understood as a promise tied to his eventual return. It is often accompanied by reflective Quotes shared among the faithful.
Christian traditions mark the day with special liturgies, and in some countries it remains a public holiday with processions and outdoor services. The forty-day count echoes other significant periods in the Bible, such as Jesus's forty days in the wilderness. Our Quotes collection offers further reflections for the day.
