Ascension Day

Origin and history

The Acts of the Apostles says that after his resurrection Jesus appeared to his followers over forty days and was then taken up into heaven. Ascension Day is therefore kept on a Thursday, the fortieth day of Easter counting Easter Sunday itself. The feast is very old: at the beginning of the 5th century Augustine of Hippo spoke of it as of apostolic origin, and John Chrysostom and Gregory of Nyssa mention it often. In the West it can fall as early as 30 April and as late as 3 June.

Customs

• The three days before Ascension are traditionally Rogation days, and the Sunday before is Rogation Sunday.
• The ten days from Ascension to Pentecost, called Ascensiontide, are a time of prayer while waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit; Catholics pray a novena, nine days of prayer, before Pentecost.

How traditions differ

Ascension is kept by Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Anglican and Methodist churches. Catholics observe it as a holy day of obligation, though in some countries it has been moved to the following Sunday. In the Anglican Book of Common Prayer it is also called Holy Thursday, and William Blake's poem 'Holy Thursday' refers to it.

In the library

Works: The Bible

Great Lives: Augustine of Hippo · John Chrysostom · Gregory of Nyssa · William Blake

More in Eastertide

Easter · How the date of Easter is set · St George's Day · Pentecost