Ascension Day: history, features and interesting facts

Ascension of the Lord, or, in Latin,ascensio, is an event from the history of the New Testament. On this day, Jesus Christ ascended into heaven, fully completing his earthly existence. In honor of this religious sacrament a holiday was established.

He is attached to the Great Easter, so he is celebratednot on a specific date, but strictly on the 40th day after the Resurrection of the Lord. In many countries of the world this holy day is a day off and a public holiday.

The Ascension of the Lord is one of the twelvetwelve holidays in Orthodoxy. What does this day mean? Why do Christians celebrate the end of Christ's earthly life? The holy day, its meaning, will be discussed in the article.

Holiday and its origins

This is the so-called Lord's holiday, that ishe is connected with the Lord Jesus Christ. His resurrection testified that his earthly life had come to an end. But for another 40 days he continued to communicate with his students, blessed them for good deeds, and gave them advice.

That is, in fact, on the fortieth day after the death of Jesus Christ we recall him and the tragic events of the crucifixion.

On this day, Christ gathered the apostles on Mount Eleon, blessed them and ascended to heaven. In the New Testament, in the Acts of the Apostles (chapter 1: 9-11), these events are described as follows:

The story of the Ascension of the Lord is described in the Acts of the Holy Apostles, in the Gospel of Luke, at the end of the Gospel of Mark.

After the miracle of Ascension, his disciples returned toJerusalem is happy and joyful, since this event is not the day of the loss of the Most High, but is a symbol of the transformation and ascent of all people into His Kingdom.

Jesus took a seat at the right hand of God the Father and has since been constantly present on Earth.

Ten days after the Ascension, the Holy Spirit descended to the apostles, and gave them the strength to preach the Christian faith among people. On this day, Pentecost is celebrated (the 50th day after Easter).

Celebration history

Almost until the 5th century Ascension and Pentecostwere a single holiday. It was a period in the calendar, which was called "Joyful." But later Pentecost became a separate holiday. The first mention of this is found in the sermons of John Chrysostom, as well as in St. Nyssa Gregory.

Tradition of celebration

Так как праздник Вознесения посвящен Господу, то during divine services, clergymen are dressed in white robes symbolizing the divine light. The celebration includes one day of celebration and eight days of celebration.

The day before the holiday is held in all temples.the order of "giving" Easter. A solemn liturgy is served on the Ascension Day of Christ, and while the bells ring, the part of the Gospel that is dedicated to this event is read. The end of the holiday (lasts 10 days) occurs on the next Friday (that is, on the Friday of the seventh week after Easter). On this day, the same prayers and chants are read that they performed at the Ascension service of the Lord.

Icons in honor of a holy religious event

All icon painters adhere to clear iconographyin describing the sacraments of the Ascension of Christ. The icon always depicts the twelve apostles, between whom the Virgin stands. Jesus Christ ascends to heaven on a cloud surrounded by angels. Some icons on Mount of Olives capture the footprint of Christ.

The most famous icon belongs to Rublev’s brushAndrey. He created it for the Assumption Cathedral of the city of Vladimir in 1408. He wrote the holy image of Christ in accordance with the history of the New Testament. Currently, the icon is in the Tretyakov Gallery.

Ascension churches

On the site of the sacrament, on Mount Eleon, was erected inIV century temple, but in 614 it was destroyed by the Persians. It is believed that it was he who served as a model for the Dome of the Rock, a Muslim sanctuary. The Ascension Chapel contains a footprint. Believers believe that this print belongs to Christ.

In Russia, the Christian feast of the Ascension of the Lord has long been worshiped. Monasteries and temples were consecrated in his honor. The most famous of them:

• Вознесенский женский монастырь, основан в 1407 year in the Moscow Kremlin. Its founder is considered to be Princess Evdokia Dmitrievna, the wife of Dmitry Donskoy, in this monastery she herself tonsured, becoming a nun Euphrosyne. After her death, she was buried in the main monastery cathedral - Ascension. The temple became the burial place for many princely daughters and wives, here were buried: Sofia Vitovtovna (wife of Vasily I), Paleolog Sofia (wife of Ivan III), Glinskaya Elena (mother of Ivan the Terrible), Anastasia Romanovna (wife of Ivan the Terrible), Irina Godunova (sister Boris Godunov and the wife of Tsar Fedor Ivanovich). After the Revolution of 1917, the monastery was closed, and in 1929 it was destroyed. Currently, the Kremlin’s administrative building stands on the site of the monastery. The tombs of the queens and princesses were moved to the cellars of the Archangel Cathedral.
• In Pskov there are two monasteries that are dedicated to this holiday: the Old and New Voznesnesensky monasteries. The first mention of them is found in chronicles in the XV century.
• Церковь Вознесения Господня построена в селе Kolomenskoye in 1532. This is the first hipped stone temple in Russia. It does not seem tall at all, and only from afar it can be seen how magnificent and huge it is. The Church of the Ascension was built by decree of Basil III in honor of the birth of a son and heir to the throne (Ivan IV or Grozny). The construction of this temple marked the beginning of a unique temple-architectural style, which lasted until the middle of the XVII century. Historians and architects suggest that Italian masters built the temple. In the Soviet years, he was transferred to the jurisdiction of the reserve museum. The church was consecrated only in 2000, and in 2007 a long restoration was completed.
  
• Church of the Ascension for Serpukhovthe gate was built at the expense of Tsarevich Alexei. The lower part of the church was consecrated in 1714 and was named in the name of the icon of the Mother of God of Jerusalem. After the execution of the prince, construction was temporarily suspended. The Church of the Ascension of the Lord was completely consecrated behind the Serpukhov Gate in 1762. In the middle of the XIX century, it underwent restructuring. During the years of Soviet rule it was closed, in 1930 the bell tower and the fence, as well as the almshouse were destroyed. Inside the building are government offices. The recent history of the church began in 1990. Currently, this is the current Orthodox Church of the Ascension. His work schedule: daily liturgies begin at 8:00, Vespers - at 17:00. On Sundays and public holidays, the liturgy is served at 9:00.
• Church of the Ascension on Nikitskayacalled the "Little Ascension." The name has spread among the people since 1830, this is due to the fact that a new church was built outside Nikitsky Gate, which was nicknamed the "Great Ascension". And before its construction, the temple on Nikitskaya was called the "Old Ascension". The official name is "Church of the Ascension of the Lord on Bolshaya Nikitskaya". The first written mention of it dates back to 1584. It was originally a wooden structure that destroyed a fire in 1629. Five years later, a stone structure was erected. At the end of the XVII century the church was rebuilt, a southern limit was added. In the 30s of the 18th century, another fire occurred in the Church of the Ascension of the Lord on Bolshaya Nikitskaya, as a result of which it was very damaged and was restored only in 1739. In the XIX century, an arched gallery was built and a warm porch was built. In 1830, the temple was decorated with a new iconostasis. In the 70s of the XIX century the church was rebuilt, and at the beginning of the XX century it was restored. After the Revolution, the Church of the Ascension of the Lord continued to operate for some time, but in the 1930s the bells were knocked off it and after seven years it was finally closed. Crosses were torn from it and interior rooms were converted. It was returned to the jurisdiction of the Orthodox Church only in 1992.

• Church of the Ascension of the Lord "Great Ascension"located at Nikitsky gate. In this area there was a wooden church, the first mention of which dates back to 1619, in 1629 it burned down. At the end of the XVII century, Queen Naryshkina Natalya Kirillovna ordered the construction of a stone Ascension Church, which was located a little to the west of the modern building. Potemkin's nephew G.A. - Vysotsky V.P. after the death of his uncle at the end of the 18th century gave the priest Antipa the power of attorney and money for the construction of a new, more magnificent church. The design was entrusted to the architect M. Kozakov. In 1798 the construction of the refectory with two limits began. But during the fire of 1812, the unfinished building completely burned down, so the construction was completed only in 1816. Here the wedding of Pushkin Alexander Sergeyevich with Goncharova Natalia took place. The construction of the entire temple complex was completed in 1848. The iconostases were executed by architect M. Bykovsky in 1840.

The official name is “The Church of the Ascension of the Lord Behind the Nikitsky Gate,” the name “The Great Ascension” has become popular among the people, unlike the older church of the “Little Ascension”.

Many Ascension membersrepresentatives of the intelligentsia of that time and nobles. Shchepkina M.S. In the year 25 of the 20th century, Patriarch Tikhon celebrated his last service in this church.

In the 30s, the church was closed, and in the buildinggarages are located. The icons were burned right in the temple, the wall paintings were painted, the floors were built. In 1937, the bell tower (structure of the 17th century) was demolished. Since the 1960s, the building housed the laboratory of the Krzhizhanovsky Energy Institute. In 1987, it was removed and it was planned to equip a concert hall here. But the plans were not destined to come true. In 1990, the building was transferred to the church. Restoration work began, during which the foundation of the bell tower, demolished in 1937, was discovered. A new 61-meter bell tower was built on this site in 2004, designed by architect O. I. Zhurin. From 2002 to 2009, the facade was restored, the refectory and staircase from Malaya Nikitskaya Street, as well as the fence, were restored. Currently regularly held in the temple of the Ascension of the Lord service and Sunday school operates.

Old Believers Ascension Churches

Old Believers continue the Old Slavic traditionthe construction of temples in the name of the Ascension of Christ. Currently, the feast is celebrated by the communities of the Old Believer Orthodox Church in the village of Baranchinsky, Sverdlovsk Region, in the village of Novyenko, Ivnyansky District, Belgorod Region, in the cities of Targu Frumos, Tulcha. In honor of the Ascension, the temples were consecrated in the United States in the city of Woodburn and in Lithuania in the town of Turmantas, Zarasai district.

Folk traditions

A holiday for many centuries of existenceChristianity in Russia incorporated both agrarian and pagan customs. Folk beliefs and signs developed that had nothing to do with the religious meaning of the holiday, but well illustrated the attitude of the people to Holy Day and the customs of Russian peasants.

From this day, it is believed that springgoes into the summer. In the evening, bonfires were made, as a symbol of summer, dances were held, people began to perform the rite of “cumulation” - this is an old Slavic rite, after which the people who were addicted became close people like sisters or brothers.

On this day, baked cakes and "ladders" on whichthere must have been seven crossbars (seven heavens of the apocalypse). They were consecrated in the church, and then thrown from the bell tower. So people wondered if all the steps are intact, then a person leads a righteous life, and if a staircase is broken into small pieces, then a sinful one.

They also went with ladders to the field, where they prayed and threw them into the sky so that the crop would grow high.

Also in the field, birches were sure to be adorned, which remained in such decoration until the end of the harvest. Festivities were arranged around them, they threw boiled eggs and asked Christ to help in the growth of the harvest.

In the national calendar, this day is considered the day of remembrance of deceased ancestors and parents. To remember and propitiate them, they baked pancakes, fried scrambled eggs, and then they all ate either in the field or at home.

The meaning of the Ascension

Archpriest, rector of the church of Alexander NevskyFomin Igor explains the meaning of this religious action. He says that by Ascension to heaven, Christ edifies each of us. He does this through the apostles, his disciples. They became witnesses of this sacrament. Before his Ascension, Jesus Christ appeared to them for forty days, strengthening their faith and giving them support and hope for the Kingdom of Heaven. And with his departure, Christ puts an end to his human form of existence and ascends into heaven. His sacrifice of atonement ends. But the Lord does not leave us alone. Christ sends the Holy Spirit, who accompanies and comforts us. This comfort lies in the meaning of the next religious holiday - Pentecost, which the Orthodox celebrate 50 days after Easter.

Holy Day Tips and Tricks

The Ascension of the Lord is especially revered by believers. This is one of the 12 major Orthodox holidays. What can be done on this day and what is strictly prohibited?

It is impossible:

• Say the religious greeting “Christ is Risen!”, As the Shroud is being taken out of the temples that day.
• Do dirty or hard work.
• Quarrel with loved ones and other people.
• Thinking of the bad. It is best to recall on this day all deceased relatives and acquaintances.
• Throw garbage and spit, as you can get into Jesus Christ, who can pass by in any guise.

In addition to prohibitions, there are prescriptions of what you can do on this day. Religious traditions are closely intertwined with folk traditions; therefore, signs play a very important role.

You can do:

• To go to visit relatives and friends, in the people this is called "going to a crossroads."
• Keep peace of mind in your soul.
• Oven pancakes, rolls, pies. Cook any egg dish.
• Rejoice and have fun.

They believed in the holiday: if the weather is fine that day, then until St. Michael’s Day (November 21) it will be warm and dry. If it rained, then there will be crop failure and disease.

In the Ascension of the Lord, the girls divined by braiding twigs of birch in a braid. If they are not wilted before the Trinity (that is, 10 days), then this year will be a wedding.

In the morning, herbs were collected, it was believed that they have miraculous powers and are able to cure even the most advanced disease.

What must be done on this day

In addition to prohibitions and recommendations, the following should be done on this day:

• Ask the Lord for help.It is believed that on this day he hears everyone and everything that they ask him to. It is necessary to pray and ask for what is vital. However, it is better not to ask for wealth and money on this holy day, unless they are needed for survival or for medicines.
• Bake special rolls, cookies, or Ladder pies. They must be consecrated in the church. It is believed that after this they become a talisman for home and family. This pastry is stored behind the icons.
• Remember all deceased relatives and friends. It is necessary to fry pancakes and boil eggs and visit the cemetery, if possible.
• Give alms. It can be clothes, shoes, food - it does not matter, the main thing is to give something to the poor.
• Wash with morning dew. It is believed that she has miraculous power, helps girls maintain beauty, and gives health and strength to the elderly.
• You need to think about faith, yourself, kindness, peace.
• To pray to the Lord God, it is believed that on this day He forgives even the greatest sinners. It is customary to read Troparion, Kondak and Greatness in honor of the Holy Holiday.

Dates celebrating Holy Day in the coming years

Orthodox Christians celebrate Ascension onthe fortieth day after Easter, always on Thursday. In 2018, the holiday falls on May 17, in a year all Orthodox will celebrate it on June 6, in 2020 on May 28, and in a year on June 10.

On the Internet you can find a huge amountconspiracies and ceremonies that are recommended to be held on this holy day, but it is better to never do this. It may be possible to achieve the desired result, but the punishment for this sin will fall not only on the person himself, but also on his children and grandchildren. The church forbids such actions, therefore it is not worth taking sin for your own soul for the sake of glory and wealth.