Ascension of the Lord Icon of the late 15th – early 16th centuries. Icon of the Ascension of the Lord Who besides the Savior is depicted on the icons of the Ascension
Miraculous words: icon of the Ascension of the Lord and prayer in full description from all the sources we found.
Ascension of the Lord
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“And He led them out of the city as far as Bethany, and lifted up His hands and blessed them. And when he blessed them, he began to separate from them and ascend to heaven. They worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and remained in the temple glorifying and blessing God" (Luke 24: 50-53)
The icon of the Ascension of the Lord is an icon of the festive rite. The Ascension of the Lord belongs to the twelve Christian holidays, established in remembrance of the Ascension of the Savior. The holiday is associated with the Easter cycle and is celebrated on the fortieth day after the Resurrection of Christ (Easter). The Feast of the Ascension of the Lord serves as an introduction or preparation for the celebration of the descent of the Holy Spirit, for the Day of the Trinity.
About his Ascension, Jesus had previously told the apostles more than once: “I ascend to My Father,” but they did not understand these words until they saw that his words had come true.
After the Ascension, the apostles returned to Jerusalem with great joy - now they knew that they had a Lord, from whom nothing could separate them anymore. “For I am confident,” says Paul, “that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor the present, nor the future, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39).
The resurrection of Christ convinced the apostles of the truth of His teaching, of the Divinity of His origin, for only God incarnate could rise from the dead and ascend; without God, no true miracles are possible. And this was not an ascension by the mind, in dreams or ghostly, but a real ascension in one’s own (earthly) body. The Christian meaning of life, which consists in acquiring God-like spiritual values here on earth and faith in the real resurrection of the body for endless life in God (in other words, salvation), is revealed in the events of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. These truths are reflected in the Creed - the basis of Christian doctrine: “I look forward to the resurrection of the dead”; "And the lives of the next century."
When does the celebration take place?
The Feast of the Ascension of the Lord takes place on the fortieth day after the Resurrection of Christ (Easter), so it always falls on Thursday. The date of celebration moves within May - early June.
How to pray in front of an icon
Prayer to the Ascension of the Lord
Lord Jesus Christ, our God, who descended from the heavenly heights of our salvation for the sake of and nourished us with spiritual joy on the holy and bright days of Your Resurrection, and again, after the completion of Your earthly ministry, ascended from us to heaven with glory and is seated at the right hand of God and the Father! On this “clear and all-bright day of Your Divine ascension into heaven”, “the earth celebrates and rejoices, and the sky also rejoices at the Ascension of the Creator of creation today,” people praise unceasingly, seeing their lost and fallen nature on Your frame, the Savior, taken to earth and ascended to heaven, The angels rejoice, saying: He who came in glory is mighty in battle. Is this truly the King of Glory?! Grant us the power also to the weak, earthly ones who are still philosophic and carnal, to create unceasingly, Thy awesome rise into heaven, thinking and celebrating, putting aside carnal and worldly cares and from Thy Apostles now looking to heaven with all our hearts and with all our thoughts, remembering how it is there in heaven woe is our residence, but here on earth we are just strangers and aliens, having departed from the house of the Father to the faraway land of sin. For this reason, we earnestly ask Thee, by Thy glorious Ascension, O Lord, revive our conscience, even though there is nothing more necessary in the world, lead us out of the captivity of this sinful flesh and world and make us a wise man on high, and not an earthly one, so that we will not please anyone and live, but we will serve You, the Lord and Our God, and we will work, until we have renounced the bonds of the flesh and gone through unrestrained airy ordeals, we will reach Your heavenly abodes, where, standing at the right hand of Your Majesty, with the Archangels and Angels and with all the saints, we will glorify Your All-Holy Name with the Beginning Your Father and the Most Holy and Consubstantial and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Thou art exalted in glory, O Christ our God, having brought joy to the disciple by the promise of the Holy Spirit, informed by the former blessing, for Thou art the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world.
We magnify You, / Life-Giving Christ, / and honor You in heaven, / with Your most pure flesh, / Divine Ascension.
Akathist to the Ascension of the Lord
Chosen Voevodo, Creative of heaven and earth! To the conqueror of death we offer a laudable song, as through Your most luminous Resurrection from the dead You ascended into heaven with glory and with Your most pure flesh You sat down at the right hand of God and the Father, and You took up our fallen nature with You, and freed us from sins and from eternal death forever . We, celebrating Your Divine Ascension with Your disciples, cry out to You from our hearts: Jesus, who ascended from us into heaven, do not leave us orphans.
The faces of the Archangels and Angels co-presented You, the King of all, on the Mount of Olives, with fear seeing You on the heights of heaven and taking You down in the flesh, and glorifying the greatness of Your love for mankind, singing to You like this: Jesus, King of Glory, ascend to heaven with a shout of trumpeting. Jesus, Lord of Hosts, mount the cherubim and fly on the wing of the wind. Jesus, Eternal God, give Your voice a voice of power, so that the whole earth may now tremble. Jesus, Most High Light, show Your Power on the clouds, and let fire ignite from Your Face. Jesus, Redeemer of creation, prepare Your Throne in heaven and let Your Kingdom have no end. Jesus, Creator of heaven and earth, sit at the right hand of Your Father, that God may be all in all. Jesus, who ascended from us into heaven, do not leave us orphans.
Having seen the Apostles rise from the dead, Master Lord, when in the forty days You showed Yourself to them, speaking about the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, and having received from You the commandment not to separate from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promises of the Father, until they were clothed with power from above, having come together, we remained together with one accord. in prayer singing to You with one mouth and one heart: Alleluia.
Opening the mind of Divine vision, O All-merciful Jesus, Thou brought forth Thy disciples as far as Bethany, and brought them up to the Mount of Olives, and began to prepare for the great Mystery of Thy Ascension into heaven, saying: Draw near, O My friends, the time of ascension has passed, so teach all tongues the word , which you heard from My voice, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Tiy, still wise on earth, asked whether in this summer you would establish the Kingdom of Israel. Instead, You told them: “You will not understand the times and years that the Father has laid down in His power,” so that they may be prepared to meet His Heavenly Bridegroom, crying out: Jesus, Good Shepherd, never be separated from us, but remain with us relentlessly . Jesus, the Good Teacher, sent down the Holy Comforter Spirit to us, may he always remain with us. Jesus, our Enlightener, enlighten our souls with Your Ascension to the Heavenly Father. Jesus, our Savior, save us from cowardice and storms through Your intercession. Jesus, our Teacher, by the word of Your mouth guide us to Your service. Jesus, our Helper, by Your Holy Spirit remember to us Your Revelation. Jesus, who ascended from us into heaven, do not leave us orphans.
The Apostles were endowed with power from above, O Jesus, when on the Mount of Olives you promised them the descent of the Holy Spirit. Thou hast commanded them, that Thy witness may be in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and even to the last of the earth, saying: Come and enter into My gates, prepare My way, and make My way for My people, and place stones for the way; lift up a sign in tongues, yes all the faithful will sing with you: Alleluia.
Having an abyss of mercy, Sweetest Jesus, Your disciples and the wives who followed You and especially Your Mother who bore You, filled You with countless joys at Your Ascension, even when you had already departed from them, You stretched out Your hands and blessed You, saying: “Behold, I am with you in all the days until the end of the age,” and filled with fear, I glorified Your merciful condescension, saying: Jesus, Giver of mercy, have mercy on the human race who came to Olivet. Jesus, Joyner of the Sorrowful, Your friends who are with You, desire to comfort them. Jesus, Hope of the hopeless, Your blessing saved us from despondency when we departed to heaven. Jesus, Refuge of the homeless, by Your Ascension the rise to the Heavenly Father has been granted to us. Jesus, Good Comforter, send us another Comforter from the Father who has promised. Jesus, Great Shepherd of the sheep, Your faithful flock is not pleased to be scattered. Jesus, who ascended from us into heaven, do not leave us orphans.
In a storm of bewilderment and much sorrow, the Apostles were filled with sobs of tears, when they saw You, Christ, they were lifted up into the clouds and weepingly said: Master, how now are you leaving Your servants, you have loved them for Your mercy, as you go, you will hold the ends with your hands? We, having left everything, followed God to You, rejoicing, having hope of being with You forever. Do not leave us orphans, as you promised, do not separate from us, our Good Shepherd, but send us Your Most Holy Spirit, instructing, enlightening and sanctifying our souls, so that we may sing to You with gratitude: Alleluia.
Hearing the sobs of Your disciple, Lord Lord, about the separation of those who mourn, You bestowed the most perfect blessing on Your friends, saying: Do not weep, beloved, and reject all lamentation, it is good for you to eat, so that I go to My Father, if I do not go, the Comforter will not come . For your sake I descended from heaven, and for your sake I will ascend again into heaven to prepare a place for you, for I will not leave My sheep, which I have gathered together, I will not forget, them whom I have loved. Having received these divine words of consolation, I cried out to You with tenderness: All-merciful Jesus, who turned our sorrow and tears into joy, do not deprive us of eternal joy in Your Kingdom. All-Bounteous Jesus, who filled us with joy in Your Ascension, preserve our spirit in everlasting joy and in the earthly journey. Jesus, like a cow who has gathered his chicks, do not allow us to be separated by the centuries of this world. Jesus, who bound us together in a covenant of love at the Supper, do not allow us to be scattered by the action of Satan, like wheat. Jesus, Thy peace which you have left for us as an inheritance, keep us in one mind and in Thy love. Jesus, who has established many abodes in paradise, prepare a place for us in Your Heavenly Abode. Jesus, who ascended from us into heaven, do not leave us orphans.
The God-rich cloud greatly brightened and lifted You up, O Life-Giver, as a disciple of the beholders, when you retreated from them, You blessed, and so with much glory, as if carried on the wings of cherubim, Your wondrous ascent to Your Father You made into heaven, which was previously impassable from the spirits the evils of the heavenly places and from the princes of the powers of the air, now you are received within, so that from all creation, visible and invisible, you will hear the angelic song: Alleluia.
Having seen Your glorious Ascension with flesh into heaven, King of creation, repair the angelic, the depths of existence, being horrified, I said to the highest powers: Lift up the eternal gates, for the King of Glory is coming, open the heavens and you heavens of heavens, receive the Lord of hosts and worship Him, crying out: Jesus , Glory of the Father's radiance, enlighten us with the light of Your Face. Jesus, desecration of the heavenly minds, desecration of us in the unfading days of Your Kingdom. Jesus, who came in reality in fires and a green storm, call upon your intelligent heaven from above. Jesus, Great and Praiseworthy in Thy Holy Mountain, proclaim Thy righteousness in heaven. Jesus, having magnified Your mercy to the heavens, show Your glory throughout all the earth. Jesus, who ascended into the heavens of the east, may Your Word remain in heaven forever. Jesus, who ascended from us into heaven, do not leave us orphans.
The Preachers of the Divine Glory, the highest ranks of Angels, existing at the heights of the heavenly Dominion, the Throne, the many-reading Cherubim and the six-winged Seraphim, opening together all the heights of heaven, meeting Thee, the Lord of All, and seeing Thee Ascended in the flesh, crying out to each other in amazement: Who is this? , who came from Edom, Sovereign and Strong in battle? Who is this who came from Basor, who is of the flesh? Why are His garments scarlet, as if He wore a crown of thorns from being washed with blood? This is truly the King of Glory, the Lamb of God who was slain and risen for the salvation of the world, who now comes in the flesh to sit at the right hand of the Father, and to Him we will sing: Alleluia.
You shone with Divine glory, Jesus, when you were clothed with human nature, you mercifully exalted you, you made you sit with the Father, and you deified you. In the same heavenly incorporeal order, marveling at miracles, being horrified by the horror and awe of the content, your love for mankind is great. With them also we on earth Thy condescension for us and from us to heaven the Ascension glorifyingly, we pray, saying: Jesus, Thy stream of life, Thy Ascension to heaven showed us the way of eternal life to the Highest Jerusalem to the wanderers of the earth. Jesus, the abyss of mercy, at Your right hand of the Father, seated in our fleshly perception of God. Jesus, taking upon Yourself our lost nature, take upon Yourself also my grave sins. Jesus, who ascended in the Flesh to the Immaterial Father, lift up my sorrow from the depths of my drooping thoughts. Jesus, who has ascended from the earth to the right hand of God and the Father, grant to me the right hand portion of the saved sheep. Jesus, who has revealed the splendor of Your beauty from Zion, grant me to be a partaker of Your eternal bliss. Jesus, who ascended from us into heaven, do not leave us orphans.
Wanting to exalt and glorify the human nature that fell in Adam, You, like the second Adam, ascended to the heights of heaven, prepared Your Throne for the ages of ages, and sat down at the right hand of God and the Father, by Your Divinity in no way separated from the Father’s bosom. Come, let us worship Jesus who became poor for our sake and has ascended to the right hand of the Father, give Him greatness, and sing from the depths of our souls: Alleluia.
Thou didst reveal a new and pure life, O Lord, when Thou ascended into heaven with Thy Flesh, so that Thou mightest renew the world, aged by many sins, by Thy ascension and into heaven by Ascension, showing us clearly, as the Divine Paul says, how our life is in heaven. For this sake, let us withdraw from the vanity of the world, turning our minds to heaven, and crying out to You like this: Jesus, with the heavenly angels of His Divinity, calling us to strive for heavenly residence by ascending to heaven. Jesus, with human beings - earthly Flesh, who taught us by His departure from earth to turn away from earthly attachments. Jesus, you who came to seek the lost sheep, lead us to heaven to your unlost sheep. Jesus, descended to unite the scattered nature that was on earth united to the heavenly one with the Highest Father. Jesus, who ascended into heaven in a light cloud, grant us, who are left behind on earth, to gaze evermore at the gates of heaven. Jesus, sitting in glory on the Throne of the Divine, grant us, having opened our eyes, to understand Your miracles from the Law. Jesus, who ascended from us into heaven, do not leave us orphans.
Strange and wondrous is Your Resurrection, strange and terrible is Yours, Life-Giver Christ, hedgehog from the holy mountain of the Divine Ascension, incomprehensible and more than Your mind, sitting at the right hand of the Father in the Flesh, about which David said in the spirit of the verb: “The Lord said to My Lord: sit at My right hand, until I will make Your enemies Your footstool.” For this reason, all the powers of heaven, beholding Your ascension into heaven, truly submitting under Your nose, singing with the tongues of angels the Cherubic song: Alleluia.
All in the Highest, Sweetest Jesus, when by the will of us for our sake you ascended with glory into heaven and sat at the right hand of God and the Father, but you were also absent from those below, you promised beforehand to abide persistently in the Church and you cried out to those who love You: “I am with you and no one else.” I remember this merciful promise of Yours and keep it in my heart, crying out to You with love like this: Jesus, having received all power in heaven and on earth after Your Ascension, take us into Your eternal inheritance. Jesus, Thy disciples, filled with all joy with the promise of the Holy Spirit, fill us with His grace by coming. Jesus, who bowed down the heavens, bow down my bowed pride before the greatness of Thy glory. Jesus, having exalted all creation by Your Ascension, lift up my soul to sing with the Angels of Your Holiness. Jesus, God's Word, who has established the heavens with Your Word, establish Your words in my heart, so that I will not sin against You. Jesus, Son of the Father, having revealed all Your power from heaven by the Spirit of Your mouth, renew the Right Spirit in my womb, lest I defile myself. Jesus, who ascended from us into heaven, do not leave us orphans.
All fallen human nature, downcast and corrupted by sins, you took into your frame, O Lord Lord, who created new by yourself, and today you raised it above all beginning and power, and you brought it to God and the Father, and you seated it with yourself on the Throne of Heaven, so that you sanctify Yes, and glorify and adore. The disembodied one, marveling, said: Who is this Red Man, but not exactly a Man, but together God and Man, to whom let us sing: Alleluia.
Divine Vitias, Thy disciples, Savior, marveling at Thy glorious Ascension, I look up to heaven, sorrowfully, I ascend to Thee, and behold, two Angels appeared before them in white clothing, and recited to them as a consolation: “Men of Galileistia, why are you standing looking up to heaven? This Jesus, who ascended from you into heaven, will come in the same way, in the same way as He was seen going into heaven.” This angelic tidings of Your Second Coming, O Lord, when Your disciples heard, they came with joyful trembling, and with them we joyfully sing to You this: Jesus, ascended from us in all Your glory, come quickly with Your holy angels. Jesus, having come again to execute the judgment of justice, come with glory in the lordship of Your saints. Jesus, great and terrible above all those around, then have mercy and protect all the meek of the earth. Jesus, glorified in the Council of Your Saints, glorify us Yourself in Your Kingdom in heaven. Jesus, who passed through the heavens in the Flesh, deign to lead the soul through the ordeals of the air and to see Thee outside. Jesus, Who ascended upon the clouds of heaven, grant us the privilege to sit upon Thee on the clouds on the last day with joy and boldness. Jesus, who ascended from us into heaven, do not leave us orphans.
To save the disciples who are with You, O Christ the Savior, and all their believing words for the sake of You, and those who followed You, You ascended into heaven, so that You prepared a place for them, as in the house of Your Father there are many abodes, as You Yourself promised to come to the passion , saying: “If I prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to Myself, so that where I am, you too will be.” For this reason, grant us, Lord, upon our mortal ascension to find a temple not made by hands, eternal in heaven, prepared not from the wood, or hay, or reeds of our carnal works, which cannot stand in fire, but from gold or silver or precious stones on Yours. foundation, where we will glorify and sing to You: Alleluia.
To the Eternal King, Jesus Christ, who ascended into heaven with Your Most Pure Flesh and called us all to our heavenly Fatherland, lead us down from worldly addictions and carnal wisdom to the heavenly heights and grant us, even in the days of our flesh, with a pure testimony of conscience, to partake of heavenly life and I will take out to partake of heavenly food in the sacrament of the Divine Eucharist, and from a pure heart and right spirit we will sing to You this: Jesus, the Great Hierarch of the blessings to come, at His Ascension, who passed through the heavens in the Flesh and ascended not into a temple made by hand, but into heaven itself, so that the Face of God from us appear. Jesus, Heavenly Architect, who built a tabernacle not made with hands in heaven and who alone entered into the Holy of Holies to the Father with His Blood, so that He may accomplish eternal redemption. Jesus, Immaculate Lamb of God, who alone was slain for the sins of the world, “to take away the sins of many,” lift up my sin offerings to the Throne of God. Jesus, the Mediator of the New Testament, who alone ascended into heaven to the Father, opened the way to the Heavenly Tabernacle
Prayers before the icon of the Ascension of the Lord
In Christianity, there are many miraculous icons that have healing properties or strong energy. For example, icons painted in honor of great holidays - such as the Ascension of the Lord.
It is worth noting that the church usually advises keeping this image of the Ascension in every Orthodox home, like some other icons. After all, images are not just a mandatory Christian attribute in any home. They create the impression of the constant presence of God in the house, driving out evil spirits, evil and troubles that are afraid of one reminder of the Almighty.
Icon "Ascension of the Lord"
This icon reflects the events of the Feast of the Ascension, which coincides with the 40th day after Easter, after the miraculous resurrection of Jesus Christ. Historians and clergy argue about why the Virgin Mary is depicted on the icon, but this essentially does not matter, because the artist saw it the way he wanted. Moreover, the image of the Mother of God does not change the essence and only adds importance and tragedy to the icon.
The Feast of the Ascension symbolizes the final journey of Jesus Christ, his solemn reunion with the Father and the Holy Spirit. The unity of the Trinity signifies the completion of Christ's mission on Earth. Before he left, he left his disciples with the message that there would be a second coming. No one knows the exact date of the Last Judgment, for it is known only to the Heavenly Father.
The icon of the Ascension of the Lord, according to tradition, depicts Mary, the apostles and disciples of Jesus, to whom he gave instructions and taught the last 40 days of his earthly life. Also, the icon often featured the Mount of Olives and angels carrying Jesus to heaven.
Prayers before the icon of the Ascension
Prayers to this icon should be filled with love and warmth. They help to correctly prioritize between spiritual and earthly matters. Before this icon you can read any prayers, starting with Our Father and ending with the Theotokos, Virgin, Rejoice. And here is the main prayer before the Ascension:
We will serve and work for You, Lord and Our God; when, having renounced the bonds of the flesh and having passed through the air barriers without hindrance, we reach Thy heavenly abodes, there, standing at the right hand of Thy Majesty, with the Archangels and Angels and all the saints, we will glorify Thy All-Holy Name with Thy Originless Father and Thy Most Holy and Consubstantial and Life-Giving Spirit.
With these words we ask God to allow us to find the strength to follow him in earthly life. There are two shorter prayers that fewer people know about, but which are no less powerful:
Thou art ascended in glory, O Christ our God, brought joy to the disciple by the promise of the Holy Spirit, informed by the former blessing, for Thou art the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world.
Having fulfilled your concern for us, and having united us on earth with the heavenly, you ascended in glory, Christ our God, in no way departing, but remaining persistent, and crying out to those who love You: I am with you and no one is against you.
These two prayers are more suitable for the Ascension holiday itself, although many read these lines every day. They, like the icon of the Ascension itself, are filled with the genuine love of Jesus Christ for all people living and who have lived on Earth. They give us light and peace, as well as tranquility. Jesus Christ endured great torment for each of us, but found the bliss that he was originally worthy of. This is the main meaning of Christianity - to see only good in everything, to find salvation in trials, and in joy to recognize the meaning of life.
Priests always give very important instructions to all believers about how to pray in front of any icon. The main thing is the attitude. There is no need to memorize a prayer and read it like a robot, because this is communication with God. You don't have to force yourself to do it. Feel this call of your heart from within. Let him let you know that the moment has come when you need to pray to turn to God. Let these prayers and the Ascension of the Lord icon lead you to spiritual enlightenment, humility and joy of life.
Do not forget to read prayers not only in bad and difficult moments of your life, but also when everything is good, in order to thank God for his gifts. Read prayers for the coming sleep and in the morning. For life is the greatest gift. Good luck and don't forget to press the buttons and
The Ascension of the Lord, remembered on the fortieth day after Easter, is one of the oldest Christian holidays, established, apparently, already in the 4th century. The great fathers of the Church - Saints John Chrysostom and Gregory of Nyssa - are the authors of the very first conversations on the Ascension, and Blessed Augustine in his writings mentions the widespread celebration of this day.The source of the iconography of the Ascension of the Lord are the texts of the Gospel and the Acts of the Holy Apostles. The oldest surviving images of the Ascension date back to the 5th century.
The so-called Bamberg Avorium, a carved ivory plaque kept in Munich, dates back to around 400. The main scene here is the coming of the myrrh-bearing women to the Holy Sepulcher, complemented by the image of a young beardless Christ with a scroll in his hand, walking along the mountain towards heaven. From the cloud segment one can see the right hand of God, which seems to “draw” the Savior into heaven. The movement of Christ is quite impetuous: the left leg is bent, and the right leg is set far back. Below the stepped hill along which Jesus ascends are the figures of two people falling on their faces. The described composition has been interpreted differently by researchers. The most famous Byzantine scholar N.P. Kondakov believed that it does not show the Ascension, as N.V. claimed. Pokrovsky, and the very moment of the Resurrection of Christ. He understood the figures at the foot of the mountain as images of two defeated Roman guards, and not of the Lord’s disciples, since there should have been twelve of the latter. It is worth noting, however, that in Christian art there is no depiction of the most important moment of Gospel history - the moment of the Resurrection - it is not described by the holy evangelists and church hymns do not speak about it. In turn, N.V. Pokrovsky convincingly interpreted the Ascension depicted on the plaque as a kind of literal illustration of the text of the Acts of the Holy Apostles, where it is said about the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus: “God raised this Jesus, of which we are all witnesses. So he was exalted by the right hand God..." (Acts 2: 32–33). In the medieval art of the Western Christian world, such images of the Ascension are found quite often, which is probably also due to the fact that in Latin the words “ascension” and “ascension” are denoted by one word - ascensus. Another ancient example of Ascension iconography is one of the scenes depicted on the carved wooden doors of the Basilica of Santa Sabina in Rome (5th century). It is full of early Christian symbolism and a special doctrinal character. The Young Savior with a scroll in his left hand is depicted standing in a round medallion, woven as if from laurel branches. On either side of Him are large letters α (alpha) and ω (omega), referring to the text of the Revelation of John the Theologian, where the Lord says: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end” (Rev. 1: 8). Around the halo of Christ are the symbols of the holy evangelists, and below is a vault with heavenly bodies and two disciples standing before Christ and holding a cross in a circle above the head of the Woman depicted between them. The evangelists do not report anything about the presence of the Mother of God during the Ascension of the Son, but Her image will henceforth be central in all icons of the holiday as evidence of Christ ascending in the flesh, born of the Virgin. It should also be noted that among the witnesses of the Lord’s ascension into heaven is present, along with the Apostle Peter, the Apostle Paul. This discrepancy with historical reality did not bother the artists, since they created, first of all, a symbolic image of the New Testament Apostolic Church, established on earth by the Savior and entrusted by Him to the Apostles after the Ascension. In the extremely developed iconography of the Ascension from the Syriac Gospel of Rabula (586), the triumphal nature of the event and its connection with the second coming of the Lord are especially emphasized. Thus, the Mother of God standing in the center is flanked on either side by the figures of two angels in white robes. The right hand of the angel leading the right group of apostles is shown in a gesture of speech, while the angel shown on the left indicates Christ ascending in glory. This is a direct illustration of the text of the Acts of the Holy Apostles: “And when they looked into the sky, during His ascension, suddenly two men in white clothes appeared to them and said: men of Galilee! Why are you standing and looking at the sky? This Jesus, who has ascended from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him ascending into heaven.” (Acts 1:10–11). The eschatological meaning of the composition is emphasized by the image under the glory of Christ of a tetramorph with wheels of fire, described in the texts of Old Testament prophecies (see. : Ezek. 1: 4–25) and the Apocalypse (see: Rev. 4: 7–8).On one of the pilgrimage ampoules kept in the treasury of the cathedral in Monza (VI–VII centuries), Christ, carried up by angels, is depicted sitting on a throne, whereas in the monuments discussed above He was depicted standing. At a later time, the Savior is most often shown sitting on a rainbow.
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An ancient, but rarer tradition also includes the placement of the Ascension in the conch of the altar apse, the oldest example of which can be seen in the rotunda of St. George in Thessalonica (late 9th century).
In Rus', the composition of the Ascension is represented in dome paintings of the 9th–12th centuries - in the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Mirozh Monastery in Pskov, the Church of St. George in Staraya Ladoga, and the Church of the Savior on Nereditsa. In the latter, the drum of the dome was surrounded by the text of the inscription, separating the image of Christ and the angels from the belt of the apostles. 2nd and 6th verses of the 46th Psalm: “All nations clasp your hands, shout to God with a voice of joy. God has risen with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet,” glorifying the already ascended Lord, the completion of His redemptive mission on earth.
In Russian high iconostases, the Ascension appears as part of the festive rank from the middle of the 14th century (the festive rite of 1340–1341 of the iconostasis of the Church of St. Sophia in Novgorod). Numerous icons have a single composition. Our Lady in the center, two angels pointing to heaven, and twelve disciples praising Christ, depicted in blue glory supported by angels. The posture and gestures of the Mother of God vary. Most often She is presented frontally, with her hands raised in prayer or bent at her chest, palms facing the viewer. The apostles are depicted in various positions, sometimes quite expressive. On the Tver icon of the mid-15th century from the State Tretyakov Gallery, the disciples of Christ do not stand in two static and ordered groups, as, for example, on the tablet icon of the late 15th century from the Novgorod St. Sophia Cathedral. Each of them is engulfed in movement: one, holding his head, looks into the sky, others point upward with various impetuous gestures, while the apostle standing to the right of Peter, on the contrary, looks down, with his hands folded to receive the blessing. |
A new significant detail appears in the Pskov iconography of the Ascension in the 16th century. In the center of the image on the hills under the glory of the Lord, a stone is depicted with the imprints of the Savior’s feet. This directly referred the worshipers to the relic kept in the chapel at the site of the Ascension - the Mount of Olives, as well as to the Old Testament prophecies: “And he said to me: Son of man! This is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell among the children of Israel forever” (Ezek. 43:7) and “Behold, on the mountains are the feet of the evangelist who brings peace” (Nahum 1:15). The outline of a stone with footprints can be clearly seen on the 1542 icon from the Novovoznesenskaya Church in Pskov (now in the Novgorod Museum) and the mid-16th century icon from the festive row of the Pskov Church of St. Nicholas of Usokha (State Russian Museum). In both images, trumpeting angels are depicted at the top of the icon.
The icon of the early 17th century by the Stroganov master Michael from the Annunciation Cathedral in Solvychegodsk (State Russian Museum) shows not only the Ascension Stone, but a rare iconographic detail. The composition of the bottom row includes an additional scene, “The Blessing of the Apostles,” which, according to the Gospel story, immediately preceded the Ascension (see: Luke 24: 51).
Numerous images of the Ascension convey the main joy of the holiday - the joy of Christ, who raised human nature from death to endless life in heaven, where He sat down at the right hand of God the Father.
Century:XIV
Iconographic information: Icons with twelve holidays (on three boards) in the Novgorod St. Sophia Cathedral occupied the space between the two pre-altar pillars standing on the sides of the central apse. In order for the icons to fit exactly into the area allocated for them (the width of the span is about 6 m 30 cm) and to maintain the rhythm of the narrow demarcation strips between scenes, the right margin of the first icon, facing the center of the overall composition, was removed, and for the third, accordingly, - left margin. The published icons were most likely executed after the devastating fire in June 1340.
Stylistic reference: The style of the festive rite of the St. Sophia Cathedral fully reflects the new principles of Byzantine painting of the Palaiologan period. The compositions have lost their former symmetry; they are built on diagonal lines, small figures are depicted in motion, from complex angles. Loose draperies convey the slenderness of figures and attract with the beauty of color reflections and white highlights. Volumetric buildings of various shapes, together with massive slides, help convey the spatiality of the compositions. The icons were painted by visiting Byzantine icon painters, as evidenced by the Greek inscriptions, the use of expensive imported paints, and the use of golden assist not only on blue clothes.
3.
Century:XV
Storage location: Sergiev Posad State Historical and Art Museum-Reserve
4.
Century:XV
Storage location: State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
Iconographic information: The iconography of the “Ascension” was formed on the basis of the texts of the New Testament (Mark, Chapter XVI, Art. 19; Luke, Chapter XXIV, Art. 50-52; Acts of the Holy Apostles, Chapter I, Art. 4-12) about the Ascension of Christ to heaven before the disciples from the Mount of Olives on the fortieth day after the Resurrection. In addition, the texts of the prophecy of Isaiah, the songs of the canons for the Ascension (the “scarlet robe” of Christ) and the sixth member of the Creed (“ascended into heaven”) were used. The image on the icon is not a direct illustration of the texts of the Holy Scriptures. The composition of the icon includes the figures of the Mother of God as personifications of the Christian Church and the Apostle Paul, who are not mentioned in these texts. Christ in glory, in the image of the Almighty, is depicted as the Savior of the Second Coming, about whom two angels prophesied to the apostles. The iconography of the “Ascension” in the art of the Balkan world and Rus' belongs to the most stable versions. Some changes towards rhythmic and spatial complexity of the composition occur at the turn of the XIV-XV centuries.
5.
Century:XV
Storage location: Central Museum of Ancient Russian Culture and Art named after. Andrey Rublev
Iconographic information: The icon was part of the festive row of the iconostasis. On the reverse side there are numerical marks marking the place in the series: the “Candlemas” has seven scratches, the “Entry into Jerusalem” has nine, and the “Ascension” has twenty. Consequently, the festive rite included twenty-one icons (the last one should have been the “Descent of the Holy Spirit” following the “Ascension”). The rite began with the “Nativity of the Mother of God” and the “Introduction to the Temple,” which preceded the traditional gospel cycle. Judging by the size of the icons and their brilliant execution, this was an iconostasis in a small church, perhaps a house church, in the estate of a noble person. The icon uses iconographic schemes that developed in Byzantine painting of the 14th century and are well known in Rus' from Moscow icons of the festive rows of iconostasis of the first quarter of the 15th century: from the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin and from the Trinity Cathedral of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery.
Stylistic reference: The type of faces, as well as their execution, are close to the Tver double-sided tablet icons from the Trinity-Sergius Monastery. This especially applies to female and youthful faces, which are rather elongated, with a narrow teardrop-shaped highlight at the tip of the nose. In some cases, the similarity is striking, for example, in the interpretation of the face of the Mother of God in the “Assumption” on the tablet, in the Korin “Candlemas” and in the “Ascension” from the Central Museum of Art and Culture; children's faces from “The Nativity of Christ” and “Entry into Jerusalem” on tablets and in “Entrance into Jerusalem” from the Central Museum of Art and Culture. In the style of the Trinity tablets, in the plasticity of forms, the connection with Byzantine art of the 14th century is vividly felt. On the faces depicted in a three-quarter turn, the light forms a characteristic extended glare, indicating the greatest convexity of the form. This highlight extends from the outer edge of the eye socket down to the chin. Toward the edge of the volume, the light weakens gradually, but nevertheless forms a sharp contrast with the adjacent shaded area of the cheek. The simulations are laid precisely without previous energy; sankir (dark, olive-brown) and ocher (brownish, cool shade) are similar in tone. It should be noted that some achromatic personal writing, characteristic of Tver icons of the 15th century, became more pronounced by the middle of the century. So defining for the holidays from the collection of M.N. Popov, differences in the tonality of his personal writing and the rest of the painting are still absent in the tablets from the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, executed more freely and uninhibitedly. The masters' predilection for plastic rather than rhythmic constructions is answered by the initial arrangement of colors in the overall composition of the icons. Icon painters, therefore, build an initially rhythmically lightweight composition, not avoiding the proximity of close colors and combining colorful spots into large zones of the same color. The conventional volume of the figures is revealed by light colored in different shades of a cold bluish tone. These holidays, characteristic of painting, are from the collection of M.N. Popov's principles are consistently carried out in Tver's works.
6.
Century:XV
Storage location: Kirillo-Belozersky Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve
Iconographic information: At the top of the icon is the Savior ascending in glory, supported by two angels. Below in the center is the Mother of God with her hands raised in prayer, surrounded by the apostles. Behind the Mother of God there are two angels. On the right is the Apostle Paul, on the left is Peter. The faces of the apostles are turned to Christ. The Ascension of the Lord into heaven on the fortieth day after Easter is spoken of in the texts of the Gospels of Mark (Mark XVI, 19-20) and Luke (Luke XXIV, 50-53), as well as the Acts of the Apostles (Acts I, 9-11 , II, 33). The Ascension took place on the Mount of Olives, where the Savior led his disciples. According to church tradition, the Mother of God was present along with the apostles. “And when he blessed them, he began to move away from them and ascended into heaven.” (Luke XXIV, 51). At that moment, two angels appeared, announcing the coming Second Coming of the Savior to earth. The iconography of the “Ascension” took shape already in early Christian times and subsequently did not undergo significant changes. Images of the “Ascension” have been known as part of the festive rows of Russian iconostases since the middle of the 14th century (the festive row of the 1340-1341 iconostasis of Sophia of Novgorod). Compared with the Russian icons of the 14th-15th centuries that have come down to us on this subject, Kirill’s “Ascension” has a number of features. Thus, the angels bearing the glory in which the Savior ascends are presented not in profile, but almost frontally. As for the two angels standing on either side of the Mother of God in the lower part of the icon, they are depicted with their hands down, in dark clothes, and their faces are turned in one direction.
Stylistic reference: The icon belongs to a group of monuments created by the “second” artist of the Kirillov iconostasis. The image of the slides with wide whitewashed floats is reminiscent of the slides from “Baptism” and “Transfiguration”.
Fragment. Figure of Our Lady
Fragment. Figure of the Savior
Fragment. Gorki
Fragment. Angels
7.
Century:XV
Storage location: Novgorod State United Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve
Fragment. Angel
Fragment. Faces of the Mother of God, angel, apostles
Fragment. Angel from Ascension
8.
Century:XVI
Storage location: State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg
Stylistic reference: A feature of the iconography of the icon is also the depiction of the traces of the Savior left by Him on the Mount of Olives before the Ascension.
Fragment. Ascension.
9.
Century:XVI
Storage location: State Vladimir-Suzdal Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve
Iconographic information: On the front side of the icon there is an image of the holiday, on the back - the most revered saints of the church year.
Stylistic reference: The dense brown writing of the faces, the hard, black outline, the strengthening of the role of the linear pattern, which acquires a calligraphic character, the widespread use of ornaments, the coloring, which is dominated by dark ocher and dull green and brown tones, are characteristic features of the writing of the second half of the 16th century.
10.
Century:XVI
Storage location: Collection of the art gallery "Deja Vu"
Iconographic information: Comes from the festive row of the iconostasis. A rare iconographic detail is the image of the sky (in the form of a segment) receiving a mandorla with the ascending Christ. A limited number of figures of the apostles are represented - two on each side of the Mother of God.
Stylistic reference: The densely filled and rhythmically constructed composition, the design of the figures, the types of faces and their expression, and the interpretation of the slides determine the dating of the icon to the third quarter of the 16th century, within the 1550-1560s. The artistic merits of the monument indicate that the master who executed it belonged to a developed tradition rooted in antiquity. The coloring and personal writing techniques connect the icon with the artistic culture of the cities of the central part of Russia, possibly the Upper Volga region.
11.
Century:XVI
Iconographic information: The iconographic scheme of the icon is close to the image of this plot from the order of the Church of St. Nicholas in Lyubyatovo. The poses of the apostles standing on either side of the figure of the Mother of God, presented in the Oranta type, are somewhat different. The characteristic features of this icon are the images of two angels behind the back of the Mother of God, which merge almost into one whole, and their strictly symmetrical gestures and outstretched wings resemble a heraldic sign. Moreover, the glory of Christ is not represented high in the heavens, but touches the Mount of Olives. On its top there is a stone with the footprints of the Savior - a detail of the Ascension iconography typical of Pskov art. Thanks to the noted features, the icon is perceived as reliable evidence of the accomplished event - it seems that the feet of the ascending Christ have just stood on the stone.
12.
Century:XVI
Storage location: Pskov State United Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve
13.
Century:XVI
Storage location: Pskov State United Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve
Iconographic information: The iconography of this icon goes back in general terms to the version known in Moscow monuments of the early 15th century - the iconostasis of the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir (1408) and the Trinity Cathedral of the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius (1420s). The differences are the absence of one of the apostles, a change in the position of the apostle leading the left group, and the addition of a pair of trumpeting angels behind the glory of Christ. In addition, there is a remarkable detail here: a stone with traces of the feet of the ascended Savior on the Mount of Olives - a real relic that has been preserved to this day in the Church of the Ascension on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. Almost all the features of this icon go back to the temple image of the Pskov Church of the New Ascension in 1542 (now in the Novgorod Museum) or to a general unpreserved example.
14.
Ascension (from the festive rite)
Century:XVI
Storage location: Pskov State United Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve
Iconographic information: The icon combines the features of several iconographic versions of the Ascension. The lower part of the composition is almost identical to the icon of the same name from the festive row of the chapel of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in the St. Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod, which was executed in the 1530s - 1540s. in the workshop of Archbishop (future Metropolitan) Macarius. Among the features that bring these two icons together is the image of the Mother of God in the Oranta type - unlike most Russian icons of the 15th century - as well as the poses of the apostles and angels standing behind the Mother of God. The upper part of the composition is enlarged - which is typical of the Pskov icons of the Ascension of the 16th century, in which the theme of the coming Second Coming of the Judge and Almighty was especially emphasized. In iconography, it represents an intermediate option between the more traditional image of flying angels supporting the glory of Christ from below, and kneeling angels who grasp the glory with both hands (this option has been known since the “Ascension” of 1497 from the iconostasis of the Assumption Cathedral of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery and, in particular, used on the already mentioned icon of the Nativity chapel of St. Sophia of Novgorod).
15.
Century:XVII
Storage location: Pskov State United Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve
Stylistic reference: The icon repeats the version known from a number of works of Pskov icon painting of the 15th-16th centuries with images of four angels supporting a mandorla with Christ, and a stone on the top of the Mount of Olives.
16.
Century:XVII
Storage location: Pskov State United Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve
,
icon painter Yuri Kuznetsov
In the Gospel of St. John, Christ said to his disciples at his farewell conversation: “In My Father’s house are many mansions. But if it were not so, I would have told you: “I am going to prepare a place for you.” And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to Myself, so that you also may be where I am. And where I am going you know, and you know the way” (John 4:2-4). These words of His contain a foreshadowing of the future resurrection and ascension, which followed forty days later.
For forty days He was with them, talking and teaching them how to further build a new Church for them, how they themselves could spread the faith of Christ, and at the same time ate with them, so that they would be completely convinced that He had returned to them after His resurrection. Thus the Lord prepared them for apostolic service, so that, having received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, they could enter the path of apostolic service. But He himself was no longer constantly with them, but only appeared from time to time.
Forty days is a special number in the sacred history of mankind; according to the law of Moses, on the fortieth day after birth, male babies had to be brought to the temple by their parents to present them to God. So the Lord, as if born again on His Bright Resurrection, on the fortieth day after Easter ascended into the Heavenly Temple of His Father as the Son of God. He continued the Law, thereby indicating the future path for everyone who follows him in earthly life.
And on the fortieth day, the Lord appeared to the disciples for the last time in His earthly life, when they and His Most Pure Mother were in Jerusalem according to the command He had given. He again talked with them and again told them not to leave Jerusalem until they received the Comforter. Here lies the answer to the question why, in the first years of Christianity, everyone was waiting for the second coming of Christ just about, very soon - His disciples still did not sufficiently get rid of the confidence that He was telling them not about the earthly kingdom, but about something else – God’s, and therefore they asked Him: “Lord! Will You at this time restore the kingdom of Israel?” And He, not wanting to fully reveal to them yet what is impossible to say in earthly words, answered them: “It is not your business to know the times or terms that the Father has granted to His authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the last countries of the earth” (Acts 1:6-8).
When they all went out together to Bethany, to the Mount of Olives - the Mount of Olives, He ascended to the very top of it and stretched out His hands in blessing over everyone, and, blessing, began to rise upward. There, above the top, a white light cloud hovered and soon hid him from the eyes of all who watched His ascension with trepidation: “... He was lifted up in their sight, and a cloud took Him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9). So they stood and looked after him, saddened again that they were again separated from their beloved Teacher, but they kept His words in their memory: “It is better for you that I go; for if I do not go, the Comforter will not come to you; and if I go, I will send Him to you” (John 16:7).
They probably would have stood like that for a long time, but then two angels in light robes appeared in front of them and said: “Men of Galilee! Why are you standing and looking at the sky? This Jesus, who ascended from you into heaven, will one day come again to earth in the same way as you saw Him ascending into heaven” (Acts 1: 8-14). And the disciples returned home, encouraged by both the Lord and the angels, praising the Savior, and waiting for everything else that He had commanded them to wait for.
History of the celebration
In the Four Gospels, the event of the ascension is described in most detail by the evangelists Mark and Luke and in the first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. The celebration of the Ascension of the Lord began already in the 1st century after the Nativity of Christ, as recorded in the Apostolic Decrees, because the disciples were witnesses to this great event.
Hymns for the holiday were written by such remarkable creators of many prayers and other liturgical works as St. John of Damascus and St. Joseph the Songwriter - they own the canons for the holiday, which date back to the 7th century. Kontakion and Ikos is a composition by Roman the Sweet Singer; it dates back approximately to the 5th century.
The widespread celebration of the Ascension as an independent holiday began only in the 4th century, when, after the victory of Equal-to-the-Apostles Tsar Constantine the Great over pagan Rome, Christians received enough freedom to openly profess the faith of Christ. Until this time, the Ascension was celebrated together with the Feast of the Descent of the Holy Spirit, that is, on Pentecost, that is, not on the fortieth, but on the fiftieth day after Easter.
Then, in the 4th century, Equal-to-the-Apostles Queen Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great, at the behest of her royal son, went to Jerusalem and found the path that Christ walked to Golgotha, and the place of His crucifixion, and the Life-giving Cross itself, on which the Lord was crucified, and the place His ascension. The holy queen erected a temple over the place where the imprint of His foot remained; now the majestic Cathedral of the Ascension of the Lord stands there.
Meaning of the icon
Such Holy Fathers of antiquity as John Chrysostom and Blessed Augustine testified to His ascension. John Chrysostom’s interpretation of this phenomenon, which elevates man to his true scale, to which he must strive in order to be worthy of himself, created in the image of God and likeness, is amazing, touching and full of Divine greatness at the same time: “Now - on the day of the Ascension, the human race is completely reconciled with God, ancient warfare and enmity are destroyed, and we, who are unworthy to live on earth, are ascended to heaven. Now we inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, we, who are not worth even earthly things, ascend to heaven, inherit the Throne of the King and Lord, and human nature, which the cherub forbade entry into paradise, is now exalted above every cherub.”
“...And human nature...is now exalted above every cherub.” This is where greatness is, this is the final point of the arrival of humanity, beyond which Eternity with Him begins. This heritage is the true home of people, but here on earth we are only learning to be like this, so that there, at the Throne of God, we can exist without perishing. In order to be THERE, to live naturally in the conditions of the Kingdom of God, we must have certain qualities, otherwise we simply cannot resist, cannot endure that purity, that Light of Tabor, which will highlight every shadow, every dark corner of the soul that appears before God. Everything dark will be destroyed by this Light, the Holy Spirit, and only Truth and Beauty will remain in the souls, worthy of being with Him at His right hand...
Thus ended the earthly ministry of the Son of God. He showed us the way, He opened for us the doors that the Old Testament prophets spoke about, connecting this world with the world above. This is such a treasure that if you realize it, it becomes clear that with joy came to man a huge responsibility before God, first of all, for himself. If God was ready to become a man in order to save everyone, then how can we, who have received the opportunity of deification, neglect it! Yes, the Kingdom of God is given by force, but the Lord never leaves without help those who strive to be with Him both here and THERE, where He calls everyone to follow Him to the Kingdom of the Father, which people once abandoned. Now the Son of God, by His ascension, has opened the way by which we can return to the Father’s roof, and at the festive bright service the words addressed to the Savior are heard: “Having ascended into heaven, from here you came down, do not leave us orphans, Lord: let Your Spirit come “Bearing the world’s peace, show the sons of men the works of Your power, O Lord, Lover of mankind.”
,
icon painter Yuri Kuznetsov
In the Gospel of St. John, Christ said to his disciples at his farewell conversation: “In My Father’s house are many mansions. But if it were not so, I would have told you: “I am going to prepare a place for you.” And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to Myself, so that you also may be where I am. And where I am going you know, and you know the way” (John 4:2-4). These words of His contain a foreshadowing of the future resurrection and ascension, which followed forty days later.
For forty days He was with them, talking and teaching them how to further build a new Church for them, how they themselves could spread the faith of Christ, and at the same time ate with them, so that they would be completely convinced that He had returned to them after His resurrection. Thus the Lord prepared them for apostolic service, so that, having received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, they could enter the path of apostolic service. But He himself was no longer constantly with them, but only appeared from time to time.
Forty days is a special number in the sacred history of mankind; according to the law of Moses, on the fortieth day after birth, male babies had to be brought to the temple by their parents to present them to God. So the Lord, as if born again on His Bright Resurrection, on the fortieth day after Easter ascended into the Heavenly Temple of His Father as the Son of God. He continued the Law, thereby indicating the future path for everyone who follows him in earthly life.
And on the fortieth day, the Lord appeared to the disciples for the last time in His earthly life, when they and His Most Pure Mother were in Jerusalem according to the command He had given. He again talked with them and again told them not to leave Jerusalem until they received the Comforter. Here lies the answer to the question why, in the first years of Christianity, everyone was waiting for the second coming of Christ just about, very soon - His disciples still did not sufficiently get rid of the confidence that He was telling them not about the earthly kingdom, but about something else – God’s, and therefore they asked Him: “Lord! Will You at this time restore the kingdom of Israel?” And He, not wanting to fully reveal to them yet what is impossible to say in earthly words, answered them: “It is not your business to know the times or terms that the Father has granted to His authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the last countries of the earth” (Acts 1:6-8).
When they all went out together to Bethany, to the Mount of Olives - the Mount of Olives, He ascended to the very top of it and stretched out His hands in blessing over everyone, and, blessing, began to rise upward. There, above the top, a white light cloud hovered and soon hid him from the eyes of all who watched His ascension with trepidation: “... He was lifted up in their sight, and a cloud took Him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9). So they stood and looked after him, saddened again that they were again separated from their beloved Teacher, but they kept His words in their memory: “It is better for you that I go; for if I do not go, the Comforter will not come to you; and if I go, I will send Him to you” (John 16:7).
They probably would have stood like that for a long time, but then two angels in light robes appeared in front of them and said: “Men of Galilee! Why are you standing and looking at the sky? This Jesus, who ascended from you into heaven, will one day come again to earth in the same way as you saw Him ascending into heaven” (Acts 1: 8-14). And the disciples returned home, encouraged by both the Lord and the angels, praising the Savior, and waiting for everything else that He had commanded them to wait for.
History of the celebration
In the Four Gospels, the event of the ascension is described in most detail by the evangelists Mark and Luke and in the first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. The celebration of the Ascension of the Lord began already in the 1st century after the Nativity of Christ, as recorded in the Apostolic Decrees, because the disciples were witnesses to this great event.
Hymns for the holiday were written by such remarkable creators of many prayers and other liturgical works as St. John of Damascus and St. Joseph the Songwriter - they own the canons for the holiday, which date back to the 7th century. Kontakion and Ikos is a composition by Roman the Sweet Singer; it dates back approximately to the 5th century.
The widespread celebration of the Ascension as an independent holiday began only in the 4th century, when, after the victory of Equal-to-the-Apostles Tsar Constantine the Great over pagan Rome, Christians received enough freedom to openly profess the faith of Christ. Until this time, the Ascension was celebrated together with the Feast of the Descent of the Holy Spirit, that is, on Pentecost, that is, not on the fortieth, but on the fiftieth day after Easter.
Then, in the 4th century, Equal-to-the-Apostles Queen Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great, at the behest of her royal son, went to Jerusalem and found the path that Christ walked to Golgotha, and the place of His crucifixion, and the Life-giving Cross itself, on which the Lord was crucified, and the place His ascension. The holy queen erected a temple over the place where the imprint of His foot remained; now the majestic Cathedral of the Ascension of the Lord stands there.
Meaning of the icon
Such Holy Fathers of antiquity as John Chrysostom and Blessed Augustine testified to His ascension. John Chrysostom’s interpretation of this phenomenon, which elevates man to his true scale, to which he must strive in order to be worthy of himself, created in the image of God and likeness, is amazing, touching and full of Divine greatness at the same time: “Now - on the day of the Ascension, the human race is completely reconciled with God, ancient warfare and enmity are destroyed, and we, who are unworthy to live on earth, are ascended to heaven. Now we inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, we, who are not worth even earthly things, ascend to heaven, inherit the Throne of the King and Lord, and human nature, which the cherub forbade entry into paradise, is now exalted above every cherub.”
“...And human nature...is now exalted above every cherub.” This is where greatness is, this is the final point of the arrival of humanity, beyond which Eternity with Him begins. This heritage is the true home of people, but here on earth we are only learning to be like this, so that there, at the Throne of God, we can exist without perishing. In order to be THERE, to live naturally in the conditions of the Kingdom of God, we must have certain qualities, otherwise we simply cannot resist, cannot endure that purity, that Light of Tabor, which will highlight every shadow, every dark corner of the soul that appears before God. Everything dark will be destroyed by this Light, the Holy Spirit, and only Truth and Beauty will remain in the souls, worthy of being with Him at His right hand...
Thus ended the earthly ministry of the Son of God. He showed us the way, He opened for us the doors that the Old Testament prophets spoke about, connecting this world with the world above. This is such a treasure that if you realize it, it becomes clear that with joy came to man a huge responsibility before God, first of all, for himself. If God was ready to become a man in order to save everyone, then how can we, who have received the opportunity of deification, neglect it! Yes, the Kingdom of God is given by force, but the Lord never leaves without help those who strive to be with Him both here and THERE, where He calls everyone to follow Him to the Kingdom of the Father, which people once abandoned. Now the Son of God, by His ascension, has opened the way by which we can return to the Father’s roof, and at the festive bright service the words addressed to the Savior are heard: “Having ascended into heaven, from here you came down, do not leave us orphans, Lord: let Your Spirit come “Bearing the world’s peace, show the sons of men the works of Your power, O Lord, Lover of mankind.”