What is Ascension?
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When do we celebrate the ascension?
Ascension is celebrated forty days after Easter Sunday. This year, it is May 9, 2024. Ten days later, the Catholic Church celebrates Pentecost.
What do we celebrate on Ascension?
The Church celebrates the ascent of Christ towards God his Father. By ascending to Heaven, Jesus fulfills the meaning of his resurrection: to enter, with his body, into the glory of God. If Christ leaves his disciples by rising, he continues to accompany them through the Holy Spirit. “You will receive strength, that of the Holy Spirit who will come upon you. Then you will be my witnesses (…) to the ends of the earth”, we can read in the book of the Acts of the Apostles. The Ascension also constitutes the promise of our own resurrection, because like Christ, we are destined to enter into the glory of the Father.
What is the liturgical color?
On Ascension Day, the color of liturgical vestments (those worn by the priest) is white, the color of celebration, light and joy.
Since when is Ascension a public holiday?
This Christian holiday has been a non-working day since the Ancien Régime. In 1789, during the French Revolution, Christian celebrations were suspended. But Napoleon Bonaparte restored them after signing the Concordat with Pope Pius VII.
What texts are read on Ascension Day?
The Ascension readings are: the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark (chapter 16, verses 15 to 20), Book of the Acts of the Apostles (chapter 1, verses 1 to 11); Psalm 46 (47); Letter of Saint Paul to the Christians of Ephesus (chapter 4, verses 1 to 13).
