ASCENSION OF
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
The Holy Apostolic Church commemorates the Feast of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ forty days after His Resurrection. The Ascension marks Christ’s glorious bodily ascent into heaven and His enthronement at the right hand of the Father (Mark 16:16–20; Luke 24:50–53; Acts 1:4–11).
This is a movable feast, observed between April 30 and June 3. Because it falls forty days after Easter Sunday, it is always celebrated on a Thursday. The celebration extends for ten days, culminating in the Feast of Pentecost.
The Biblical Event
The Ascension took place on the Mount of Olives (now known as the Mount of Ascension), in the presence of the Apostles. During the forty days following His Resurrection, the risen Lord appeared to His disciples in a mysterious yet physical manner. He instructed them, spoke about the Kingdom of God, and prepared them for their apostolic mission and the establishment of the Church.
As the Acts of the Apostles testifies, “He presented Himself alive to them by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3–4). On the final day, Christ commanded His disciples not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Holy Spirit, saying: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
The Final Commission and Ascension
After these teachings, Christ led His disciples to Bethany, on the Mount of Olives. There He gave them His final command:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. As the Father has sent Me, so I send you. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18–20).
Then, lifting His hands, He blessed them. As He blessed them, He was taken up into heaven, and a radiant cloud received Him out of their sight (Luke 24:50).
As the Apostles stood in amazement, two men in white garments appeared and said: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). In these words, the angels proclaimed both Christ’s Ascension and His promised return.
The Joy of the Apostles
Hearing this comforting message, the Apostles worshiped the Lord with great joy and returned to Jerusalem. Their hearts were filled with hope, remembering Christ’s promise:
“In My Father’s house are many dwelling places… I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2–3).
Upon returning, they gathered in the upper room and, trusting in God’s guidance, chose Matthias by lot to replace Judas Iscariot among the Twelve.
Theological Meaning of the Ascension
The Feast of the Ascension completes the cycle of Christ’s saving acts. It reveals the exaltation of human nature, for the Lord raised our fallen nature with Himself and seated it in heavenly glory, above all powers and authorities (Ephesians 1:20).
Through His coming, Christ sanctified all creation, which had fallen under the curse. By walking upon the earth, being baptized in water, and laid in the tomb, He sanctified the earth and the waters. By His Resurrection and His presence among us for forty days, He sanctified the air and all creation.
Although Christ ascended bodily into heaven, He remains with us spiritually. As He Himself said, “If I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you” (John 16:7). Thus, the Ascension prepares us for the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
Historical Commemoration
Each year on the Feast of the Ascension, the Armenian Church also commemorates the historic transfer of the Armenian Catholicosate from Sis to Holy Etchmiadzin in 1441.
Throughout history, the Patriarchal See moved across various locations—Dvin, Aruch, Aghtamar, Argina, Ani, Tavblour, Tzamndav, Dzovk, Hromkla, and Sis. Yet its divinely established seat remained Holy Etchmiadzin, the sacred place where Christ Himself descended. From this holy center, the light of Christ has continued to shine upon the Armenian people and the Armenian Church through the centuries.
SCRIPTURE READINGS
~ Book of Acts 1:1-14 ~
In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. "This," he said, "is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?" He replied, "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day's journey away. When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.
~ Holy Gospel of St. Matthew 28:16-20 ~
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."