Ascension

The Solemnity of the Ascension celebrates Jesus’ rising into Heaven 40 days after He rose on Easter. The Ascension is the culmination of Jesus’ earthly time with the Apostles, where he teaches and prepares them for their ministries. Celebrations of the Ascension are some of the oldest in the Church, with many Church Fathers writing extensively about the Ascension, including St. Augustine. The Ascension serves as a reminder for us to set our sights on holiness, to strive for a relationship with Christ. In many dioceses in the United States, the Ascension is moved to the 7th Sunday of Easter, but where it is kept on the Thursday, it is a Holy Day of Obligation.