When the Orthodox holiday is the ascension of the Lord. Ascension of the Lord. Connection of the holiday with the events of the Sacred history of the Old and New Testaments

Ascension of the Lord. Miniature in Rabula's Gospel. 586 Florence, Laurentian Library. Ascension of the Lord. Miniature in Rabula's Gospel. 586 Florence, Laurentian Library. The Ascension of the Lord is one of the twelve feasts in ... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary "World History"

Ascension of the Lord - On the fortieth day after the Bright Resurrection of Christ (Easter), this year June 9, Russian orthodox Church celebrates the great feast of the Ascension of the Lord. As the Gospels say, after the Resurrection, Jesus Christ stayed on earth for forty more ... ... Encyclopedia of Newsmakers

Modern encyclopedia

One of the twelveth holidays in Orthodoxy. Installed in honor of the return of Jesus Christ at the end of his earthly life into the divine sphere of being in Heaven. According to the New Testament, the Ascension took place 40 days after the Resurrection, in ... ... Historical Dictionary

Ascension of the Lord - ASCENSION TO THE LORD, one of the twelve feasts, established in honor of the return of Jesus Christ at the end of his earthly life into the divine sphere of being in Heaven. According to the New Testament narrative, the rapture took place 40 days after ... Illustrated encyclopedic Dictionary

Sush., Number of synonyms: 1 holiday (133) ASIS Synonym Dictionary. V.N. Trishin. 2013 ... Synonym dictionary

ASCENSION TO THE LORD - [Greek. ᾿Ανάληψις τοῦ Κυρίου; lat. Ascensio Domini], The Ascension of Jesus Christ to Heaven is one of the main events of Sacred. stories. After V.G., the visible earthly presence of Christ gives way to His invisible presence in the Church. In the church tradition V.G ... Orthodox encyclopedia

Ascension of the Lord - one of the Christian twelve holidays, celebrated on the 40th day after Easter. It was precisely 40 days that the resurrected Christ stayed on earth. On this day, Jesus Christ together with his disciples climbed the Mount of Olives, gave them a blessing and ... ... Fundamentals of Spiritual Culture (Teacher's Encyclopedic Dictionary)

Ascension of the Lord - (see Luke 24, 50 53; Acts 1, 9-12) a twelve feast day celebrated on the 40th day after Easter. According to the New Testament narrative, the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ took place 40 days after His resurrection (see Acts 1, 3) in the vicinity ... Orthodoxy. Dictionary-reference

Ascension of the Lord - the twentieth lord's feast of the mobile annual cycle of the Orthodox Church. calendar, performed on Thursday of the sixth week, on the fortieth day from Easter. The name of the holiday (in the Western tradition Ascensio, Ascension) expresses one of the most important ... ... Russian humanitarian encyclopedic dictionary

Books

• Ascension of the Lord. Service for a holiday,. Moscow, 1911. Synod printing house. Edition with 1 color lithograph. The text is decorated with vignettes, headpieces, drop caps. Typographic binding with gold lettering. The preservation is good. IN…
• Ascension of the Lord,. The ascension of Jesus Christ is a mysterious event. After His Resurrection, He gathered the closest disciples on the Mount of Olives and, in front of them, left the earth, hiding in a cloud. What happened? ...

Ascension of the Lord

(Celebrated 40 days after Easter)

Purpose

The Lord was from the beginning in heaven and came down to earth in order to save the perishing human race. The Lord descended to earth out of love for us. And, having completed His great earthly ministry, He again returns to His Father - to the place where He was before.

The purpose of the incarnation of the Son of God was to proclaim the Divine truth to the world, to guide people on the path of repentance and salvation, to give people deliverance from eternal death.

And now, having completed the work of saving the human race, reconciling God with people, the Lord ascends to heaven.

This event is always celebrated on the 40th day after Easter, on Thursday 6th week after Easter. The number 40 is not random, but meaningful. Throughout Sacred history, this was the time of the end of great deeds. Blessed Augustine believed that the number 40 expresses a person's journey to truth and God.

The name of the holiday reflects the essence of the event - this is the Ascension into Heaven of our Lord Jesus Christ, the completion of His earthly ministry. According to the law of Moses, on the 40th day, babies were to be brought by their parents to the temple, to the Lord.

And now, on the fortieth day after the Resurrection, as if after a new birth, Jesus Christ had to enter the heavenly temple of His Father as the Savior of mankind.

Having conquered death, this is a terrible consequence of sin, and thereby giving the opportunity to resurrect in glory, the Lord lifted up human nature in His Face, including the human body. Thus, the Lord opened up to each person the opportunity, by the universal Resurrection, to ascend to the highest abode of light to the very Throne of the Most High.

“Do not touch Me,” said the risen Christ at his appearance on Easter morning to Mary Magdalene, “for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to my brothers and tell them: I ascend to my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God ”
(John 20, 17).

This word of Christ was fulfilled in His Ascension.

Completion of the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ
and His return to His Father

The ascension of Jesus Christ is the last completion of the Easter victory of the crucified and buried Son of God, the last completion of His work of our salvation before His Second Coming.

Just as the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the beginning of the victory over the death of all redeemed humanity and “Christ rose from the dead, the firstborn from the dead” (1 Cor. 15:20), so His glorious ascension to heaven with a glorified and deified humanity is a revelation for all believers in Christ of the free path to heaven: “And when I am lifted up from myself, I will draw everyone to Me” (John 12:32), said Christ the Savior.

IN Old Testament Elijah was taken up to heaven. He was sent to a certain area, where he dwells in bodily and mental rest.

Elijah ascended to heaven in a chariot as proof that he, as a man, could not accomplish this without outside help. This help was provided to him by the angels when he ascended to heaven, for he himself could not ascend ...

Jesus Christ, as the Son of God, did not need outside assistance for his Ascension.

Before the Ascension of the Lord, none of the people had a way to heaven: “No one ascended to heaven,” says the apostle, “as soon as he came down from heaven” (John 3:13). “He who came down, He is also He who ascended above all heavens” (Eph. 4:10).

St. John Chrysostom explains: “Jesus Christ ascended not with the help of someone who would lead Him, but Himself walked this way. Elijah did not ascend in the same way as Christ, he was lifted up by an outside force, because human nature cannot follow a path that is not peculiar to it. "

As God He came to this earth to accept our human nature and, having accepted it, to save the entire human race. And as God and Man He now ascends to heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father above all cherubim and seraphim, all angels and archangels.

And “we see that for the suffering of death Jesus was crowned with glory and honor, who was not much humiliated before the angels, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for all” (Heb. 2: 9). "God exalted Him and gave Him a name that is above every name, so that every knee of heavenly, earthly and hells may bow before the name of Jesus, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2, 9- eleven).

After the Resurrection of the Lord, His disciples constantly lived with the feeling of a holiday. For another forty days He appeared to them one by one and gathered together. His last appearance to them on the Mount of Olives, located near Jerusalem, expiated all the torments, all the burden of the terrible days when He was betrayed to be crucified. His blessing to all of them was both a sign of forgiveness and a promise of help in evangelism. Simple people, not scholars, “not bookish”, the apostles became eyewitnesses to the fulfillment of the ancient prophecies of Holy Scripture, and the words of the Teacher Himself that He was to “be raptured”, just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness.

Before the eyes of the disciples, the Lord rose above the earth, as if assuring them that on the last day of the world He will come to earth just as He departed to God the Father. Saying goodbye to them for the time being, He promised to send them the Comforter - the Holy Spirit coming from God the Father. The disciples did not know what this meant, but they believed that everything would be according to the word of the Lord.

“Having said this, He was lifted up in their sight, and the cloud took Him out of their sight. And when they were looking at heaven, during His ascent, suddenly two men in white clothes appeared to them and said: "Men of Galilee, why are you standing and looking at heaven? This Jesus, ascended from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him ascending into heaven. Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called the Olives, which is near Jerusalem, in the distance of the Sabbath journey (Acts 1: 9-12). "

New Testament accurately determines the place and time of the Ascension of Christ: it happened forty days after the Resurrection of Christ ("... He revealed Himself alive, after His suffering, with many faithful proofs, appearing to them for forty days and speaking about the Kingdom of God" - Acts 1: 3); on the Mount of Olives ("Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called the Olives, which is near Jerusalem, in the distance of the Sabbath journey" - Acts 1:12); near Bethany: “And he brought them out of the city as far as Bethany, and lifting up His hands, blessed them. And when he blessed them, he began to move away from them and ascend to heaven. They worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. "
(Luke 24: 50-52).

For forty days there have been appearances of the risen Christ to the disciples on earth, and now He is leaving this earth. But leaving the earth, He does not put off our human body that He has accepted on this earth, does not take away our human nature from Himself, but with it, with the human soul and with human flesh, He ascends to the glory of the Father.

The Ascension of Christ ends with the apparitions of the Risen One on earth. Christ now fully enters into His glory. He returns to God the Father.

Saint Gregory the Theologian says: “The Savior did not need a chariot, did not need angels, for the Creator by His divine power ascended to heaven. He returned to where he came down from; He ascended to where from time immemorial he had abode, for although He ascended according to humanity, He possessed both heaven and earth according to the Divine. "

St. Demetrius of Rostov preaches: “Before, no one could ascend to heaven, although he was righteous ... However, none of them before Christ could ascend to heaven ... When our Lord, clothed in humanity, ascended to heaven, immediately revealed to the whole race human path to heaven. The souls of the holy forefathers and prophets, driven out of hell, followed Christ along it. Apostles, martyrs and confessors ascended to him. Worthy and righteous people who follow in the footsteps of Christ ascend to them even now. Everyone knows the path to heaven, which has never been heard of before, only, O people, do not be lazy to ascend it! "

The Evangelist Luke depicts the Ascension of Christ as an obvious and historically accurate event. In contrast to the previous departures of Christ, who appeared to the disciples after His resurrection, when He left them suddenly, this time, Christ ascended gradually: “He rose up in their eyes,” and a cloud covered Him ...

Christ ascended, left to give people the opportunity to comprehend true love and true Christian life.
St. Demetrius of Rostov puts it this way: “Oh, how joyful is this reason for the Lord's ascension! He ascended to heaven in order to open wide the doors of heaven for us, to set them aside for our unhindered ascent to heaven. Open to us, O Lord, open the doors of Thy mercy! "

The Gospel says that after leaving the disciples, leaving them, Christ again and again, in response to faith and love, enters into communion with them during the meetings of the community for prayer and the breaking of the Bread (as in ancient times they called the Sacrament).

Significance of the Ascension

By His Ascension, the Lord opened the way to heaven to a blessed dwelling for all who believed in Him.

St. Tikhon Zadonsky sings: “Christ ascended to heaven before His holy disciples and showed all His faithful the way there. Christ the Head ascended to heaven - His holy members, true Christians, will also ascend. The way for people was closed there, but by the death of Christ it was opened. "The veil in the temple was rent" in the death of Christ (Matt. 27:51), and the way and entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven was opened for the faithful (Heb. 10: 19-20). "

The Lord Himself taught about the meaning of Ascension in this way: “In the house of My Father there are many abodes. 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 Me, so that you also may be where I am ”(John 14: 2-3); "... and where I am, there my servant will also be" (John 12:26); "And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to Me" (John 12, 32).

Anostle Paul calls Jesus Christ "the Forerunner" (Heb. 6, 20). The very word "forerunner" means: one who walks in front and paves the way for those walking behind. Thus, by His Ascension, the Lord enables all those who believe in Him to be in the same place where He Himself remains after Ascension.

Speaking about the meaning of the ascension of Jesus Christ, ap. Paul said that “Christ entered not into a sanctuary made with hands ... but into heaven itself, in order to appear now for us before the face of God” (Heb. 9:24).

The Lord ascended from us to heaven in order to arrange a way for us to heaven and to be our leader in the mountainous lands. There was no way for man to reach heaven until the Ascension of the Lord to heaven. “No one ascended to heaven, but he came down from heaven,” says the Lord (John 3:13).

Second meaning of Ascension is the glorification of human nature. In Christ, the purpose for which human nature was intended is achieved. Human flesh, glorified and deified, ascended into heaven and became a partaker of the eternal glory, majesty and power of the Son of God.

The Gospel speaks of the Ascension as the return of the Son to where He was before (John 6, 62), or as a return to the Father (John 14, 28; 24, 5-16; 20, 17). But this return to the place where it was before, the return to the Father, is accomplished with the flesh received for eternal times. The Lord made His Atonement for the human race in a state of humiliation, in the form of a slave. His whole earthly life was the glorification of the Father, but through his very humiliation the Lord, in His humanity, ascends to the highest glory, for which He prayed in the High Priestly prayer “Father! the hour has come: glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also glorify Thee. " (John 17, I):

Thus, the Ascension of the Lord had its purpose - the Lord visited His disciples for the last time. After that, He no longer communicated with them in bodily form, as it was before and after His Resurrection. It was from the Ascension that He received, according to His humanity, the glory that He always had according to Divinity, and a place equal to God the Father in dignity and power, for he "sat down at the right hand of the Father."

The ascension of Jesus Christ to heaven also opens the way for us to heaven, to eternal life, expressing the victory of good over sin and death. The ascension of the Lord to heaven is closely related to our salvation, to the personal salvation of each of us. In separation from the Lord during His ascension, we see the manifestation of God's love for people, showing us our human vocation.

As the Apostle Paul teaches: “... Seek the one above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God; Set your mind on things above, and not on earthly things "" (Col. 3: 1-2).

For the fulfillment of this high calling, the Lord Himself is our faithful helper.

Leaving the earthly world in body, He does not relinquish the care of His Church from Himself. He promised the apostles: "And behold I am with you ... all the days, until the end of the age ..." (Matthew 28, 20). The main consequence of the Ascension of the Lord was that from that moment human nature received full participation in the divine life.

Christ remains the God-man forever and will come to earth for the second time in the same way as he ascended to heaven (see: Acts 1: 11), but already "with power and great glory."
(Matthew 24:30; Luke 21:27).

When Christ tells us: “Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Me,” He not only says that in our temporary stay we must give up earthly attachments and take upon ourselves the whole burden of earthly life in following Him. He tells us - that we are called to follow Him and, according to His own word, to be where He is, in the glory of the eternal Divine life (John 12, 26; 17, 24).

But one must prepare oneself for a worthy life in order to be accomplices of this glory.

The Apostle Paul in the Epistle to the Solunians says that on the last day of the coming of the Lord, those who believe in Him will be caught up in the clouds, to meet Him in the air (1 Thess. 4:17). This means that something similar to the Ascension of Christ the Savior Himself should happen to the true followers of Christ.

The Ascension of the Lord also has an enduring role as an image of the deification of every believer in Christ. For by His Ascension the Lord testifies that everything created by Him is capable of being spiritual and God-bearing.

We believe that it was on this day, the day of the Ascension of the Lord, that man gained the opportunity to be always with God. And the way to this is shown to us by Christ the Savior. This is the same path that our Lord ascended, that is, the path of the cross, the path of purification, self-denial, the path of external and internal suffering.

On the day of the Ascension, the Lord was separated from His disciples until His second coming. But, ascending to heaven, the Lord left His Church the most precious spiritual heritage - His blessing

As St. Gregory Palamas “The Ascension of the Lord belongs to all people: everyone will be resurrected on the day of His second coming, but only those who“ crucified sin through repentance and living according to the Gospel ”will be raptured

Alexander A. Sokolovski

AKAFIST

Kontakion 1

Voyevodo, the Creative of Heaven and Earth! To the conqueror of death, we bring praiseworthy singing, as according to Thy blessed Resurrection from the dead, Thou art ascended to heaven with glory, and Thou art ascended with Thy pure flesh at the right hand of God and the Father; ... We are Thy Divine Ascension celebrating with Thy disciples, crying out to Thy soul:

Ikos 1

The faces of Archangels and Angels were presented to You, the King of all, on the Mount of Olives, seeing You with fear at the heights of heaven, I was taken with the flesh, and glorifying the greatness of Your humanity, singing to You like this:

Jesus, King of Glory, ascend to heaven with a trumpet exclaiming.

Jesus, Lord Silas, ascend to the cherubim and fly the wind to the krill.

Jesus, eternal God, give His voice a voice of power, so that now the whole earth will be trembling.

Jesus, Overarching Light, manifest Thy Power on a cloud, and let the fire from Thy Face be kindled.

Jesus, Redeemer of creation, prepare Thy throne in heaven, and Thy kingdom may have no end.

Jesus, Creator of heaven and earth, sit at the right hand of Thy Father, may God be all kinds in all.

Jesus, ascended to heaven from us, do not leave us orphans.

Kontakion 2

Having seen the Apostles You have risen from the dead, O Lord Lord, when in fourty days you have shown yourself to them, speaking about the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, and having received from You the commandment not to be separated from Jerusalem, but longing for the promise of the Father, they will be clothed with power from above, having come down in prayer singing to You with one mouth and one heart: Alleluia.

Ikos 2

Opening the mind of Divine gaze, All-blessed Jesus, Thou didst exhaust Thy disciples out to Bethany, and elevate them to the Mount of Olives, they began to prepare the sacrament for Thy great Ascension to heaven, saying: Come close, O my friends, ascend time, go ahead teach all languages \u200b\u200bto you hear from my voice, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And this, still earthly philosophical, I ask, whether in this summer you will establish the Kingdom of Israel. You advertise to them: "Do not understand your times and years, put the Father even in His power," so they will prepare them for the meeting of Your Heavenly Bridegroom, crying:

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, do not ever be separated from us, but abide with us relentlessly.

Jesus, the Good Teacher, have sent down the Holy Comforter Spirit to us, that he may be with us unchanged.

Jesus, our Illuminator, enlighten our souls with Thy Ascension to Heavenly Father.

Jesus, our Savior, save us from cowardice and storm by Thy intercession.

Jesus, our Mentor, by the word of Thy mouth guide us into Thy ministry.

Jesus, our Helper, by Thy Holy Spirit, remember to us Thy Revelation.

Jesus, ascended to heaven from us, do not leave us orphans.

Kontakion 3

With the power of above, the Apostles clothe even though, Jesus, when on the Mount of Olives you promised them the descent of the Holy Spirit. Thou art commanded them, that Thy witness will be in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and even to the last of the earth, saying: Come and enter My gates, prepare My way and do the way for My people and place stones from the way, lift up a sign in tongues, yes all faithful will sing with you: Alleluia.

Ikos 3

Having an abyss of mercy, Sweetest Jesus, Your disciples and your wives, who followed You and, most of all, Your Mother Who gave birth to You, You fulfilled countless joys in Your Ascension, when having already departed from them, You spread out Your hand and blessed you, saying with you: all the days until the end of the age ", and these same, fear of fulfillment, glorify Your merciful indulgence, saying:

Jesus, mercy to the Giver, have mercy on the human race that came to the Olives.

Jesus, the sorrowful Pleasurer, Thy friends, who are with Thee, comfort the delighted one.

Jesus, Hope of the hopeless, with Your blessing when we departed to heaven, preserving us from despondency.

Jesus, Refuge of the homeless, by Your Ascension the ascent to the Heavenly Father and given to us.

Jesus, the Good Comforter, the Other Comforter from the Father, send us the promise.

Jesus, the Great Shepherd of sheep, one who is not well pleased with your faithful flock.

Jesus, ascended to heaven from us, do not leave us orphans.

Kontakion 4

A storm inside the bewilderment and sadness of many property, the Apostles were filled with sobs of tears, when they saw Thee, Christ, we are lifted up in the clouds and crying to the verb: Master, how do Thy servants leave now, for Thy mercy did you love them, kamo go, keep the ends with your hands? We have left all, to You to God, following, rejoicing, forever with You the hope of property to be. Do not leave us orphans, as if you promised not to be separated from us, our Good Shepherd, but send us Your Most Holy Spirit, instructing, enlightening and sanctifying our souls, so let us sing gratefully to You: Alleluia.

Ikos 4

Hearing the sobbing of Thy disciple, O Lord, for the separation of those who grieve, Thou didst give the most perfect blessing to Thy friend, the verb: do not weep, beloved, and reject everything, it is good for you to eat, but I am going to My Father, if I do not go, the Comforter will not come ... For the sake of heaven for you, and for you, for the sake of packs, I will ascend to heaven to prepare a place for you, I will not leave my sheep, even my cathedrals, I will not forget, I love them. These Divine words were formerly comforted, with tenderness I cry to You:

O Jesus all-merciful, our sorrow and tears are converted to joy, do not deprive us of eternal joy in Thy Kingdom.

Jesus the All-Bounteous, having filled us with joy in Your Ascension, preserve our spirit in our everlasting joy and earthly wanderings.

Jesus, like a kokosh who has gathered his chicks, do not let us part in the haystones of this world.

Jesus, having bound us with the union of love at the Supper, do not give us the deed of Satan, as the wheat is scattered.

Jesus, Thy peace, leaving us as an inheritance, keep us in like-mindedness and Thy love.

Jesus, having made the abode of many in Paradise, prepare a place for us in Thy Heavenly Abode.

Jesus, ascended to heaven from us, do not leave us orphans.

Kontakion 5

The divine cloud brightened exceedingly, they lifted Thee, the Life-Giver, the disciple who sees, when he departed from them, he blessed, and so with great glory, as on the wings of cherubim, carried on the wings of cherubim, Thy wonderful ascent to Thy Father made Thou into heaven, even before impenetrable from spirits the malice of the heavenly and from the princes of the power of the air, now it is pleasant to you inside, but from all creation, visible and invisible, hear the Angelic song: Alleluia.

Ikos 5

Having seen Your glorious Ascent from the flesh to heaven, to the King of creation, repair the Angelic, down to the earth, I was horrified, to the words of the highest powers: Take the eternal gates, as if the King of Glory is coming, open heaven and you are heaven of heaven, accept the Lord of forces and worship Him, crying out:

Jesus, radiance of the glory of the Fatherland, enlighten us with the light of Thy Face.

Jesus, overflowing minds of heaven, overshadow us in the non-evening days of Thy Kingdom.

Jesus, coming in fires and storms, call your clever heaven from above.

Jesus, Veliy and Praiseworthy, in Thy grief, Holy One, to build Thy righteousness in heaven.

Jesus, who magnified Thy mercy to heaven, manifest Thy glory throughout the whole earth.

Jesus, ascended into the heavens of heaven in the east, may Thy Word remain in heaven forever.

Jesus, ascended to heaven from us, do not leave us orphans.

Kontakion 6

Preachers of Divine Glory, the chief ranks of the Angelic, existing at the height of the heavenly Lordship, the Throne, the reading of the Cherubims and the six-winged Seraphims, opening together all the heights of heaven, meeting Thee, the Lord of All, and seeing Thee who ascended in the flesh, crying out to each other: who came from Edom, Sovereign and Strong in battle? Who is this, who came from Vasor, the hedgehog is of the flesh? Why are His garments scarlet, as from soaking in blood, wear a crown of thorns? This is truly the King of Glory, the Lamb of God, slain and resurrected for the salvation of the world, who is now coming in the flesh to sit at the right hand of the Father, to Him we will sing out to sing: Alleluia.

Ikos 6

Thou art shone with Divine glory, Jesus, when the human nature, you put on worthlessness, you mercifully exalted, you blessed the Father, and you deified you. The same heavenly rank of incorporeality, wondering wonder, horror, horror and trembling of man's content, Thy content. With them we are also earthly Yours for the sake of condescension and a hedgehog from us to heaven Ascension praises, we pray, saying:

Jesus, this stream of life, by Thy ascension to heaven for us to the pilgrims of the earth, pointing out the path of eternal life to the Highest Jerusalem.

Jesus, this abyss of mercy, by your sitting at the right hand of the Father our fleshly perception is dear.

Jesus, taking our lost nature on the frame, take on You and my grave sins.

Jesus, ascended up by the Flesh to the Fleshless Father, lift my woe down to my drooping thoughts.

Jesus, ascended from the earth at the right hand of God and the Father to the heavens, grant me the right hand of the saved sheep to receive.

Jesus, from Zion you have revealed the beauty of your beauty, grant me a partaker of the eternal bliss of your being.

Jesus, ascended to heaven from us, do not leave us orphans.

Kontakion 7

Although you can uplift and glorify the human nature that has fallen in Adam, you, like the second Adam, ascended to the heights of heaven, prepared Thy Throne for ever and ever, and sat down at the right hand of God and the Father, Thy Divine in no way parting the Father's bowels. Come, to Jesus who has become impoverished for us and who has ascended at the right hand of the Father, let us worship, give greatness to Him, and sing from the depths of our souls: Alleluia.

Ikos 7

Thou art a new and pure habitation, O Lord, when with Thy Flesh you ascended to heaven, and renew the world, which has grown old by many sins, by Thy uprising and to Heaven by Ascension, showing us clearly, as the Divine Paul says, that our dwelling in heaven is. For this, let us withdraw from the vanity of the world, bringing the mind to heaven, and such is crying to You:

Jesus, with the angels of His heavenly Godhead into heaven by our ascent to the heavenly dwelling, He called us to ascend.

Jesus, from mankind - earthly flesh, teaching us to turn away from earth by his departure from earthly addictions.

Jesus, look for the lost sheep that came, to your unlucky sheep, lead us to heaven.

Jesus, mate the descended spreading nature, even on earth unite with the heavenly one of the Most High Father.

Jesus, light ascended to heaven in a cloud, vouch for us, earthly forsaken, ever to gaze at the heavenly gates.

Jesus, sit in glory on the Throne of the Godhead, grant us, having opened our eyes, from the Law, understand Your wonders.

Jesus, ascended to heaven from us, do not leave us orphans.

Kontakion 8

Strange and wondrous is Your Resurrection, strange and fearful is Yours, to the Life-giving Christ, the Divine Ascension from the holy mountain, incomprehensible and even more than your mind is sitting at the right hand of the Father in the Flesh, about whom David has the spirit of the verb: “Speech the Lord of My Lord: sit at my right hand, continue I will make Thy enemies thy footstool. " For this, for the sake of all the power of heaven, seeing Thy ascent to heaven, truly submitting to Thy noses, singing the Cherubim song with angelic tongues: Alleluia.

Ikos 8

All be in the Highest, Sweetest Jesus, when by the will of us for our sake you ascended with glory to heaven and you sat down at the right hand of God and the Father, but you did not leave the lower ones either, you promised to remain relentlessly in the Church and you cried out to those who love You: “I am with you and nobody else on you. " This merciful promise I will take out, remembering and keeping it in my heart, crying out to You with love:

Jesus, having received all authority in heaven and on earth after Thy Ascension, receive us into Thy eternal inheritance.

Jesus, having fulfilled all the joy of Thy disciples with the promise of the Holy Spirit, fill us with that grace by the coming.

Jesus, bowing down the heavens, bow down before the majesty of Thy glory down my pride.

Jesus, having exalted all creation by Thy Ascent, exalt my soul to chant with Thy Angels the Holiness.

Jesus, the Word of God, having established heaven with your word, establish your words in my heart, that I may not sin with you.

Jesus, Son of the Father, by the Spirit of Thy mouth, manifesting all Thy power from heaven, renew the Right Spirit in my womb, as if I would not defile myself.

Jesus, ascended to heaven from us, do not leave us orphans.

Kontakion 9

All fallen human nature, downhill and decayed by sins, you took on His frame, Master Lord, Newly created by Himself, and above all principle and power you have elevated you to God and the Father, and you have set with Him on the Throne of Heaven, yes. e, and ask the keys, and adore. Bezcarnenny, wondering, to the verbs: Who is this Red Husband, but not a Man exactly, but together God and Man, let us sing to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 9

Vitia of the Divine, Thy disciples, Savior, Thy glorious Ascent, astonishing, gazing at heaven, mourning, Thou will ascend, and these two Angels appear before them in white clothes, and recosta to them for consolation: “Man of Galilee, why are you standing in sight of heaven? This Jesus, ascended from you to heaven, will come in the same way, and in the manner of seeing Him going to heaven. " This angelic gospel of Thy Second Coming, O Lord, when Thy disciples heard Thy disciples, came in joyful trembling, and we joyfully sing to Thee with them:

Jesus, Ascended from us in all Thy glory, to her, come quickly with Thy saints Angels.

Jesus, have packs come to create the judgment of rights, she, come with glory in the light of Thy saints.

Jesus, great and terrible over all those around you, have mercy and then protect all the meek earth.

Jesus, glorified in the council of your saints, glorify us yourself in your kingdom in heaven.

Jesus, who passed through the heavens with the Flesh, deign to lead the soul through the air ordeals and the streets to see Thee.

Jesus, Ascended into the cloud of heaven, grant us with joy and boldness on the last day on the cloud to find Thee.

Jesus, ascended to heaven from us, do not leave us orphans.

Kontakion 10

Save though the disciples who are with You, Christ the Savior, and all those who believe their words for the sake of You, and who followed You, ascended to heaven, but prepare a place for them, as in the house of Your Father's abode there are many essences, as if You Himself advertised for the coming passion , verb: "If I prepare a place for you, I will come and take you to Myself, but where I am I, and you will be." For this sake, grant us, O Lord, after our death ascension to find a temple not made by hands, eternal in heaven, prepared not from the tree, or hay or the reed of our fleshly deeds for our sake, even in fire they will not resist, but from gold or silver or precious stones on Yours On the basis of the given, where I take out we will glorify and sing to You: Alleluia.

Ikos 10

To the Eternal King, Jesus Christ, who ascended into heaven with Thy Most Pure Flesh and called us all into our heavenly Fatherland, elevate us down to those who have been defeated from worldly addictions and fleshly wisdom to the heights of heaven and grant us, even in the days of our flesh, as a pure testimony of conscience, to partake of heavenly life and I will take out to taste heavenly food in the sacrament of the Divine Eucharist, and from a pure heart and right spirit let us sing to Thee:

Jesus, the Great Bishop of the blessings to come, into His Ascension passed heaven in Flesh and ascended not into a temple made with hands, but into heaven itself, but present the Face of God from us.

Jesus, Heavenly Architecton, erected a tabernacle not made by hands in heaven and in one entered the Holy of Holies to the Father with His Blood, so make eternal atonement.

Jesus, Immaculate Lamb of God, one who was slain for the sins of the world, "in a hedgehog to bear the sins of many," lift up my sin offering to the Throne of God.

Jesus, the Intercessor of the New Testament, as one to heaven to the Father, ascended in the hedgehog to open the way to the Heavenly Tabernacle, perceive the impurity of my sighing.

Jesus, our Beloved Zhenishe, prepared the Shining Chamber in Heaven, prepare there a place for You, the One, to serve those who delighted.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd of Your sheep, heavenly pastures in paradise and growing your flock, grant us crowns, you, the only one, to follow those who desire.

Jesus, ascended to heaven from us, do not leave us orphans.

Kontakion 11

Singing all-tenderly offering Thy Divine Ascension, the Word, giving birth to Thee, Thy All-Immaculate Mother. So, in Thy motherly passion, more than all I am sick of You, for this, for the sake of Thy befitting, to glorify Thy Flesh, enjoy joy, and with this great joy descend from the Mount of Olives from the Apostles, and all returned to Jerusalem and went up to the upper room, and the Apostles , enduring unanimously together in prayer, prayer and fasting with the wives and Mary the Matter of Jesus, and with His brethren, longing for the Descent of the Holy Spirit, praising and blessing God, and singing to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 11

Eternal and incorruptible light ascends to the whole world from the Holy Mount of Olives, where Thy most pure nose stands, Christ Savior, when you ascended with glory to heaven, when you passed through heaven with Flesh, You opened the heavenly gates, imprisoned by the fall of Adam, and the very Way, Truth and Belly, you have opened the way for all flesh in the abode of Thy Heavenly Father, as Thou didst predict Thy disciple, saying: "From now on, behold the heavens open and the Angels of God ascending and descending over the Son of Man." For this reason, Thy path is leading, as if no one will come to the Father, only by Thy, we sing to Thee:

Jesus, on the cloud of light ascended to the Father, enlighten the extinguished lamp of my soul.

Jesus, in the Lordships of Thy saints, sorrow ascended, Thy life-giving fire is kindled in my heart.

Jesus, more than the Sun, Shining at the height of heaven in Your Ascension, with the warmth of Your Spirit, the coldness of my soul is kindled.

Jesus, the Light from the Light of Thy Divinity shining on the world from the Father, with the light of Thy words in the night of sin, enlighten us asleep.

Jesus, the Sun of Righteousness, have Thy Rise and Thy Meeting from the end of heaven - even to the end of heaven, to all the earth, proclaim Your broadcast to us always.

Jesus, Everlasting Light, have packs in Your Coming, Your exodus, like lightning from the east and even to the west, Your appearance, the fire of Your anger did not hit us then.

Jesus, ascended to heaven from us, do not leave us orphans.

Kontakion 12

Thou didst give a new grace, Sweetest Jesus, to the perfection of the saints and to the building up of Thy Holy Church, when Thou art ascended into Heaven with Thy Most Pure Flesh, and Thou didst sit down at the right hand of God and the Father, as it is written: "He who descended first into the further land of the earth for our salvation" You have now ascended to a height above all heaven, so that you have fulfilled all things to the perfection of the saints, to the building up of the Body of Christ, for this sake you have taken captivity, and you have given gifts as a man, until we reach everything in the union of faith and knowledge to You, the Son of God, in a husband perfect, according to the age of Thy fulfillment, yes, so, better salvation, let us sing thanks to Thee: Alleluia.

Ikos 12

Singing Your free Ascension to heaven with glory, we worship Your, Lord Christ, the right hand of God and the Father's neighborhood, we glorify Your accession to heaven and earth, and we believe with Your Apostles, as indeed, in the same way you ascended to heaven, so come packs, come to the clouds with glory and great power. Then why don't you put us to shame in You, believers and so crying:

Jesus, always neighbor with Thy Father on the Throne of the Divine, vouch for those who overcome the world with Thy help to sit down with You in Thy Kingdom.

Jesus, with the Holy Comforter Spirit, I will take out the worshiper, do not deprive us according to Your promise of That Descent in Your ministry.

Jesus, from the Cherubim and Seraphim and from the faces of the saints after Thy Ascension into heaven, sprinkle Thy presence here for prayer in Thy Name, gathered together Thy presence.

Jesus, Thy holy temples, after Thy departure to heaven, the right of the gift to the faithful in Thee, help us in the temple who stand for themselves in heaven to think.

Jesus, Thy Most Pure Mother from the Apostles into Thy Ascension to prayer for the whole world leaving Thyself, do not leave us without the intercession of Thy Saints.

Jesus, Church, Thy Bride on earth after Thy Ascension to the end of time, leaving us, do not deprive us of Thy children of Thy grace-filled gifts.

Jesus, ascended to heaven from us, do not leave us orphans.

Kontakion 13

O Sweet and All-Merciful Jesus, ascended from us into heaven and graying at the right hand of God and the Father, having mercy on our fallen nature! Look down from the heights of heaven on the weak and down to the earth Your fallen servants and grant us the power from above to overcome all temptations from the flesh, the world and the devil that is on us, so let us philosophize from above, and not earthly. And save us from all enemies, visible and invisible, who rise up against us. At the end of our earthly life, lift up our souls to the heavenly abode, where we will sing along with all the saints: Alleluia.

(This kontakion is read three times, then ikos 1 and kontakion 1)

TROPAR

Troparion, voice 4th

Kontakion, voice 6th

Exaltation

We magnify Thee, the Life-Giving Christ, and we honor the hedgehog to heaven with Thy most pure flesh, Divine ascension.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ, our God, descended from the Heights of our salvation for the sake of and nourished us with spiritual joy in the holy and bright days of Thy Resurrection, and pack, after completing Thy earthly ministry, ascended from us to heaven with glory and ascended at the right hand of God and the Father! On this clear and all-bright day of Your Divine ascent to heaven, the earth celebrates and rejoices, and heaven rejoices in the Ascension of the Creator of creation today, people glorify incessantly, seeing their erring and fallen nature on your frame, Savior, it is accepted and ascended to heaven, Angels rejoice, verbally: Who is this, who came in glory, is strong in battle, is this truly the King of Glory ?! Grant us the weak, the earthly still philosophizing and carnal pleasures, do ceaselessly, Thy ascent to heaven, thinking and celebrating, carnal and worldly to postpone cares and with Thy Apostles now gaze into heaven with all our hearts and all our thoughts, remembering, as there is in heaven grief our residence is, but here on earth we are just strangers and aliens of Esma, who departed from the house of the Father into the land of sin. For this reason, we earnestly ask You, with Your glorious Ascension, O Lord, revive our conscience, there is nothing else in the world that is most needed, raise us out of the captivity of this sinful flesh and world and make us philosophize from above, and not earthly, as if we should not please ourselves and life, but we will serve and work for You, our Lord and God, until we have renounced the bonds of the flesh and have gone through unrestrained airy ordeals, we will reach Thy heavenly abodes, where, having become the right hand of Thy majesty, with the Archangels and Angels and all the saints, we will glorify Thy All-holy name with Thy Father and the Most Holy and Consubstantial and Life-giving Thy Spirit, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen.

CANON

(Ascension of the Lord)

Troparion, voice 4th

Thou art ascended in glory, Christ our God, the joy created by the disciple by the promise of the Holy Spirit, the former blessing announced by him, as if Thou art the Son of God, the Deliverer of the world.

Canon, voice 5th

Song 1

Irmos: To the Savior God in the sea, people with damp feet instructed, and Pharaoh with omnipotence to the drowned one, we will sing to the One, as if glorified.

Chorus:

Let us sing to all people, on the frame of the Cherubim I will ascend with glory to Christ and to the one who has set us down at the right hand of the Father, a victory song: as if glorified.

Glory, Lord, to your holy Ascension.

Intercessor to God and the man of Christ, seeing the faces of Angelstia with the flesh in the highest, I am amazed, according to the singers I will triumph: as if glorified.

Glory: To the God who appeared on Mount Sinaistei and gave the law to the God-seer Moses, to the ascended flesh from the Mount of Olives, to Him we all sing: as if you were glorified.

And now: The Most Pure Mother of God, incarnate from You, and from the bowels of the Parent who did not depart from God, pray ceaselessly, to save from every situation, even created.

Song 3

Irmos: By the power of Thy Cross Christ, confirm my thought, in a hedgehog and praise Thy saving Ascension.

Glory, Lord, to your holy Ascension.

Thou art ascended to the Life-Giver of Christ to the Father, and thou art lifted up our clan in a loving man, Thy ineffable benevolence.

Glory, Lord, to your holy Ascension.

Chini Angelstia, Savior, the human nature, having seen the superiority of You, are constantly amazed at the praises of Thee.

Glory, Lord, to your holy Ascension.

I am horrified by the Angels of the face, Christ, seeing You ascended with the body, and singing Your holy Ascension.

Glory: The nature of mankind, Christ, thou hast raised up the fallen corruption, and thou hast lifted up with Thy rising, and thou hast glorified us with Him.

And now: Pray incessantly, Pure, that came from Thy falsehood, get rid of the delusion of the devil, singing Thee, Mother of God.

Sedalen, voice 8

Following on to the heavenly clouds, leaving the world to exist on earth, you ascended and sat down at the right hand of the Father, for you are Consubstantial with this One and the Spirit. Even if you appeared in the flesh, but you remained immutable: the same ends of the accomplishment, judge the world coming to the earth for all. Justice Lord, spare our souls, granting forgiveness of sins, as God is Merciful, Thy servant.

Song 4

Irmos: Heard the hearing of the power of the Cross, as if heaven was opened to them, and cried out: Glory to Thy strength, Lord.

Glory, Lord, to your holy Ascension.

Thou art ascended in glory, sending Angels to the King, sending us a Comforter from the Father. The same cry: glory to Christ, Thy Ascension.

Glory, Lord, to your holy Ascension.

As if in exodus, Savior to the Father with flesh marveled at Him the Angelic host, and cried: Glory to Christ, Your Ascension.

Glory: Angelic powers to the highest crying: take the gates to Christ our King, we sing Him together with the Father and the Spirit.

And now: The virgin is born, and the mother is not known: but Mother is there, but the Virgin is, Yuzhe chantingly, rejoice in the Mother of God, we cry.

Song 5

Irmos: With a maturing cry Ti, Lord, save us: Thou art our God, do we not know otherwise for Thee.

Glory, Lord, to your holy Ascension.

Having fulfilled every joy, Merciful, Thou art come to the heavenly powers with flesh.

Glory, Lord, to your holy Ascension.

Having seen the gates, you will take the angelic power to our King, take it.

Glory: The Apostles saw the Savior being lifted up, with trembling cry to our King: glory to Thee.

And now: We sing the Virgin after Christmas to Thee, the Theotokos, You have given birth to God the Word in the flesh of the world.

Song 6

Irmos: Outside me the abyss, the whale's coffin is fast, but I cried out to You, the Man-lover, and save me Your right hand, Lord.

Glory, Lord, to your holy Ascension.

The apostles leaping, seeing the height of the day, the Creator is taken up, by the hope of the Spirit, and by fear I call: glory to Thy rise.

Glory, Lord, to your holy Ascension.

Appearing to the Angel, crying to Christ as Your disciple: if you see Christ ascending from the flesh, the Righteous Judge of all will come.

Glory: Yako saw Thy Savior, our heavenly strength, taken to the height with the body, cry, saying: Great is the Lord, Thy philanthropy.

And now: The burning bush, and the mountain, and the animated ladder, and the heavenly door, we praise with dignity, glorious Mary, praise for the Orthodox.

Lord have mercy. (Three times.) Glory to this day.

Kontakion, voice 6th

Even after fulfilling the look of us, and even connecting to the heavens on earth, you ascended in glory, Christ our God, in no way excommunicating, but staying persistent, and crying out to those who love You: I am with you, and no one is against you.

Ikos

Even the earth on the earth has left, even the ashy fingers of the yielding, come rise up, and raise up our eyes and thoughts, look at the views, together and feelings, to the heavenly gates, mortality, imperceptible to be in the Mount of Olives, and look at the Delivering on the cloud we carry. But the Lord will go away to the heavens to the east, and there are gifts that are free of charge when I dispense His apostles, I comforted them like the Father, and I confirmed them, instructing them like sons, and speaking to them: I am not parting you, I am with you, and no one against you.

Canto 7

Irmos: In the cave of fiery songwriters, saved youths, blessed be God our father.

Glory, Lord, to your holy Ascension.

Ascended into a cloud of light, and a saved world, blessed be God our father.

Glory, Lord, to your holy Ascension.

On the frame of the Savior, we took the erring nature, ascended, brought God and the Father.

Glory, Lord, to your holy Ascension.

Ascended in the flesh to the incorporeal Father, blessed is God our father.

Glory: Take our nature mortified by sin, Thy peculiar Father, Savior, you have brought.

And now: Was born of the Virgin, You made the Mother of God, God blessed our father.

Canto 8

Irmos: Sing from the Father before the ages of the Son, and God, and in the last years incarnated from the Virgin Matera, sing priests, exalt people forever.

Glory, Lord, to your holy Ascension.

In two beings, the lifted Life-giver of Christ to heaven with glory, and sing to the neighboring Father, the priests, exalt people forever ( Twice).

Glory, Lord, to your holy Ascension.

Having rescued the idol's creature from the work, and having presented that free one to Your Father, to You, Savior, we sing, and to You we exalt for all eternity.

Glory: By your descent, the deposed foe, and by Your ascension ascend the foe, sing praises to the priests, exalt people for all eternity.

And now: The highest cherubim appeared, the Pure Mother of God, in Thy womb wearing these Nosimago: He is with the incorporeal, we glorify men for all eternity.

Canto 9

Irmos: Thee, more than the mind and words of the Mother of God, who inexpressibly gave birth in the summer of Bezletnago, we magnify faithfully with one mind.

Glory, Lord, to your holy Ascension.

To you, the Deliverer of the world Christ God, the apostles are divinely exalted, with fear playing greatness.

Glory, Lord, to your holy Ascension.

Thy deified flesh sees, Christ, at the height of an angel to each other verbs: verily this is our God.

Glory, Lord, to your holy Ascension.

To you incorporeal ranks, Christ God, the seer is taken in the clouds, crying: glory to the King, take the gates.

Glory: Thou hast descended even to the last of the earth, and the man who saved him, and by Thy ascent he exalted, We magnify Him.

And now: Rejoice, Mother of God Mother of Christ God: You gave birth to Him, now from the earth we lift up from the apostles seeing, you magnified you.

On the 40th day after Easter, the Orthodox Church celebrates one of the main 12 holidays of the year (twelve holidays - UNIAN) - the Ascension of the Lord.

The full name of the holiday is the Ascension of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ.

history of the holiday

The Ascension of the Lord is the day when Christ ascended into heaven and sat down "to the right of the Father." After his resurrection, he appeared to his disciples, talked with them and taught them, ordered them to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit. He ascended with his disciples to the Mount of Olives, where he blessed them for the last time and ascended into heaven.

Date of Ascension 2018

Traditions, signs and fortune-telling:

According to the Slavic folk tradition, from this day spring ends and the transition to summer begins, so you can no longer be afraid of cold snaps.

It is believed that if the weather is good on Ascension, then it will last until November 21, Mikhailov Day. And a rainy day, according to the signs, portends a poor harvest and diseases in livestock.

If you swim in the river for Ascension, your health will be strong.

If a hen laid an egg on this day, it must be hung under the roof of the house so that it protects residents from misfortune.

Hearing the crows of a crow on this day is a good sign.

On this day, they washed themselves with dew: it was believed that on the Ascension of the Lord it becomes healing.

It is customary to pray for prosperity and health: on this day, before ascending to heaven, the Lord, as is commonly believed, listens to all the requests of people and fulfills them.

Also on this holiday it is worth asking for forgiveness from everyone with whom you are in a quarrel.

On Ascension there is a custom "to go to the crossroads" - to visit relatives and friends and give them "ladders" baked from wheat dough with honey and sugar patterns, symbolizing the path to heaven.

On Ascension, it is customary to set the table and prepare symbolic pastries - bread in the form of a "ladder" / photo angelvalentina.livejournal.com

To find out the fate of a sick person, birch branches were woven on Ascension, several of which were braided. It is believed that if the branches do not wither 10 days before the Trinity, then the envisioned person will recover. In the same way, the girls wondered about future marriage.

If for 40 days (from Easter to Ascension) to help the disadvantaged and feed the poor, the year will be successful in all respects.

What not to do on Ascension:

Swear, swear;

Indulge in gluttony and have fun;

Taking out the trash;

Spit on the ground (Jesus continues his earthly journey along the roads on a holiday);

Deny wanderers;

Having sex;

On this day, funerals are not performed for the dead;

Doing heavy household chores (thought to distract from thinking about the Lord)

You cannot pronounce the words "Christ is Risen", because on this day the shroud is taken out of the temples.

The whole church year in Orthodoxy obeys a certain rhythm. And the main starting point, of course, is the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ. As the date for Easter changes every year, so do the dates for other major holidays. So, it depends on Easter when the Church celebrates the Great Twelve Feast of the Ascension of the Lord. What is this day and why is it so important for the Orthodox?

The meaning of the feast of the Ascension of the Lord

The Ascension of the Lord is the day when Jesus Christ left our world and ascended into Heaven. It happened on the 40th day after His resurrection from the dead. This day marks a certain transition or milestone when the visible physical presence of God on earth ends, and His invisible spiritual presence begins in the life of every believer.

The great twelve feast of the Ascension of the Lord

In a theological sense, there are several meanings of this day for Christians:

• ascension marks the union of the earthly physical nature with the Divine essence;
• this is the day of the last presence of God on earth;
• in a moral sense, this holiday reminds us that a person consists not only of physical flesh, but also has a soul, which must strive for God all his life.

In the Gospel, the events of this holiday are described in some detail by the Apostle Luke, and the events are also described in the Acts of the Apostles. After his resurrection, Jesus Christ appears to his disciples in the flesh many times so that they can be convinced of the miracle that took place. When his disciples were sufficiently strengthened in their faith and were ready to perform further ministry, the Lord gathered them on Mount Olivet.

About other twelve holidays:

On this mountain, Christ gave them the last blessing, and began to withdraw into the sky, surrounded by clouds. His disciples were filled with joy, and upon their return to Jerusalem, the Holy Spirit descended upon them.

Important! From this day on earth the ministry of God in human nature ends and the ministry of the apostles begins. The very fact of Christ's ascension does not mean only a physical departure, but marks a special glorification of God, about which there are many words in the Gospel. In addition, Christ himself, being on Earth, said that he would sit at the right hand of his Heavenly Father, i.e. glorified after his resurrection.

Thus, we can say that the Ascension was the culmination of the glorification of God after his earthly life and suffering on the cross. That is why the significance of this day is so great for every Orthodox person.

The Ascension of the Lord is associated with the return of Jesus Christ to the heavenly Father

The meaning of the Feast of the Ascension for the Orthodox Christian

At first glance, it may seem that the meaning of this holiday is too complicated and incomprehensible for an ordinary Christian. In fact, it is enough to understand that this day means the victory of the Divine nature over the sinful human essence.

Interesting! The number 40 is not accidental in all Christian symbolism. Even according to the law of Moses, it was supposed to bring babies to the temple on the 40th day in order to devote their lives to the Lord. You can symbolically trace the analogy with the holiday of the Ascension.

The resurrected, as it were, the newly born Christ, ascends into the Heavenly Temple for eternal triumph. For every believer, this means the possibility of personal salvation, if you accept the Lord with all your heart and follow Him.

How to celebrate the Ascension for believers

Any orthodox holiday involves the participation of Christians in festive services. This is how Christian holidays differ from secular ones, when a person allows himself to completely relax and unwind. Important Christian dates are a reason for additional work over your soul, your life. These days should be spent especially piously, with the memory of God, of His great Sacrifice for each of us.

Since Ascension is celebrated 40 days after Easter, it always falls on a weekday. This imposes difficulties due to the fact that most people are at work. If there is such an opportunity, it is advisable to take a day off in advance or free the first half of the day to attend church services. If this is not possible, you can attend the festive evening service the night before.

Divine services on holidays are always special, solemn, filled with grace and greatness

In any case, even if a person is at the workplace, this does not interfere with him

saint Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessaloniki

Do you see our common triumph that the Lord Jesus Christ gave to those who believe in Him by His ascension to heaven? This triumph came through sorrow. Do you see life or, better, immortality? It aroused for us through death. Do you see the heavenly height to which Christ ascended, and the high glory with which He was glorified? He received it through humiliation and dishonor. And the apostle said about Christ that He humbled Himself, obeying even to death, the death of the cross. The same God will exalt Him, and the name has been given to Him, even more than any name: yes, in the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow down to the heavenly and earthly and hells, and every language of confession, like the Lord Jesus Christ to the glory of God the Father (). So, if God exalted His Christ because He humbled Himself, that He endured dishonor, that He was tempted, that He lifted up the cross for us, then how He will glorify us, if we do not love humility, if we do not show love to brothers, if we do not acquire our souls by patience in temptations, if we do not follow our Leader, who leads us into eternal life through the narrow gate and path? We are called to this: for this, says the Supreme Apostle Peter, and call quickly: Christ will suffer for us, leave an image for us, so we will follow His footsteps ().

Why did Christ of God go through such great suffering? Why did God exalt Him for this and calls us into the union of the suffering of His Son? God Himself is one and the same, always and forever unchanged, Himself exchanging everything for the best, as He delights, Himself allowing everything that desires this to change for the worst. So, a creature visible and invisible, possessing freedom, can change for better or worse, or, adhering to the Divine will, receives from it what is needed in order to ascend to the better, or, opposing the Divine will, is justly abandoned by God and falls into worst condition. Having been created by God, two intelligent natures - the nature of spiritual angels and people participating in the flesh - did not retain obedience to the Creator and Lord of nature, but the oldest of all spiritual angels, the primordial one, was the first to fall away from God. Those of the spiritual angels who remained above this fall are light and are full of light and always shine with the brightest light, rejoice in the first light and, as the rulers of the light, send luminous grace to those who are illuminated by the lower light. And the ceaselessly fighting Satan, leaving obedience to God, departed from the light, was condemned to eternal darkness and became a vessel of darkness, its inventor and servant, first for himself, then for the allied angels of crime, and then (oh misfortune!) And for us, who not trusting God, they believed him (the devil). But all the angels of shame are the very darkness, they are the beginning and the fullness of unbelief, the bitter root and source of all sin, serve as the culprit of sin for us and therefore are unworthy of any forgiveness. And we are given punishment from God by mercy; although we are condemned to death, we should not obey it (unless only after the time for repentance has not been given). This wisely indicates that our salvation is not hopeless and that we have no reason for despair, for our whole life is a time of repentance, since God does not want the death of a sinner ... but hedgehog ... and I live to be him (). Indeed, why did the death (of the person) not immediately follow the fall? Or how would we sinners deserve life if there was no hope of conversion (repentance)? On the contrary, the son of Adam, Abel, immediately received a testimony from God that he appeared pleasing and pleasing to Him (); not long after the fall, Enoch began to call on (name) the Lord with faith (), and Enoch not only pleased, but even was transferred by God () and, thus, became an obvious proof of God's mercy towards sinners. Sin increased again, and again our kind fell away from God: we were righteously devoted to the general flood, and again - not one anger, not one condemnation without mercy. But, as if the second root of our kind, God miraculously preserved Noah, finding him righteous in His kind, as if cutting him off from the world, immersed in passion, but not completely destroying the human race. After him, Abraham became faithful and acceptable in the sight of God (having received a testimony from Himself), then Isaac, Jacob and the patriarchs who descended from him, who were given the promise that the great Shepherd himself would come from the holy heavens in order to restore life to the lost flock. Now Christ has appeared, the eternal Word of God Himself, Who created us in order to renew and restore the afflicted. Indeed, He wisely and graciously accomplished our renewal in the image of a man, strengthening us by uniting with us to turn to Him, even opening the way for us to heaven through turning to Him, through His teaching given to us. But since the opposite is cured by the opposite, since we died according to the evil intention of the evil one, then we revived again according to the good intention of the Good; and since the one who contemplates death has discovered the pleasures and lusts by which our race is subverted into the abyss, the one who contemplates true life has revealed to us a narrow and cramped path leading to life.

Enter the narrow gate, says the Lord, as if a vast gate and a wide path lead into the blight ... a narrow gate, and enter a narrow path into the stomach (). Elsewhere, turning away from this perilous path, He says: woe to you rich ... Woe to you that are rich now ... Woe when all men promise you good. (); yet: do not hide treasures on earth (). Listen to yourself, but not when your hearts are aggravated with gluttony and drunkenness and worldly sorrows (). How can you believe that you receive glory from one another, and do not seek glory from the one God? (). With these words, the Lord turns away from the path that leads to death; and He points out the path of life in another place, speaking thus: blessedness of the poor in spirit ... blessedness of mercy ... blessedness of expelling righteousness (). Sell \u200b\u200byour property and give it to the poor: and have treasure and treasure in heaven (). And everyone who leaves a house, or brethren ... or a child, or a village, or something else earthly, for the sake of My name and the Gospel, will receive a hundredfold and an eternal life will inherit (). The Lord even proclaims anger in vain equal to homicide and, condemning the same punishment for the one who attacks his neighbor in anger with cruelty, He said that such is worthy of fiery hell (). But the Lord not only called meekness blessed (), but also bestowed the greatest rewards. He condemned non-restraint so much that one view of a woman lustfully called adultery (). And calling him who loved purity (of heart) blessed, He adds that such will see God (). He was so far from condemning perjury that he even says: everything above “yes, yes” and “no, no” is from the evil one: wake your word: she, she: neither, nor: I sow more from dislike is (). But what is this doubling for? - so that the agreement of what we are talking about, or "yes" or "no", is confirmed in practice, because in this case, indeed, "yes" - will be "yes" (statement of the statement) and "no" - "not"; otherwise, "yes" will be "no" and "no" will be "yes", this will obviously be from the evil one, because when he speaks ... a lie, he speaks his own and is not worth in the truth (). So, all our words and actions, our whole life, the Lord clothed in truth, in justice, meekness, chastity. What about those who, being angry with us, oppress us, either by words or deeds, and attack us, how should we behave in relation to them? Conquer, He says, evil is good (); do not repay evil for evil () or for dishonor dishonor; but love your enemies, bless you beating, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who do you to attack and drive you out (). What is the purpose of this oppressed life? As if you will be, he says, the sons of your Father, Who is in heaven (), - heirs ... to God, heirs to Christ (), living and reigning with God forever. You see what a narrow and thorny path - why is it required of us ?! Do you see to what glory and joy, to what gain it leads those who strive to walk on it ?! If someone promises you a temporary life so that you obey him, will you really not obey (except, of course, when he demands something from above your strength)? If, on top of that, he promises you healing, fame, pleasure in addition to temporary life, then what won't you bear for that? And if he annexes the kingdom and the kingdom without war, without offense, with a long, painless life, then surely you will not pay attention to this and will not light the time that will lead you to this kingdom, feeding on hope and rejoicing in the promised kingdom, as it were real (if we think that kingdom is true)? Well, we want temporary life, but we put eternal life in nothing? A kingdom (true, great, but) having an end, glory and joy (true, great, however) transitory, riches combined with this life, we strongly desire and work for them, but we do not seek the blessings, much more excellent, incorruptible, infinite and we do not even make a small effort to achieve them. In vain, we would assume a kingdom without war, which is on earth, or life without labor, which you will not find anywhere but heaven. But if anyone desires this (kingdom), let him rush to heaven and, whether the path leading to it will be easy or thorny, let him pave a path along it, rejoicing in hope, transferring labor.

You know why people usually give themselves up to toil and to die. Is it not for a small reward that warriors present themselves to danger and even defeat? Is it not for the slightest increase in wealth that the merchant neglects the storms, winds and cruel people who make both sea and land dangerous? Is it not because of a small piece of bread that many of the strong are often the servants of the masters? Are we really not going to serve a man-loving God? Shall we not withdraw from the abundance of riches in order to attain heavenly riches? Can't we endure the reproach and shame on the part of people in order to achieve divine glory, exchanging mortal for immortal? Shall we not hunger and thirst for a little, to eat the bread of life that comes down from heaven, and to drink truly living waters, which whoever finds worthy to eat and drink will no longer hunger and thirst for ever? Can't we cleanse our spiritual eyes, refraining from all mental and bodily impurity, in order to see a light brighter than the sun, or is it better to be children of the upper light? May it not be, I pray you, brethren, that we prefer darkness to light, divine and eternal joy - the pleasure of death and the service of Gehenna, rich in love - the luxury of decay, the substance of fire, which will burn forever those who coveted evil, as the Lord showed us in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (). But let us live as He Himself lived, as He Himself taught us, becoming like us and bearing the cross - let us follow Him, crucifying the flesh with passions and lusts, so that we may glory with Him and after His resurrection be taken to Him, as He was now taken to Father. Having become in the midst of His disciples, He (the Savior) gave them the commandment about the preaching and promises of the Spirit, adding that He would be with them until the end of the age (); Having said this and raised His hands, He blessed them and in their sight rose, indicating that whoever obeyed Him, after his resurrection, will ascend to God the Father. So, the Lord departed from them, the apostles, in body, for according to the Divine He was inherent in them, and, as he told them, the exalted one sat at the right hand of the Father with our image. Therefore, as He was resurrected and ascended, so we will all be resurrected: we will not attain all ascension, but only those who have a hedgehog to live, Christ, and the hedgehog (for His sake) gain (). Those who, before death, crucified sin through repentance and the Gospel conversion, will be caught up in the clouds only after the resurrection in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. The apostles, after the Lord ascended, contemplated Him with their souls and bowed together. And we, ascending to the highest level of our soul, will cleanse ourselves of vicious and earthly thoughts. For in this way we will receive the coming of the Comforter and will worship in spirit and truth the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen.

Prayers

Troparion to the Ascension of the Lord

Thou ascended in glory, Christ is our God, / the joy created by the disciple, / by the promise of the Holy Spirit, / by the blessing he was told, // as Thou art the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world.

Transfer: You ascended in glory, Christ our God, having fulfilled the joy of the disciples with the promise, after being confirmed by their blessing, that You are the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world.

Kontakion to the Ascension of the Lord

He has fulfilled his look for us, / and even on earth, having connected the Heavenly, / ascended in glory, Christ is our God, / never absenting, / but staying unreachable, / and crying out to the loving and heavy

Transfer: Having fulfilled the whole plan of our salvation, and the fact that having united with heaven on earth, You ascended in glory, Christ, our God, not leaving us at all, but staying inseparable and crying out to those who love You: “I am with you and no one is against you! "

Exaltation of the Ascension of the Lord

We magnify Thee, / Lively Christ, / and we honor the hedgehog to Heaven / with Thy most holy Plotia // Divine ascension.

Prayer to the Ascension of the Lord

Lord Jesus Christ, our God, who descended from the Heavens is the height of our salvation, and nourished us with spiritual joy in the holy and most glorious days of Thy Resurrection, and I have fulfilled the earth according to His fulfillment and fulfillment. On this “bright and all-luminous day of the Divine ascending to heaven”, Your “earth will rejoice and rejoice, and heaven rejoices. The angels rejoice, glorious: Who is this, who came in glory, Silen in battle. This is truly the King of Glory ?! Vouchsafe to us frail, mortal even philosophize and plotougodiya, tvoriti continually rise with thy sky terrible pomyshlyayuschi and Celebrating, carnal and worldly otlozhiti care and with the apostles Thy heaven now vzirati all their heart and all pomyshlenmi her, pominayusche, Thou Tamo in heaven Our dwelling is grief, but here on earth we are strangers and strangers of me, who departed from the house of Otsch to the land of sin. For this sake, we earnestly pursue Thee, by Thy glorious Ascension, O Lord, I will revive our conscience, which is nothing in the world that is most needed; zhiti but thee Lord and our God sluzhiti will and work, dondezhe otreshivshesya from the bonds of flesh and past forbidding vozdushnyya ordeal, will reach the heavenly abode of Your consolation, O, which became the right hand of the Majesty of thy, with archangels and angels and all the saints proslavlyati will be all-holy name of thy with unoriginate Thy Father, and the Most Holy and Conscious and Life-giving Thy Spirit, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen.

Canons and Akathists

Canon of the Ascension of the Lord

Song 1

Irmos: To the Savior God in the sea, people with damp feet instructed, and Pharaoh with omnipotence to the drowned one, we will sing to the One, as if glorified.
Chorus:
Let us sing to all people, on the frame of the Cherubim I will ascend with glory to Christ and to Him who has set us down at the right hand of the Father, a victory song: as if glorified.
Glory, Lord, to Your holy Ascension.
Intercessor to God and the man of Christ, having seen the faces of Angelstia with the flesh in the highest, I am amazed, according to the singers I will triumph: as if glorified.
Glory: To God who appeared on Mount Sinai and gave the law to the God-seer Moses, to the ascended flesh from the Mount of Olives, to Him we all sing: as if glorified.
And now: The Most Pure Mother of God, incarnate from You, and from the depths of the Parent who did not depart from God, pray ceaselessly, to save from every situation, even created.

Song 3

Irmos: By the power of Thy Cross Christ, confirm my thought, in a hedgehog and praise Thy saving Ascension.
Glory, Lord, to Your holy Ascension.
Thou art ascended to the Life-Giver of Christ to the Father, and thou art lifted up our kind in a loving man, Thy ineffable benevolence.
Glory, Lord, to Your holy Ascension.
Chini Angelstia, Savior, the human nature, having seen the superiority of You, constantly amazed at the praise of Thee.
Glory, Lord, to Your holy Ascension.
I am horrified by the Angels of the face, Christ, seeing You ascended with the body, and singing Your holy Ascension.
Glory:Human nature, Christ, Thou hast raised up fallen decay, and Thou hast lifted up with Thy rising, and Thou hast glorified us with Him.
And now: Pray ceaselessly, Pure, that occurred from Thy falsehood, get rid of the delusion of the devil, singing Thee, Mother of God.

Sedalen, voice 8
Following on to the heavenly clouds, leaving the world to exist on earth, you ascended and sat down at the right hand of the Father, for you are Consubstantial with this One and the Spirit. Even if you appeared in the flesh, but you remained immutable: the same ends of the accomplishment, judge the world coming to the earth for all. Justice, Lord, spare our souls, granting forgiveness of sins, as God is Merciful, Thy servant.

Song 4

Irmos: Heard the hearing of the power of the Cross, as if heaven was opened to them, and cried out: Glory to Thy strength, O Lord.
Glory, Lord, to Your holy Ascension.
Thou art ascended in glory, sending Angels to the King, sending us our Comforter from the Father. The same cry: glory to Christ, Thy Ascension.
Glory, Lord, to Your holy Ascension.
As if in exodus, Savior to the Father with flesh, marveled at Him, the Angelic host, and cried: Glory to Christ, Thy Ascension.
Glory: Angelic powers to the highest cry: take the gates to Christ our King, whom we sing along with the Father and the Spirit.
And now: The virgin is born, and the mother is not known: but Mother is there, but the Virgin is, Yuzhe chantingly, rejoice in the Mother of God, we cry.

Song 5

Irmos: With a maturing cry Ti, Lord, save us: Thou art our God, do we not know otherwise for Thee.
Glory, Lord, to Your holy Ascension.
Having fulfilled every joy, Merciful, Thou art come to the heavenly powers with flesh.
Glory, Lord, to Your holy Ascension.
Having seen the gates, you have taken the angelic power to our King, take it.
Glory: The Apostles saw the Savior being lifted up, with trembling cry to our King: glory to Thee.
And now: We sing the Virgin after Christmas to Thee, the Theotokos, You have given birth to God the Word in the flesh of the world.

Song 6

Irmos: Outside me the abyss, the whale's coffin is fast, but I cried out to You, the Man-lover, and save me Your right hand, Lord.
Glory, Lord, to Your holy Ascension.
The apostles leaping, seeing the height of the day, the Creator is taken up, by the hope of the Spirit, and by fear I call: glory to Thy rise.
Glory, Lord, to Your holy Ascension.
Appearing to the Angel, crying to Christ as Your disciple: if you see Christ ascending from the flesh, the Righteous Judge of all will come.
Glory: Yako saw Thy Savior, our heavenly strength, taken to the height with the body, cry, saying: Great is the Lord, Thy philanthropy.
And now:The burning bush, and the mountain, and the animated ladder, and the heavenly door, we praise with dignity, glorious Mary, praise for the Orthodox.
Lord have mercy. (Three times.) Glory to this day.
Kontakion, voice 6th
Even after fulfilling the look of us, and even connecting to the heavens on earth, you ascended in glory, Christ our God, in no way excommunicating, but staying persistent, and crying out to those who love You: I am with you, and no one is against you.
Ikos
Even the earth on the earth has left, even the ashy fingers of the yielding, come rise up, and raise up our eyes and thoughts, look at the views, together and feelings, to the heavenly gates, mortality, imperceptible to be in the Mount of Olives, and look at the Delivering on the cloud we carry. But the Lord will go away to the heavens to the east, and there are gifts that are free of charge when I dispense His apostles, I comforted them like the Father, and I confirmed them, instructing them like sons, and speaking to them: I am not parting you, I am with you, and no one against you.

Canto 7

Irmos: In the cave of fiery songwriters, saved youths, blessed be God our father.
Glory, Lord, to Your holy Ascension.
Ascended into a cloud of light, and a saved world, blessed be God our father.
Glory, Lord, to Your holy Ascension.
On the frame of the Savior, we took the erring nature, ascended, brought God and the Father.
Glory, Lord, to Your holy Ascension.
Ascended in the flesh to the incorporeal Father, blessed is God our father.
Glory: Take our nature mortified by sin, Thy peculiar Father, Savior, you have brought.
And now:Was born of the Virgin, You made the Mother of God, God blessed our father.

Canto 8

Irmos: Sing from the Father before the ages of the Son, and God, and in the last years incarnated from the Virgin Matera, sing priests, exalt people forever.
Glory, Lord, to Your holy Ascension.
In two beings, the lifted Life-Giver of Christ to heaven with glory, and sing to the neighboring Father, priests, exalt people forever (Twice).
Glory, Lord, to Your holy Ascension.
Having rescued the idol's creature from the work, and having presented that free one to Your Father, to You, Savior, we sing, and to You we exalt for all eternity.
Glory: By your descent, the deposed foe, and by Your ascension ascend the foe, sing praises to the priests, exalt people for all eternity.
And now: The highest cherubim appeared, the Pure Mother of God, in Thy womb wearing these Nosimago: He is with the incorporeal, we glorify men for all eternity.

Canto 9

Irmos: Thee, more than the mind and words of the Mother of God, who inexpressibly gave birth in the summer of Bezletnago, we magnify faithfully with one mind.
Glory, Lord, to Your holy Ascension.
To you, the Deliverer of the world Christ God, the apostles are divinely exalted, with fear playing greatness.
Glory, Lord, to Your holy Ascension.
Thy deified flesh sees, Christ, at the height of an angel to each other verbs: verily this is our God.
Glory, Lord, to Your holy Ascension.
To you incorporeal ranks, Christ God, the seer is taken in the clouds, crying: glory to the King, take the gates.
Glory:Thou hast descended even to the last of the earth, and the man who saved him, and by Thy ascent he exalted, We magnify Him.
And now: Rejoice, Mother of God Mother of Christ God: You gave birth to Him, now from the earth we lift up from the apostles seeing, you magnified you.

Akathist to the Ascension of the Lord

Kontakion 1

Voyevodo, the creative of heaven and earth! We bring praise to the conqueror of death, a song of praise, for you have ascended to heaven with glory, according to Thy blessed Resurrection from the dead, and with Thy most pure flesh you have ascended to the right hand of God and the Father, and you also bear our fallen nature with You, and free us from sins and eternal death forever ... We are Thy Divine Ascension celebrating with Thy disciples, crying out to Thy soul:

Ikos 1

The faces of Archangels and Angels were presented to You, the King of all, on Mount of Olives, seeing You with fear at the height of heaven, I was taken up with the flesh, and glorifying the greatness of Your humanity, singing to You like this:

Jesus, King of Glory, ascend to heaven with a trumpet exclaiming.

Jesus, Lord Almighty, ascend to the cherubim and fly the wind to the krill.

Jesus, Eternal God, give His voice a voice of power, so that the whole earth will be trembling now.

Jesus, Overarching Light, manifest Thy Power on a cloud, and let the fire from Thy Face be kindled.

Jesus, Redeemer of creation, prepare Thy throne in heaven, and Thy kingdom may have no end.

Jesus, Creator of heaven and earth, sit at the right hand of Thy Father, may God be all kinds in all.

Jesus, ascended to heaven from us, do not leave us orphans.

Kontakion 2

Having seen the Apostles You have risen from the dead, O Lord, Lord, when in fourty days you have shown yourself to them, speaking about the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, and having received from You the commandment not to be separated from Jerusalem, but longing for the promise of the Father, they will be clothed with power from above, having come down in prayer singing to You with one mouth and one heart: Alleluia.

Ikos 2

Opening the mind of Divine gaze, O All-blessed Jesus, Thou didst exhaust Thy disciples out to Bethany, and elevate them to the Mount of Olives, they began to prepare the sacrament for Thy great Ascension to heaven, saying: Come closer, oh, My friends, ascent time, go teach all languages word, hedgehog hears from my voice, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And this, still earthly philosophical, I ask, whether in this summer you will establish the Kingdom of Israel. You advertise to them: "Do not understand your times and years, put the Father even in His power," so they will prepare them for the meeting of His Heavenly Bridegroom, crying:

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, do not ever be separated from us, but abide with us relentlessly.

Jesus, the Good Teacher, have sent down the Holy Comforter Spirit to us, that he may be with us unchanged.

Jesus, our Illuminator, enlighten our souls with Thy Ascension to Heavenly Father.

Jesus, our Savior, save us from cowardice and a storm by Thy intercession.

Jesus, our instructor, by the word of your mouth, guide us into your ministry.

Jesus, our Helper, by Thy Holy Spirit remember us Thy Revelation.

Jesus, ascended to heaven from us, do not leave us orphans.

Kontakion 3

With the power of above, the Apostles clothe even though, Jesus, when on the Mount of Olives you promised them the descent of the Holy Spirit. Thou art commanded them, that Thy witness will be in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and even to the last of the earth, saying: Come and enter My gates, prepare My way and do My way and place stones from the way, lift up a sign in tongues, yes all faithful will sing with you: Alleluia.

Ikos 3

Having an abyss of mercy, Sweetest Jesus, Your disciples and your wives, the Mother who gave birth to You, Your Mother, who gave birth to You, fulfilled countless joys in Your Ascension, when having already departed from them, You spread out Your hand and blessed you, saying with you: all the days until the end of the age ", but this, with the fear of fulfillment, glorify Your merciful indulgence, saying:

Jesus, mercy to the Giver, have mercy on the human race that came to the Olives.

Jesus, the sorrowful Pleasurer, Thy friends, who are with Thee, comfort the delighted one.

Jesus, Hope of the hopeless, with Your blessing when we departed to heaven, preserving us from despondency.

Jesus, Refuge of the homeless, by Your Ascension the ascent to the Heavenly Father and given to us.

Jesus, the Good Comforter, the Other Comforter from the Father, send us the promise.

Jesus, Great Shepherd of Sheep, Thy faithful flock is not scattered with pleasure.

Jesus, ascended to heaven from us, do not leave us orphans.

Kontakion 4

A storm inside the bewilderment and sadness of many property, the Apostles were filled with sobs of tears, when they saw Thee, Christ, we are lifted up in the clouds and crying to the verb: Master, how do Thy servants leave now, for Thy mercy did you love them, kamo go, keep the ends with your hands? We have left all, following You to God, rejoicing, forever with You the hope of property to be. Do not leave us orphans, as if you promised not to be separated from us, our Good Shepherd, but send us Your Most Holy Spirit, instructing, enlightening and sanctifying our souls, so let us sing gratefully to You: Alleluia.

Ikos 4

Hearing the sobbing of Thy disciple, O Lord, for the separation of those who grieve, Thou didst give the most perfect blessing to Thy friend, the verb: do not weep, beloved, and reject everything, it is good for you to eat, but I am going to My Father, if I do not go, the Comforter will not come ... For the sake of heaven for you, and for you, for the sake of packs, I will ascend to heaven to prepare a place for you, I will not leave my sheep, even my cathedrals, I will not forget, I love them. These Divine words were formerly comforted, crying out to Thee with tenderness:

O Jesus, the All-good, our sorrow and tears for joy, transformed, do not deprive us of eternal joy in Thy Kingdom.

Jesus the All-Bounteous, who filled us with joy in Your Ascension, preserve our spirit in our everlasting joy and in earthly wanderings.

Jesus, like a kokosh who has gathered his chicks, do not let us part in the haystones of this world.

Jesus, having bound us with the union of love at the Supper, do not give us the deed of Satan, as the wheat is scattered.

Jesus, Thy peace you have left us as an inheritance, keep us in your like-mindedness and your love.

Jesus, having set up a dwelling place for many in Paradise, prepare a place for us in Thy Heavenly Abode.

Jesus, ascended to heaven from us, do not leave us orphans.

Kontakion 5

The divine cloud brightened exceedingly, raised Thee, the Life-Giver, the disciple who sees, when he departed from them, he blessed, and so with great glory, as on the wings of cherubim, you carried your wonderful ascent to your Father into heaven, even before impenetrable from the spirits the anger of the heavenly and from the princes of the power of the air, now it is pleasant to you inside, but from all creatures, visible and invisible, hear the Angelic song: Alleluia.

Ikos 5

Having seen your glorious ascent from the flesh to heaven, to the King of creation, repair the Angelic, down to the earth, I am horrified, to the words of the highest powers: Take the eternal gates, as if the King of Glory is coming, open heaven and you heaven of heaven, receive the Lord of forces and worship Him, crying:

Jesus, radiance of the glory of the Fatherland, enlighten us with the light of Thy Face.

Jesus, overflowing minds of heaven, overshadow us in the non-evening days of Thy Kingdom.

Jesus, coming in fires and storms, call your clever heaven from above.

Jesus, Veliy and Praiseworthy, in Thy grief, Holy One, to build Thy righteousness in heaven.

Jesus, who magnified Thy mercy to heaven, manifest Thy glory throughout the whole earth.

Jesus, ascended into the heavens of heaven in the east, may Thy Word remain in heaven forever.

Jesus, ascended to heaven from us, do not leave us orphans.

Kontakion 6

Preachers of Divine Glory, the chief ranks of the Angelic, existing at the height of the heavenly Lordship, the Throne, the veneration of the Cherubims and the six-winged Seraphims, opening together all the heights of heaven, gathering Thee, Lord of All, and seeing Thee Who Ascended in the flesh, crying to each other who came from Edom, Sovereign and Strong in battle? Who is this, who came from Vasor, the hedgehog is of the flesh? Why are His garments scarlet, as from soaking in blood, wear a crown of thorns? This is truly the King of Glory, the Lamb of God, slain and resurrected for the salvation of the world, who is now coming in the flesh to sit at the right hand of the Father, to Him we will sing out to sing: Alleluia.

Ikos 6

Thou art shone with Divine glory, Jesus, when the human nature, you put on worthlessness, you mercifully exalted, you blessed the Father, and you deified you. The same heavenly rank of incorporeality, wondering wonder, horror, horror and trembling of man's content, Thy content. With them we are also earthly Yours for the sake of condescension and a hedgehog from us to heaven Ascension praises, we pray, saying:

Jesus, this stream of life, by Thy ascension to heaven for us to the pilgrims of the earth, pointing out the path of eternal life to the Highest Jerusalem.

Jesus, this abyss of mercy, by your sitting at the right hand of the Father our fleshly perception is dear.

Jesus, taking our lost nature on the frame, take on You and my grave sins.

Jesus, ascended up by the Flesh to the Fleshless Father, lift my woe down to my drooping thoughts.

Jesus, ascended from the earth at the right hand of God and the Father to the heavens, grant me the right hand of the saved sheep to receive.

Jesus, from Zion you have revealed the beauty of your beauty, grant me a partaker of the eternal bliss of your being.

Jesus, ascended to heaven from us, do not leave us orphans.

Kontakion 7

Although you can uplift and glorify the human nature that has fallen in Adam, you, like the second Adam, ascended to the heights of heaven, prepared Thy Throne for ever and ever, and sat down at the right hand of God and the Father, Thy Divine in no way parting the Father's bowels. Come, to Jesus who has become impoverished for us and who has ascended at the right hand of the Father, let us worship, give greatness to Him, and sing from the depths of our souls: Alleluia.

Ikos 7

Thou art a new and pure habitation, Lord, when with Thy flesh you ascended to heaven, and renew the world, which has grown old by many sins, by Thy uprising and to heaven by Ascension, showing us clearly, as the Divine Paul says, that our dwelling in heaven is. For this, let us withdraw from the vanity of the world, bringing the mind to heaven, and such is crying to You:

Jesus, with the angels of His heavenly Godhead into heaven by our ascent to the heavenly dwelling, He called us to ascend.

Jesus, with men - earthly flesh, teaching us to turn away from earth by his departure from earthly addictions.

Jesus, look for the lost sheep that came, to your unlucky sheep, lead us to heaven.

Jesus, mate the descended spreading nature, even on earth, unite in heaven with the Most High Father.

Jesus, light ascended to heaven in a cloud, vouch for us, earthly one, to always look at the heavenly gates.

Jesus, sit in glory on the Throne of the Godhead, grant us, opening our eyes, from the Law, understand Your wonders.

Jesus, ascended to heaven from us, do not leave us orphans.

Kontakion 8

Strange and wondrous is Your Resurrection, strange and fearful is Yours, the Life-giving Christ, the Divine Ascension from the holy mountain, incomprehensible and even more than your mind is sitting at the right hand of the Father in the Flesh, about whom David has the spirit of the verb: “Speech the Lord of My Lord: sit at my right hand, dondezhe I will make Thy enemies thy footstool. " For this, for the sake of all the power of heaven, seeing Thy ascent to heaven, truly submitting to Thy nose, singing the Cherubic song with angelic tongues: Alleluia.

Ikos 8

All be in the Highest, Sweetest Jesus, when by the will of us for our sake you ascended with glory to heaven and you sat down at the right hand of God and the Father, but you did not leave the lower ones either, you promised to stay relentlessly in the Church and you cried out to those who love You: “I am with you and nobody else on you. " This merciful promise I will take out, remembering and keeping in my heart, crying out to You with love:

Jesus, having received all authority in heaven and on earth after Thy Ascension, receive us into Thy eternal inheritance.

Jesus, having filled all the joy of your disciples with the promise of the Holy Spirit, fill us with that grace by the coming.

Jesus, having exalted all creation by Thy Ascent, exalt my soul to chant with Thy Angels the Holiness.

Jesus, the Word of God, having established heaven with your word, establish your words in my heart, that I may not sin with you.

Jesus, Son of the Father, by the Spirit of Thy mouth, manifesting all Thy power from heaven, renew the Right Spirit in my womb, as if I would not defile myself.

Jesus, ascended to heaven from us, do not leave us orphans.

Kontakion 9

All fallen human nature, downhill and decayed by sins, you took on His frame, Master Lord, Newly created by Himself, and above all principle and power you have elevated you to God and the Father, and you have set with Him on the Throne of Heaven, yes e, and ask the keys, and adore. Bezbodnii, wondering, to the verb: Who is this Red Husband, but not a Man exactly, but together God and a Man, let us sing out to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 9

Vitia of the Divine, Thy disciples, Savior, Thy glorious Ascent, astonishing, gazing at heaven, mournfully, Thou will ascend, and these two Angels appear before them in white clothes, and recosta to them for consolation: “Man of Galilee, why are you standing in sight of heaven? This Jesus, ascended from you to heaven, will also come, and in the same way to see Him going to heaven. " This angelic gospel of Thy Second Coming, O Lord, heard Thy disciples, came in joyful trembling, with them and we joyfully so sing to Thee:

Jesus, Ascended from us in all Thy glory, to her, come quickly with Thy saints Angels.

Jesus, have packs come to create the judgment of rights, she, come with glory in the light of Thy saints.

Jesus, great and terrible over all those around you, have mercy and then protect all the meek earth.

Jesus, glorified in the Council of Thy Saints, glorify us Himself in Thy Kingdom in heaven.

Jesus, who passed through the heavens with the Flesh, deign to lead the soul through the air ordeals and the streets to see Thee.

Jesus, Ascended into the cloud of heaven, grant us with joy and boldness on the last day on the cloud to find Thee.

Jesus, ascended to heaven from us, do not leave us orphans.

Kontakion 10

Save although the disciples who are with You, Christ the Savior, and all those who believe their words for the sake of You, and who followed You, ascended into heaven, but prepare a place for them, as in the house of Your Father's abode there are many essences, as you Himself advertise for the coming passion , verb: "If I prepare a place for you, I will come and take you to Myself, but where I am I, and you will be." For this sake, grant us, Lord, after our death ascension to find a temple not made by hands, eternal in heaven, prepared not from the tree, or hay or the reed of our fleshly deeds for our sake, even in fire they will not resist, but from gold or silver or precious stones on Yours On the basis of the given, where I take out we will glorify and sing to You: Alleluia.

Ikos 10

To the Eternal King, Jesus Christ, who ascended into heaven with Thy Most Pure Flesh and called us all into our heavenly Fatherland, elevate us down to those who have been defeated from worldly addictions and fleshly wisdom to the heights of heaven and grant us, even in the days of our flesh, as a pure testimony of conscience, to partake of heavenly life and I will take out to taste heavenly food in the sacrament of the Divine Eucharist, and from a pure heart and right spirit let us sing to Thee:

Jesus, the Great Bishop of the blessings to come, into His Ascension passed heaven in Flesh and ascended not into a temple made with hands, but into heaven itself, but present the Face of God from us.

Jesus, Heavenly Architecton, erected a tabernacle not made by hands in heaven and in one entered the Holy of Holies to the Father with His Blood, so make eternal atonement.

Jesus, Immaculate Lamb of God, one who was slain for the sins of the world, "in a hedgehog to bear the sins of many," lift up my sin offering to the Throne of God.

Jesus, the Intercessor of the New Testament, as one to heaven to the Father, ascended in the hedgehog to open the way to the Heavenly Tabernacle, perceive the impurity of my sighing.

Jesus, our Beloved Zhenishe, prepared the Shining Chamber in Heaven, prepare there a place for You, the One, to serve those who delighted.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd of Your sheep, heavenly pastures in paradise and growing your flock, grant us crowns, you, the only one, to follow those who desire.

Jesus, ascended to heaven from us, do not leave us orphans.

Kontakion 11

Singing all-tenderly offering Thy Divine Ascension, the Word, giving birth to Thee, Thy All-Immaculate Mother. So, in Thy motherly passion, more than all I am sick of You, for this, for the sake of Thy befitting, to glorify Thy Flesh, enjoy joy, and with this great joy descend from the Mount of Olives from the Apostles, and all returned to Jerusalem and went up to the upper room, and the Apostles , enduring unanimously together in prayer, prayer and fasting with wives and Mary, the Matter of Jesus, and with His brethren, longing for the Descent of the Holy Spirit, praising and blessing God, and singing to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 11

Eternal and incorruptible light ascends to the whole world from the Holy Mount of Olives, where Thy most pure nose, Christ Savior, stands, when Thou art ascended with glory to Heaven, Thou hast passed through Heaven with Flesh, Thou hast opened the gates of Heaven, imprisoned by the fall of Adam, and the very Path Truth and Belly, you opened the way for all flesh in the abode of Thy Heavenly Father, as Thou didst predict Thy disciple, saying: "From now on behold the heavens open and the Angels of God ascending and descending over the Son of Man." For this reason, Thy path is leading, as if no one else will come to the Father, only by Thee, we sing to Thee:

Jesus, on a cloud of light ascended to the Father, enlighten the extinguished lamp of my soul.

Jesus, in the Lordships of Thy saints, sorrow ascended, Thy life-giving fire is kindled in my heart.

Jesus, more than the Sun, Shining at the height of heaven in Thy Ascension, with the warmth of Thy Spirit, the coldness of my soul is kindled.

Jesus, the Light from the Light of Thy Godhead shining forth from the Father to the world, enlighten us who are sleeping with the light of Thy words in the night of sin.

Jesus, the Everlasting Light, have packs in Your Coming, Your exodus, like lightning from the east and even to the west, Your appearance, the fire of Your anger did not hit us then.

Jesus, ascended to heaven from us, do not leave us orphans.

Kontakion 12

Thou hast taught new grace, Sweetest Jesus, to the perfecting of the saints and to the building up of Thy Holy Church, when Thou art ascended to Heaven with Thy Most Pure Flesh, and Thou didst sit down at the right hand of God and the Father, as it is written: "He who descended first into the further land of the earth for our salvation for the sake of our salvation." You have now ascended to a height above all heaven, so that you have fulfilled everything to the perfection of the saints, to the building up of the Body of Christ, for this sake you have taken captivity, and you have given a gift as a man, until we reach everything in the union of faith and knowledge to You, the Son of God, in a husband perfect, according to the age of Thy fulfillment, yes, so, better salvation, we will sing thanks to Thee: Alleluia.

Ikos 12

Singing Your free Ascension to heaven with glory, we worship Your, Lord Christ, the right hand of God and the Father's neighborhood, we glorify Your accession to heaven and earth, and we believe with Your Apostles, as indeed, in the same way you ascended to heaven, so come packs to the clouds with glory and great power. Then why don't you put us to shame in You, believers and so crying:

Jesus, always neighbor with Thy Father on the Throne of the Divine, vouch for those who overcome the world with Thy help to sit down with You in Thy Kingdom.

Jesus, with the Holy Comforter Spirit, I will take out the worshiper, do not deprive us, according to Your promise, of That Descent in Your ministry.

Jesus, from the Cherubim and Seraphim and from the faces of the saints after Thy Ascension in heaven, sprinkle Thy presence here for prayer in Thy Name, gathered together Thy presence.

Jesus, Thy holy temples, after Thy departure to heaven, the right of the gift to the faithful in Thee, help us in the temple who stand for themselves in heaven to think.

Jesus, Thy Most Pure Mother from the Apostles into Thy Ascension to prayer for the whole world leaving Thyself, do not leave us without the intercession of Thy Saints.

Jesus, Church, Thy Bride on earth after Thy Ascension to the end of time, leaving, do not deprive us, Thy children, of Thy grace-filled gifts.

Jesus, ascended to heaven from us, do not leave us orphans.

Kontakion 13

O Sweet and All-Merciful Jesus, ascended from us into heaven and graying at the right hand of God and the Father, having mercy on our fallen nature! Look down from the heights of heaven on the weak and down to the earth Your fallen servants and grant us the power from above to overcome all temptations from the flesh, the world and the devil that is on us, so let us philosophize from above, and not earthly. And save us from all enemies, visible and invisible, who rise up against us. At the end of our earthly life, lift up our souls to the heavenly abode, where we will sing out with all the saints: Alleluia.

This kontakion is read three times, then ikos 1 and kontakion 1

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 in the holy and bright days of Thy Resurrection, and after completing Thy earthly ministry, He ascended from us into heaven with glory, and ascended at the right hand of God and the Father! On this "clear and all-luminous day of the Divine ascension of" Thy "to heaven, the earth celebrates and rejoices, the heavens also rejoice in the Ascension of the Creator of creation today", people glorify incessantly, in sight, their erring and fallen nature on Thy frame, Savior, is taken down and ascended to heaven, The angels rejoice, saying: Who is this, who came in glory, is strong in battle. This is truly the King of Glory ?! Grant us the weak, the earthly still philosophizing and carnivorous, do ceaselessly, Thy ascent to heaven, thinking and celebrating, carnal and worldly to postpone cares and with Thy Apostles now look to heaven with all our hearts and all our thoughts, remembering, as there is in heaven grief our dwelling is, here on earth we are just strangers and aliens of Esma, who departed from the house of the Father to the land of sin. For this reason, we earnestly ask Thee, by Thy glorious Ascension, O Lord, revive our conscience, there is nothing else in the world that is most needed, raise us out of the captivity of this sinful flesh and world and make us philosophize from above, and not earthly, as if we should not please ourselves and live, but we will serve and work to You our Lord and God, until we have renounced the bonds of the flesh and have gone through unrestrained airy ordeals, we will reach Your heavenly abodes, where, having become the right hand of Your Majesty, with the Archangels and Angels and all the saints we will glorify Your All-Holy Name with Your Father and the Most Holy and Consubstantial and Life-giving Your Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.

Instruction for the feast of the Ascension of the Lord.

Sermon of St. Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky). Word on the day of the Ascension of Christ.

Sermon by St. Philaret of Moscow. Word of the Ascension of the Lord.

Sermon by St. Demetrius of Rostov. A lesson on the Ascension of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Mark 16:19.

My beloved listeners! I don’t know what to call the current feast of the Ascension of the Lord: is it a joyful holiday, or a deplorable one? I would call it a joyful holiday, but now I see the holy apostles weeping and lamenting, as the church testifies, chanting in the stichera on “Lord, I have cried out” the following: “Lord, the apostles as if you saw You in the clouds, we lift up ... Random test