Ascension Day 2024: What Is Its Significance

Next Ascension Day Thursday, 29 May 2025

Ascension Day, also known as the Feast of the Ascension is a Christian observance that will take place on May 9 in 2024. It is celebrated on the 40th day of Easter, or the sixth Thursday after Easter. This was the last day Christ was seen by his followers before ascending to heaven.

Ascension Day is not a public holiday, so businesses and schools remain open.

A black and white etching of the ascension of jesus - a crowd of people staring up as Jesus, accompanied by two angels, leaves the top of the image — An etching of Jesus ascending, watched by a gathering of disciples and onlookers

Ascension Day is one of the Catholic Church's six Holy Days of Obligation, these are days when the congregation is expected to attend mass.

Since it can be difficult for some people to attend church on a Thursday, some Churches in America have sought permission from the Pope to observe Ascension Day mass on the following Sunday. This change gives more believers a chance to participate in services.

Ascension Day History: Jesus' Resurrection Story

According to the bible, after his crucifixion on Good Friday, Jesus was resurrected from the dead on the third day, the date we now call Easter Sunday.

After Jesus was crucified, all his followers plunged into utter grief and despair. After two days, Mary Magdalene, a faithful follower of Jesus Christ informed everyone that Christ rose from the dead and had appeared before her. Initially, they didn't believe her. However, their faith was restored when they saw Jesus Christ themselves.

For 40 days after his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples a number of times, teaching them how to spread the word of God and convert people to Christianity. At the end of the fortieth day, on the Mount of Olives, Jesus spoke to his disciples, telling them to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit, and then he ascended into heaven.

"After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight"

The Bible: The Book of Acts; Chapter 1, Verse 9.

Origins of the Celebration

Ascension Day is not a sad occurrence among Christians. It is considered a joyous occasion.

This celebration is believed to be one of the oldest in the Christian faith. Some records state that it was observed as early as the 4th century, although it is thought that the Ascension was celebrated with Easter or Pentecost around that time.

At some point, later a decree was made to declare that each of these Holy days should be observed in its own time, thus Ascension Day was moved to be commemorated 40 days after Easter, and Pentecost was to be observed 50 days after Easter.

How Ascension Day Is Observed

In the United States, church services are centered around reflection and inner peace.
Music is significant in Ascension Day services, and special Ascension Day hymns are sung during mass.
Some churches gather socially and celebrate the day with a picnic, sometimes on a hilltop to recreate the moment Jesus was on the Mount of Olives.
Churches might celebrate Ascension Day with a parade/procession through the town. One very old example of this is in Bruges, Belgium, where there has been an Ascension Day Procession called 'Procession of the Holy Blood' every year for over 700 years.

Liturgically some churches define ascension day as the official end of Easter time which began with Holy Week, and as the beginning of Pentecost.