The Ascension of Our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ

By Archpriest P. Veletsky

What an exalted sight was presented by the ascent of our Lord Jesus Christ. There had been no such triumph since the beginning of the world. It started on earth and came to a completion in the heavens.

The description of this triumph on earth is written in the Gospel of St. Luke, who speaks of how our Lord, raising up his hands, blessed the apostles and other believers. Then, he stepped away from them and by His almighty power ascended to the heavens, to a cloud as if to a chariot of triumph, which lifted Him and hid Him from the eyes of the Apostles. This spectacle was so astonishing, in spite of the fact that the Apostles were accustomed to all the miracles of our Lord, and was so amazing that it is not known how long they would have remained standing and gazing after our ascended Lord, had not the angels instructed them and brought them back to themselves: