The Feast of the Ascension, which will be June 6 in 2019, is celebrated by all followers of the Christian faith on the fortieth day after the Holy Christ's Resurrection. The Feast of the Ascension is timed to coincide with such an event in the New Testament as the ascension of Jesus Christ to the throne of his Parent, the Most High. It is believed that it was on this day that Jesus entered Paradise, completing his earthly journey. On the 40th day after his resurrection, he ascended to Heaven in the flesh and found the kingdom of heaven. In memory of this event and the promise of Christ regarding his second coming, it was decided to establish the feast of the Ascension of the Lord. Many believers are sure that initially Jesus came to Earth from Heaven to fulfill a certain mission on it, and after the salvation of the human race, he will return to Heaven again.
When is the Ascension of the Lord celebrated and how does the date depend on the date of Easter?
The Feast of the Ascension does not have a fixed date and is a rolling church holiday. Each year a new date is assigned, which directly depends on the date of the Great Resurrection of Christ. In 2019, the day of the Ascension of the Lord will be celebrated on the 40th day after Christian Easter, that is, June 6.
Interestingly, this holiday always falls on Thursday every year. There is also a direct connection with Christ's Easter. After all, the number 40 is not divisible by 7 without a remainder, so the date of the holiday cannot fall on Sunday or any other day except Thursday.
Ascension of the Lord in Orthodox Christianity
Until the 4th century, the holiday was celebrated at Pentecost, but then a separate day was established for it. In the collection of books - the Gospels - you can find a mention of the fact that Jesus, after his resurrection, was on earth for 40 days next to the apostles. He told them about the kingdom of heaven, the Law of God, taught them how to correctly preach the Orthodox faith. Also, Christ told his disciples how best to tell the laity and the whole world about Christianity.
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When the 40th day after the Resurrection came, Jesus and the apostles, being in Jerusalem, ascended to the top of the Mount of Olives. The disciples heard the last righteous teachings from Jesus. After that, before their eyes, he ascended to Heaven. The disciples made several bows to their teacher and returned to the city. The apostles were not sad, on the contrary, their souls rejoiced and rejoiced, since they did not perceive this event as a loss. The apostles understood that ascension is in no way a symbol of a break with Divine Forces, it once again calls all of humanity to inner transformation and rapprochement with God by entering his Kingdom. Also in the Gospel it is said that after the ascension, Jesus was able to be reunited with his Father. Many believers said that they constantly feel his invisible presence on Earth.
After 10 days after the ascension, as Jesus said, the Holy Spirit descended on the Earth. He endowed the apostles with tremendous spiritual strength, which they needed to preach Christ's teaching. Due to the fact that the Holy Spirit appeared to Jesus' disciples on the 50th day after Easter, this day began to be called Pentecost.
Ascension among the Catholics
Catholics celebrate the Ascension on the same day as the Christian church. The only difference is that they start celebrating the holiday three days before the appointed date. The days (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday) preceding Ascension are called the petition period. Usually during this period people pray, praise Jesus, his Father and the Holy Spirit, asking them for support, protection, health, personal happiness, rich harvest and favorable weather. In the villages and villages for three days there are folk festivals, fairs and song festivals.
On the Ascension in all Catholic churches, all-night festive liturgies are held, during which services are held and songs are sung. Priests of the temples wear white clothes, because white is a symbol of the purity of the Divine Light. In some churches, the Figure of Jesus is raised under the dome of the building by means of special devices, which personifies the fact of his ascension and once again reminds the parishioners of the essence of the holiday.
Ascension of the Lord in folk traditions
Since ancient times, it was believed that throughout all 40 days, starting with Easter and ending with Ascension, the gates of hell and heaven remain open. During this period, the souls of the deceased righteous are allowed to be on Earth, and the souls of sinners are not allowed to experience eternal hellish torments. That is why on the day of the Ascension, as well as during the entire festive period, the church recommended that parishioners pay special attention to charity. To the best of their strength and capabilities, all believers helped the poor, the disadvantaged, the poor and the wretched. They also provided all possible assistance to the disabled and crippled.
To observe the Christian tradition, people put coins for the beggars on the windowsills of their houses (from the side of the street). Near the front door, again from the side of the street entrance, they put plates of food, bowls of drinking water and milk. As a rule, boiled eggs, baked potatoes, and bread cakes were placed on the plates from food. Wealthy families could afford to put cold pork, boiled beef, and lamb sausages into plates.
The tradition of giving alms in the form of food and coins originated in connection with an ancient tradition. It was believed that during the period of 40 days, Christ himself, in the form of a beggar, wandered the streets of the city and asked for alms. And if you did not help a suffering and homeless person, you could bring misfortunes and misfortunes on yourself and your entire family.
In addition to helping disadvantaged people, many believers made donations for the needs of churches (erection, restoration, reconstruction). Moreover, each person gave exactly as much as he could. After all, the Lord taught: "It is not the size of the donation that is important, but the disinterested desire to help, kind and noble thoughts."
Another well-known tradition was the prohibition on the disposal of any garbage outside the boundaries of their own backyard. Also, in the period after Easter and until the day of the Ascension, it was worthless to spit anywhere, except in your home and in the adjacent territory. It was believed that throwing out garbage or spitting out, one could accidentally fall into the Lord, who bypasses Russia during the specified period.
On the eve of the Ascension, namely on the 39th day (Wednesday), Orthodox churches hold a certain ritual dedicated to the "giving away" of Easter. The next day, a festive liturgy is always held, and at the moment when the bells ring, the priests read that part of the Gospel, which is dedicated to the event of the Ascension of Christ.
The day after the Ascension (Friday) is also considered a holiday, therefore, services with prayer chants are held in churches.
Ascension customs and rites
It is believed that on the day of Ascension, summer fully comes into its own. In honor of the transition of spring into summer, during the holidays, people made fires, which symbolized the blossoming nature. There were also round dances called "spikelets".
Rite of passage "Kumlenie"
On the Ascension of the Lord, an old rite of "kumlenie" was carried out, personifying the union of boys, men, women and girls, who exchanged their worn crosses and called each other godfathers. The origins of this rite stretch back to the distant past. Women and men from Russian villages boiled chicken eggs, put them in shards (clay pots) and went into the forest. They found a clearing with birches, chose a lonely tree and positioned themselves around it. Sometimes a certain species of yarrow was found, which had a cruciform shape. This plant was often called "cuckoo tears". People who wanted to "pokumit" hung their pectoral crosses on a birch or twigs, stuck in the ground crosswise over the yarrow. Then people exchanged a triple kiss and exchanged crosses. After that, an invisible close connection arose between them,which accompanied them throughout their lives. "Pokumennye" people were considered relatives, but, of course, not blood. They had no right to quarrel, they made a vow to protect each other and support each other in everything. During the ceremony of "kummeniya" all the others sang songs, danced in circles, burned fires, and played games. Then people ate boiled eggs brought in earthenware and returned to the village.
Arriving in the village, people continued their walks, had fun, sang, danced, played games, and treated themselves to delicacies. A few days later, the "smitten" men and women proceeded to the second part of this ceremony. They went to the grove where the first part of the ceremony was held, and “raskumivisya”, that is, returned crosses to each other. The rest of the day was spent cheerfully swimming in the river, humming the sands and dancing.
What to cook for Ascension
On the morning of the day of Christ's Ascension, people went to church, prayed, received communion, confessed, and took part in divine services. After that, they returned home. In the evening, it was customary to gather the whole family at a large festive table. The table setting also had elements of ritual.
One of the main treats for Ascension was pancakes, which were affectionately called "paws" or "paw paws". In addition to pancakes, the hostesses baked oblong buns with cinnamon and powdered sugar, as well as pies with various fillings. Bakery products baked in the form of shoes (sandals, boots, boots) were a special edible symbol of the festive table. It was believed that the Lord, during his stay on Earth and bypassing Russian villages, completely worn out his shoes. Therefore, he needs to be presented with a "new thing" - to bake a new pair of boots or sandals.
Bread, which were baked in the form of ladders (ladders, ladders), were also considered an obligatory edible attribute of the festive table. Yeast or unleavened dough was rolled out on the table, then strips were cut from it and rolled into tubes. Then the resulting tubes were laid out on a baking sheet. It was necessary to treat the ready-made dish to “pure souls” - holy fools, flawed, poor, small children. Ladder-shaped baked goods carried a special symbolism. It was believed that with the help of these bakery products it is easier for the righteous to get to the gates leading to paradise.
People living in some Russian villages attached a different meaning to bread-ladders. They believed that by placing a few ladders in the corners of their field or garden, they would certainly be able to reap a rich harvest. The ladder acted as the protector of the land, which helped the wheat and other crops to be filled with strength, reach for Heaven, grow faster and sing. A prerequisite: the ladders located in the corners of the field must be exclusively in a standing position, as if pointing the way to the sky. This ceremony had to be performed early in the morning, preferably immediately after sunrise, so that no outsider could observe the process. Otherwise, unkind looks could cause irreparable harm to the crop, for example, jinx it or deliberately impose a black spell on fertile lands. The ritual was usually performed by women - the housewives. After hiding the ladders in the tall grass, placing them vertically, they said several prayers. In their prayers, women asked Christ for a rich harvest, a high ear and the prosperity of their family. Prayers were spoken out loud, facing the rising sun.
Rite of passage "Sisterhood"
As the name implies, the ritual was performed only by young girls or married women who wished to become named sisters to each other. Early in the morning on a holiday, they went to a forest clearing. The girls took with them rolls (breads in the form of wicker circles), boiled chicken eggs and small skeins of thread. Moreover, the threads had to be spun on Maundy Thursday - one of the days of Holy Week.
Already in the forest, the girls split into pairs. Each pair plucked three thin twigs from the birch. Together, the girls weaved a pigtail from birch twigs, weaving a colored ribbon into it. Typically, the color of the tape was red, yellow, or green. Red is a symbol of sunrise, yellow is sunlight, green is young grass, trees and other plants. Both ends of the improvised pigtails were tied up with the brought Quadruple threads. The resulting product was called a "coil". Further, each pair weaved exactly the same "coils", but already intended for their relatives. Moreover, the number of products had to correspond to the number of relatives.
For male relatives, "cocks" were woven not in the form of a pigtail, but in the form of a wreath. After that, the couple stood in the center of the circle and in unison pronounced the following words: "Dear cuckoo, help to save the carriage." Then the girls who became "sisters" exchanged the brought rolls and eggs. Then they returned to their native village with merry songs.
This rite was continued, the second part of it was carried out on Trinity. After breakfast, the girls gathered in the same group and went to the forest. There they thanked the cuckoo, which helped them to save the "cocks", and asked the bird for a true prediction of the future. After some time, the girls walked to the river, taking with them "cocks", which they threw into the water in the direction of the current.
However, the interpretation of the results of this prediction was somewhat different from the traditional interpretations in such fortune-telling. So, if the "coil" sank, it means that soon the girl will have a candidate for the role of a spouse. For a married woman, this predicted a long and happy life with her husband. If the "coil" swam smoothly, and there were no obstacles on its way, nothing bad will happen this year. If obstacles were encountered, it means that health will be shaken and troubles will arise.
Signs and popular beliefs on the Ascension
If you help the disadvantaged and feed the poor for 40 days (from Easter to Ascension), the year will be not only rich in harvest, but also successful in all respects: good health of household members, harmonious relationships with a life partner, and a strong financial position.
All the housewives baked ritual pastries on the eve of the Ascension of the Lord. If in the process of baking pies or cookies, a small part of the dough remains, which is not enough for a full-fledged pie (cookies), it means that an addition to the family can be expected within a year. The girl will definitely get pregnant.
Signs of birch twigs were popular in Russia. Birch branches are very thin, flexible and pliable. When unmarried girls wanted to know if they were destined to get married this year, they plucked three branches and braided them into a pigtail. If the braid was held tightly, did not unravel, remaining flat, then the wedding is not far off. If the pigtail unraveled, the girl was destined to sit "in girls" until the next Ascension.
Birch could tell not only about marriage, but also helped to predict what awaits in the future a person who suffers from a serious illness. The patient's relatives plucked 10 birch branches, brought them home, put them in a pot. If within 10 days (before Trinity) the branches remained fresh and green, it means that the relative will definitely be able to overcome his illness, and if the branches have dried up, he will not be able to recover.
The night before the Ascension was called the Nightingale, since nightingales and other birds sang especially loudly, melodiously and loudly during this period. They kind of glorified Jesus by encouraging people to do the same.
People tried to increase the productivity of grain crops by decorating the outskirts of their lands (vegetable gardens, fields) with young birches. The trees were dug into the ground along the perimeter of the field and left until the end of the stubble period.
To honor the memory of ancestors on the day of the Ascension of Christ is a good sign for all family members. It was believed that the memories of their deceased relatives on this holiday would certainly contribute to their protection. In honor of the ancestors, the hostesses cooked eggs and baked sweet pancakes.
If it rains heavily on Ascension all day, unfortunately, the year will not be very fruitful. And if the rain does not stop within the next 3 days, the crop losses will not be so significant.
In ancient times, all girls wore long hair, which they braided into a tight braid (braids) at night. If in the morning on Ascension the girl noticed that the braid was very disheveled or unraveled during sleep, soon a matchmaking awaits her.
The offspring of cattle or pets on the day of Ascension is an auspicious omen. This means that the family will live in abundance and harmony.
Ascension is a day symbolizing the invisible border between spring and summer. That is why this holiday is the opening of the swimming season. Starting from Thursday, you can safely swim in all reservoirs.
If on the night from Wednesday to Thursday (Ascension) the hostess for some unknown reason turns sour milk stored in proper conditions and in accordance with all the rules, then you need to pay attention to the health of both your own and all household members. It is important not to overcool, overeat, and regularly do righteous deeds and acts of mercy.
Finding a bird nest on the roof of a house or under it on the day of Ascension predicts an imminent inheritance. And if in the family there is a maiden "for marriageable", soon she will be wooed by a rich groom, who will take the young woman to his spacious house.
On the eve of the holiday, it is customary to carry out a general cleaning of the home and personal plot. People believed that their well-groomed house and tidy courtyard would certainly honor Jesus with his attention, who during this period bypassed all the Russian Lands.
When people went to the temple, they took with them ladder-shaped cookies, as well as pies with onions and other fillings. The baked goods were necessarily consecrated. It was believed that the ceremony of consecrating food is a tribute to the memory of such an event as the Lord's Resurrection. Ritual pastries symbolized the path to Heaven. That is why it should have an oval shape, personifying the road of Jesus to his Parent. People left some of the pastries in the church.
Throwing garbage collected in a house or on the territory of a plot outside the yard means that a person does not respect Christ, allowing this garbage to get into him. After all, Jesus on a holiday continues his earthly journey along the Russian roads.
What can you do on Ascension?
- To honor the memory of ancestors. Pray, praising Jesus and his Father (you can send your prayers to Heaven not only in the temple, but also at home).
- Be with your family. Think good.
- Help all suffering people (holy fools, beggars, cripples, flawed).
- Make optimistic forecasts for the future.
- To please your relatives with gifts.
- To ask Christ for the fulfillment of cherished desires through sincere prayers. It is believed that on this day Jesus is available to absolutely all people.
What not to do on Ascension Day?
In order for Jesus to be merciful, always and help in everything, protecting your family, you need to properly spend the holiday:
- do not slander;
- do not ignore the opportunity to do charity work, helping the disadvantaged and poor;
- do not swear or sort things out with anyone;
- not doing certain housework. This refers to the washing and ironing of linen, sweeping and mopping, collecting dust, building outbuildings and wells, darning and sewing clothes;
- do not gossip;
- do not pronounce the phrases "Christ is Risen" and "Truly Risen", since on the day of the Ascension the Shroud is taken out of the temples;
- do not blaspheme;
- do not allow negative thoughts and do not fall into despair.
At the Ascension, all believers remember how Christ lived, helped people, rose again and showed the way to the Kingdom of Heaven. After all, the road to Heaven is a symbol of people's hope for atonement for earthly sins and the eternal existence of the soul. The Feast of the Ascension of Christ allows believers to come to the understanding that death is not the end, but only the beginning of a great and bright path to the Lord and eternal life.
