The ascension of Jesus Christ is described in detail in his gospel by the apostle Luke. Also, the story of this historical event can be found in the Gospels of Mark and Matthew.
The ascension of Jesus Christ took place after the last appearance of the risen Savior to his disciples. Holy Scripture tells that Christ with his apostles left Jerusalem and went to Bethany to the slope of the Mount of Olives. It was from the Mount of Olives that the ascension of Christ took place.
Before the Lord ascended to heaven, He raised His hands and blessed His disciples. Christ gave a commandment to the apostles to baptize nations in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and also teach everything that the Savior commanded. After that, Jesus Christ began to ascend to heaven. At the same time, the apostles saw angels descending from heaven, who accompanied Christ. When Jesus had already disappeared from the sight of the disciples, the angels turned to the apostles with the words that Christ would come into the world for the second time in the same image in which the disciples led Christ to ascend to heaven.
After the event of the ascension of Christ, the apostles were in Jerusalem and waited for the descent of the Holy Spirit promised by Christ.
Currently, on the Mount of Olives (at the site of the ascension of Christ), a man's footprint remains. The Orthodox believe that this is the footprint of the Lord Himself. The place of the ascension is still revered by Orthodox pilgrims.
The Feast of the Ascension of Christ is celebrated on the fortieth day after Easter. So, in 2014 this event was celebrated on May 29, and in 2015 - the Ascension of Christ will be celebrated on May 21.
