The Ascension of Christ in the Orthodox Church
Gerald Largent
The Ascension of Our Lord
This week the Church approaches the great Feast of the Ascension of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ. Forty days after His glorious Resurrection, Christ ascended bodily into heaven before His disciples on the Mount of Olives.
At first glance, the Ascension may seem like a departure or farewell. Yet the Church celebrates it as a feast of joy and victory. Christ does not abandon humanity; rather, He raises human nature itself into heavenly glory.
After His Resurrection, the Lord remained with His disciples for forty days, appearing to them repeatedly and teaching them concerning the Kingdom of God. He strengthened their faith and prepared them for the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Then, in the presence of the apostles, He blessed them and ascended into heaven.
Christ raises our human nature
The Ascension fulfills the entire purpose of salvation. The eternal Son of God became man so that humanity might be united to God. In the Incarnation, Christ took our human nature upon Himself. In His death and Resurrection, He healed and glorified that nature. In the Ascension, He carries humanity into the heavenly Kingdom.
For this reason, the feast is not simply about where Christ went, but about what He accomplished for us. Human nature now sits at the right hand of the Father in the Person of Jesus Christ. As Saint Leo the Great wrote, “The Ascension of Christ is our elevation.”
The angels ask the apostles: “Why do you stand gazing up into heaven?” The Christian life is not meant to be passive or idle. The disciples were called to continue Christ’s work in the world through the power of the Holy Spirit. Likewise, we are called to live as citizens of heaven even while dwelling on earth.
Lifting up our hearts
The Ascension teaches us that our true homeland is the Kingdom of God. Modern life constantly tempts us to become consumed with temporary concerns—possessions, status, anxieties, and distractions. Yet Christ calls us to lift our hearts upward. Every Divine Liturgy reminds us of this reality when the priest proclaims: “Let us lift up our hearts.”
At the same time, the feast assures us that Christ remains with His Church. Though ascended bodily into heaven, He continues to dwell among His people. He is present in the Holy Eucharist, in the Scriptures, in prayer, and in the gathered Church. Before His Ascension, He promised: “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age.”
The Ascension also reveals the great dignity and destiny of every human person. Humanity was not created merely for earthly existence, but for eternal communion with God. Christ opens the gates of Paradise that had been closed by sin.
As we prepare to celebrate this holy feast, let us ask the Lord to direct our minds and hearts toward heavenly things. May we seek first the Kingdom of God, remembering that our life is hidden with Christ in heaven.
May the joy of the Ascension strengthen us with hope, reminding us that where Christ has gone, His faithful servants are called to follow.
Originally published in the May 17, 2026 St. Panteleimon Orthodox Christian Outreach devotional.