ASCENSION DAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7656, 5 June 1886, Page 1 (Supplement)

ASCENSION DAY.

[BY a CHURCHMAN.]

It seems strange that, whilst all the other principal events of our Lord's life on earth— His birth, death, and resurrection—should be systematically and universally observed amongst all Christian people, the observance of the crowning act of all—His ascension into Heaven in human form—should have almost fallen into abeyance. Of late years strenuous efforts have been made to restore this festival to its proper place, and a few remarks on its history may prove of some interest to our readers. St. Augustine is the first Christian writer who mentions it, Justin Martyr, Cyprian, and Clement of Alexandria not alluding to it, whilst even Origen does not include it in his list of the Christian festivals. St. Augustine, then, claims it as one of those solemn anniversaries which, being observed through all the Church, were from this universality to be traced to the appointment of the Apostles themselves, or at least of General Councils. This, together with' the fact of "The Apostolical Constitutions," providing for certain immunities to slaves at this season, points to its having been established not later than the third century. St. Chrysostom includes it in his mention of the principal holy days, the Crucifixion, the Passion, the Resurreotion, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, designating it aa " the illustrious and refulgent day of the assumption of the Crucified," whilst St. Augustine speaks of it as the day on which we celebrate the ascension of our Lord into Heaven." By decree of the Councils of Agde (a.d. 506) and Orleans(A.D.sll) the feast was to be regularly and decently observed under heavy penalties, whilst Proclus, Archbishop of Constantinople, who died in 547, in enumerating the five great festivals, placed as fourth that which " declared the ascent into Heaven of Him who was our first fruit." The earlier obscurity of the festival may be readily accounted for by its emergence from the rest of the fifty intervening days, from tbe Resurrection to Pentecost, all of which formed an extended festival, into gradual prominence as the rest of those days became in time leas regarded. From this Joachim Hildebrande imagines that the festival was fixed early in the fourth century. As to the name of the feast, the Apostolic Constitutions designate it as " the receiving up," whilst in the oration of Epiphanius it is called more fully "The receiving up of our: Lord Jesus Christ." Another very ancient name of the day waS " Highest Salvation," "Day of Highest Salvation," or simply "Salvation," thus regarding it as the culmination of the whole scheme of Redemption. The words of St. Chrysostom favour this view of its nature "On this day the reconciliation between God and man is perfected; on this day the ancient enmity is destroyed, and the protracted war concluded; on this day a marvellous and unexpected peace is restored to us. . . .

After Uod in His anger had destroyed man and beast from off the earth by a universal deluge, we, who had been shown to be unworthy to be lords of earth, are exalted to the hope of Heaven ; we, who were not fit to receive dominion below, are advanced to a kingdom which is above. We ascend higher than the heavens, and take possession of a. royal throne; and that very nature of ours, against which the cherubim. were set to guard the gate of Paradise, is this day set above the Cherubim." The designations of this season have never been very varied, nor are they now. Amongst the Germans it is known as " Himmelfahrtstaig" (Ascension to Heaven day), and sometimes as " Nontag" (Nones' day), bccause on this festival the service of " Nones" was rendered with great splendour, that hour of prayer being deemed the one at which our Lord ascended. In some parts of Southern France the day is called " Bread Thursday," from the custom of then distributing bread to the poor, whilst in England it is often known as " Holy Thursday." In the Eastern Church it is described as one of the twelve great feasts, of which Easter is held to be the one pre-eminent. We fitly append to this brief notice the fifth ode of the " Canon for the ascension of St. Joseph of the Studium," which Dr. Neale, his translator, designates as "The crowning glory of the poet Joseph" Now that death by death hath found its ending, Thou dost call to Thee Thy loved eleven, And from holy Olivet ascending, On a cloud art carried up to Heaven. 0 that wondrous birth ! that wondrous rising I Th»t more wondrous mounting to the sky i So Elian, earthly things despising, In a fiery chariot went on high. Parted from Him. still they watched His going' " Why stand gazing thus?" the angel said, " TMs same Jesus, all His glory showing, Shall return to judge the quick and dead.