The Orthodox Christians observe the Feast of Ascension on June 9. This feast, also known as Ascension Thursday or Ascension Day, commemorates the bodily Ascension of Jesus into heaven. It is celebrated 40 days after Jesus’ Resurrection.

Contacted by IPN, priest Petru Storoja, of the Chisinau-based Church “Saint Hierarch Nicolae”, said that Ascension symbolizes the connection between heaven and earth through the ascent to heaven with the body, after Jesus received a body and descended to earth. During 40 days, there was celebrated the return to life of Jesus Christ, who was on Earth among the apostles, and then, on the 40th day, ascended into heaven. “This was a miracle for the apostles to believe in God and for the people to realize that he is always near them and gives them strength to overcome suffering,” stated Petru Storoja.

The priest calls on the people to go to church and pray to God on this day and not to abuse alcohol and fatty food during the holiday meal.

On Ascension, the Christians greet each other saying “Christ has ascended” and the answer is “He has ascended indeed”.

In the Eastern Church this feast is known in Greek as Analepsis, the “taking up”, and also as Ispas, deriving from the Slavic word ‘spasiteli’, which means Savior. Paschal bread and red painted eggs are put on the holiday table on the Ascension Day.