As every year, Ascension takes place forty days after Easter. Popularly, this holiday is also known as Ispas, and Christians observe a number of superstitions on this day. This year, believers celebrate the Ascension on May 25. Here’s what not to do for Ascension Day 2023, in order to have a good year!
Ascension Superstitions
Ascension takes place every year, 40 days after the Resurrection. In 2023, the holiday falls on a Thursday, May 25. The ascension of Jesus Christ marks the final entry of His humanity into heaven, from where He is to come again to earth.
According to the Bible, after the Resurrection, Jesus Christ appeared to the disciples for 40 days, after which he ascended to heaven in their presence. In addition, the Holy Apostles received grace and became preachers of Christian teaching.
At the beginning of Christianity, the Ascension of the Lord was celebrated on Pentecost, together with the Descent of the Holy Spirit, i.e. 50 days after Easter. Towards the end of the 4th century, according to church synods, it was decided that the Ascension date should be different from Pentecost.
What is forbidden to do on Ascension Day 2023
Since the Ascension of the Lord, Christians take into account a series of superstitions. Since it is a Red Cross holiday, it is forbidden to wash clothes and do household chores. Here’s what else is prohibited on May 25:
- On Ascension Day, they do not sew or spin.
- Ascension, no field work is done and no planting is done. They say that what you sow will not reap.
- On this day, housewives are not allowed to wash.
- On Ascension Day, it is not good to throw away the food packages received from alms. You can give them further, to needy people.
- It is not good to borrow salt.
- It is not good to borrow or make a fire on the Ascension, because your house will burn for the rest of the year, and the cattle will not give birth.
- People who don’t beat their cattle with Ascension larch, to get fat, will have saddle pain all year round.
Read also: The prayer to say for the Ascension of the Lord
The prayer to be said by the Ascension of the Lord
“Lord Jesus Christ, the One who, descending from heaven to those on earth as a man, raised up, as a merciful God, our fallen nature, the One who then traversed the strength of heaven and united us with Father, we humbly fall to You and pray, Savior: send upon us all Your Spirit that gives grace, light, love and inner peace!
Banish from us, the scoundrels, the evil thoughts that trouble us, for you know, Knower of hearts, how great is the inner war to which we are subject. Heal our soul wounds and enlighten the eyes of our thoughts!
You know that our hearts thirst for You like dry land! Therefore, send Your grace, Lord, to satiate our hunger and quench our thirst, for we desire You and we thirst for You, the Light of Truth, the Giver of salvation.
Help us, Lord, to wake up from the heavy sleep of sin and to raise our thoughts and feelings to heaven, so that we too can share in the joy of the age that will be. Amen!”
