Ascension Day in Australia

The Ascension Day is observed in the Christian community as is its way of remembering the bodily ascension of Jesus Christ to heaven. This event is relevant to the Christian world, ranking close the Passion of Christ, Easter Sunday, and Pentecost. The Ascension Day happens on the 40th day after Easter Sunday, the day Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. The Ascension marks the end of the Easter season, and the Pentecost follows ten days after this event.

Ascension Thursday, Sunday Observance

The 40th day after the Easter Sunday happens to be a Thursday, so the event is named Ascension Thursday. In recent years, with the permission from the Vatican, there are countries that moved the celebration of Ascension Thursday to Sunday.  This is in accordance with the trend to move the holy days of obligation that falls on a weekday to Sunday. The Roman Catholic of Australia is one of the first communities to practice the move. Australian churches made the switch to celebrate Ascension Day from Thursday to Sunday in 1992.

The Happenings on Ascension Day in Australia

The Ascension Day is not a federal holiday in Australia. Since it also falls on a Thursday, public departments and government offices are open to serve the people. Commercial areas are busy as well since the shops, restaurants, banks, and other establishments are open as well. Students go to their schools because there are classes during the Ascension Day. Catholic schools usually remember the Ascension by teaching its students the event’s relevance and meaning.

The Christian Practices on the Ascension Day

Despite the move to celebrate the Ascension Day on a Sunday, the devout Catholics in Australia never fail to visit the churches to pay high respect to on the day itself of the Ascension which is a Thursday. They go to the churches to reflect on life, say a prayer, and light candles in remembrance to Jesus Christ’s ascension to heaven. The Sunday readings and scriptures talk about the Ascension of Jesus Christ, and the faithful still go to the churches to be a part of the Ascension celebration. Children who attend Sunday schools are given lessons that are related to the Ascension of Jesus Christ so they can have full awareness of it.

Though the Ascension Day ranks close to important Christian events like the Easter Sunday, it is not celebrated with festivities and merry-making activities the way Easter Sunday is celebrated. Rather, it is observed quietly with reflection and prayer. The Christian community puts extra effort to decorate the churches with fresh flowers and candles in honour of the Ascension Day. Families would go to their usual routines after the Sunday Mass celebration.