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The Lord ascending bodily into heaven in glory, holding a scroll representing the gospel in his left hand and with his right hand blessing his Church below. The circle is called a mandorla and it symbolizes heaven and the glory of God.
As on the night of his birth, angels appear again in the sky, invisibly escorting the Lord into heaven. Shown seated in glory, the icon offers a prophetic image of how the Lord will return again in glory from heaven with his holy angels, as he tells us, saying: "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne". -
And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
In the background is the Mount of Olives, a place of many significant events in Christ's earthly ministry. There he preached to the crowds and taught his disciples. It's where he performed miracles and wept for Jerusalem. It was here also where he was in agony on the night of his betrayal.
The angels pointing up and looking at us, saying "This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
Although he was not present at the Ascension with the other apostles, his inclusion in the icon is a foreshadowing of him being chosen as an apostle by the Lord, whom he will see and hear in the heavens in like manner, on the road to Damascus.
The Holy Virgin, standing serenely and gazing at us, her hand in a posture of prayer, implying her role as the protector and intercessor of the Church.
Peter and the other apostles watching the Lord ascend into heaven.
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Posted On January 31, 2024
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The account of the Ascension of Christ is recorded in various gospels and epistles. 

Prophetic words of Christ 

In the Gospel of St. John, Christ makes three prophetic references to his ascension. 

"No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man"

"What if you [the disciples] were to see the Son of Man ascending where he was before?"

To Mary Magdalene after his resurrection, "Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father..."

Gospels

When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God. ()

 

Epistles

Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

References to the Ascension in other Epistles

, , , , Timothy 3:16,
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