Ascension – Origins and facts
Saint Luke recounts the Ascension of Jesus in his Gospel. Holy Thursday, also known as Maundy Thursday and Ascension in French, is one of the most significant feasts in the Christian calendar.
The concept of ascension was already present in Greek mythology. Indeed, Zeus, the king of the gods, transported Heracles to Mount Olympus, the home of the twelve Olympian gods, and thus saved him from death.
In Roman mythology, Romulus, the central figure of the founding myth of Rome, also escaped mortality and ascended to heaven, where he became the protector of the city.
This clearly shows that the early Church of Rome, unable to eradicate these beliefs deeply rooted in popular tradition, chose to assimilate them by aligning them with its own teachings.
Maundy Thursday, a French public holiday
In 1795, the Church and State were separated during the French Revolution. However, First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte (the future Napoleon I) restored Catholicism as the official religion of France with the Concordat of 1801. This agreement remained in effect until 1905 when the Chamber of Deputies passed the law on Separation of the Churches and State. This law affirmed the neutrality of the State, freedom of worship, and the public powers relating to the Church. Maundy Thursday was officially thus recognised as a Public Holiday in France in 1905.
A religious celebration
The Ascension is a fixed feast day, celebrated every year on a Thursday, exactly forty days after the Resurrection of Jesus. The Ascension follows the Crucifixion on Good Friday and the Resurrection of Jesus three days later. It symbolises Jesus’ ascension to God and the end of his earthly presence. The Ascension took place on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, where Jesus blessed his apostles before ascending to heaven. He assured them of his perpetual, though invisible, presence through the Holy Spirit, which is commemorated at Pentecost, fifty days after Easter.
In France, Maundy Thursday is linked to a bank holiday weekend. Thus, most public services are suspended from Thursday to Sunday. Many offices and businesses close on Friday or operate with reduced staff due to labour shortages. For detailed information regarding closures and service adjustments, it is advisable to consult the websites of the establishments and service providers concerned.
N.B. Dates for all the French public holidays
Photo via Wikimedia Commons: Church mural by Qasinka Public domain
