The Feast of the Ascension of our Lord (Suloqo)

 The Feast of the Ascension of our Lord (Suloqo)

The Feast of the Ascension of our Lord, also known as Suloqo (Syriac), holds great significance in the Syrian/Syriac Orthodox Church. It commemorates the fulfilment of Jesus' promises and His Ascension to heaven on the fortieth day after His resurrection, as mentioned in Mark 16:19. The feast serves as a pivotal moment when Jesus completed His earthly ministry and returned to His glory, seated at the right side of God the Father.

According to the Syrian Orthodox church, the Ascension of Jesus marks the beginning of a new time, the time of the Holy Spirit. Through His Ascension, divine secrets are revealed to believers, providing insight into God's plan for salvation. It signifies the triumphant conclusion of Jesus' mission, revealing His divine nature and paving the way for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

The Ascension has several significant implications for believers. Primarily, it signifies the Lord's return to His former glory. Jesus, having completed His work on earth, ascended to heaven, reassuming His rightful place as the Son of God. Secondly, Jesus ascended to prepare a place for believers, underscoring His role as the intercessor and mediator between humanity and God. This assurance brings hope and comfort to believers, knowing that Jesus is actively involved in their eternal salvation.

Moreover, the Ascension emphasises the exalted position of Jesus, as He is seated at the right of the Father. This positioning signifies His authority that He reigns over all creation, and highlights His divine nature and ongoing intercessory role on behalf of humanity.

The Ascension also ushers in the sending of the Holy Spirit, which is celebrated ten days later at the Pentecost. Jesus promised His disciples that He would send the Holy Spirit to empower and guide them in their mission to proclaim the gospel to the world. The arrival of the Holy Spirit brings in a new era of spiritual enlightenment, enabling believers to live out their Christian calling.

In the Syrian Orthodox Church, the Feast of the Ascension is celebrated with reverence and devotion. Worship services centre around the Holy Eucharist, enabling the believers to partake in the sacrament and reflect on the significance of Jesus' Ascension. It is a time of deep reflection, prayer, and hymns that highlight Christ's glory and the Holy Spirit's transformative power.

The feast of Ascension of our Lord falls annually on the Thursday following the fifth Sunday after Easter Sunday. At the conclusion of the Quqalyon of the Blessed Virgin during the celebration of the Holy Qurbono, the clergy and the deacons descend from the sanctuary to the chancel. The priest takes the cross from the stand where it had been since Easter Sunday. He carries it in his hand in a procession that starts from the northern door of the sanctuary and ends at the southern door, followed by the readings from the Epistle of Saint Paul (Ephesians 4:1-16) and the Gospels (Luke 24:45-53), after which the Order of Zuyoho (Hawde Malakhe) takes place. During the responses, 'Crucified for us,' is replaced by the recital, 'He who ascended into heaven'. Jesus's earthly presence in a liturgical calendar year concludes with the Sleebo veneration of this day, an essential part of the sequence of the Ascension feast. The veneration of the Holy Sleebo w symbolising Christ's journey through suffering, death, resurrection, and Ascension, is observed for the final time in the year. The removal of Golgotho from the Holy Sanctuary (Madbaha) represents the completion of Christ's redemptive work and serves as a reminder of the believers' participation in this journey.

The Feast of the Ascension brings immense joy and hope to believers. It reminds them that, as they live in the age of the Holy Spirit, they long for eternal communion with the Lord in His glorious eternity. In response, believers turn to prayer, seeking the Lord's guidance and relying on His grace. They offer praise for the day of Jesus' Ascension to heaven, acknowledging Him as the promised Messiah and the Saviour who lifts them up from the depths of sin.

From the Syrian Orthodox perspective, the Feast of the Ascension is a celebration of victory, joy, and hope. It signifies the culmination of Jesus' earthly ministry, His return to heavenly glory, and His ongoing intercessory work. Through His Ascension, believers are assured of eternal life, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and called to spread the gospel to all nations. The feast invites believers to live faithfully, with a deep longing for a glorious eternity in the presence of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.