The Ascension is the Second Glorious Mystery of the Rosary, meditating on Jesus Christ's bodily ascent into heaven forty days after His resurrection. Sourced from the Acts of the Apostles, this mystery celebrates Christ's glorification and His entry into heavenly glory, giving believers the theological virtue of hope.
The event of the Ascension is recorded in the Gospel of Luke (24:50-53) and the Acts of the Apostles (1:6-11). As a mystery of the Rosary, its place was formalized by Pope St. Pius V in the 16th century with the establishment of the Dominican Rosary. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that Christ's Ascension marks the definitive entrance of Jesus' humanity into God's heavenly domain, from where he will come again (CCC 665).
The Ascension signifies the final glorification of Jesus' human nature. By ascending to the Father, Christ opens the way to heaven for us, interceding on our behalf as the one mediator. The Catechism teaches this event gives us hope that we, as members of His Body, may one day follow our Head into glory (CCC 666). It also marks a new phase of God's plan, where the Holy Spirit would be sent to guide the Church.
The Glorious Mysteries, including the Ascension, are traditionally prayed on Wednesdays and Sundays. The Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Ascension on the 40th day of Easter, a Thursday, or on the following Sunday in many dioceses. This mystery is particularly fitting to pray for a deeper sense of hope, a detachment from worldly things, and a greater desire for our heavenly homeland, especially during the Easter season.
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