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The Armenian Church celebrates the Feast of the Ascension of Jesus Christ on May 18, the fortieth day following the Feast of the Glorious Resurrection, Qahana.am reports.

Following his resurrection and defeat of death, Christ remained on earth for forty days, and continued to appear to his disciples. On the fortieth day, Christ is seen by his disciples for the last time. He blesses them and leaves them with instructions, after which He ascends into heaven.

Two of the Gospel writers, St. Mark and St. Luke, testify about Christ’s ascension. There is also an account of it in the Acts of the Apostles.

In the Armenian Church, the day of Jesus Christ’s Ascension is also commemorated for another reason as well. On this day in 1441, the See of the Catholicosate of All Armenians was returned to its historical origins. Following a resolution of the National Assembly gathered in Vagharshapad, the Patriarchal See was relocated from the city of Sis in Western Armenia to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. Following his vision of Christ striking the ground with a golden hammer, St. Gregory the Illuminator had founded the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin in 303. However, less than 200 years later, in 484, the Patriarchal See was forced to relocate, and for the next 1000 years, settled in various cities throughout Armenia. The decision to return the throne of the Catholicos to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin was the fulfillment of a national dream for the Armenian people.