The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church celebrates 40 days after Tinsae/Resurrection to commemorate the Ascension of Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos (እርገት). Since the date of Tinsae(Fasika) changes each year, the date of the Feast of the Ascension also changes.
The Ascension feast is always celebrated on a Thursday.
Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos appeared to his disciples at different times in the 40 days after His Resurrection and taught them many things they did not understand about the Scriptures. On the 40th day after His Resurrection Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos led His disciples to the Mount of Olives and ordered them to be His witnesses and after blessing them and asking them to wait for the fulfillment of the promise of the Holy Spirit. And then He ascended into heaven.
Act 1:3-12
“To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.”
This is why in our 'Prayer of Faith' we pray "Rose from the dead, On the third day, as was written in the Holy Scriptures, ascended in glory into heaven, sit at the right hand of His Father."
The Ascension of Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos was vital in a chain of the fulfillment of the prophecy of the Old and New Testament.
Psalms 110:1
“The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”
Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos took with Him the flesh from His incarnation from the Holy Virgin Mariam into the Mystery of the Holy Trinity.
St John Chrysostom: “If you want to know how great man is, do not turn to royal palaces, but raise your eyes to the throne of God and you will see, on the right hand of God the Father, the Son of Man clothed with our flesh.”
Christ is Risen from the dead. He is Risen indeed!
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