Thursday, May 5, 2016 is the solemnity of the Ascension of Our Lord. It is a Holy Day of Obligation. Catholics in the Diocese of Providence are obliged to attend Holy Mass on the Eve or Day of the Ascension. This Holy Day commemorates the bodily ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ into heaven, forty days after his resurrection from the dead (Acts 1:3-9). This Solemnity is one of the most ancient commemorations in the Catholic Church, its roots can be traced to the Apostolic era and referred to in 4th century writings. It is also the beginning of the very first novena, as it begins nine days of preparation for the descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.
