The Feast of Our Lord's Ascension is a holy day of obligation. It takes place on a Thursday, exactly forty days after Jesus's Resurrection as described by the Gospels. However, the new liturgical calendar of the 1980's moved this feast to a Sunday to make it easier for people to attend Mass.
Processional
This Mass of the Ascension is not the full Liturgy: unlike the Easter Mass we photoed, these pictures do not show much more than the Propers of the day.
This is the last Mass of the Easter season during which the Paschal Candle is lit
Since this feast is not held on a Sunday, the prayers at the foot of the altar begin immediately after the procession.
Introit, Collect, and Epistle
Introit: Ye men of Galilee, why wonder you, looking up to heaven? Alleluia. He shall so come as you have seen Him going up into heaven, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. O Clap your hands, all ye nations; shout unto God, with the voice of exultation. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end, amen.
Collect: Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God: that we, who believe Thine only-begotten Son, our Redeemer, to have ascended on this day into heaven, may also ourselves dwell in mind amid heavenly things. Through the same Christ our Lord, amen.
Epistle: Acts 2: 1-11
The former treatise I made, O Theophilus, of all things which Jesus began to do and to teach, until the day on which, giving commandments by the Holy Ghost to the Apostles whom He had chosen, He was taken up: to whom also He showed Himself alive after His Passion by many proofs, for forty days appearing to them and speaking of the Kingdom of God. And eating together with them, He commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but should wait for the promise of the Father, which you have heard (saith He) by My mouth; for John indeed baptised with water, but you shall be baptised with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. They therefore who were come together asked Him, saying: Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom of Israel? But He said to them: It is not for you to know the times or moments which the Father hath put in His own power: but you shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost, coming upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the uttermost part of the earth. And when He had said these things, while they looked on, He was raised up: and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they were beholding Him going up yo heaven, behold two men stood by them in white garments, who also said: Ye men of Galilee, why stand you looking up to heave? This Jesus, who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come as you have seen Him going into heaven.
Gospel
Mark 16:14-20
Mark 16: 14-20
At that time Jesus appeared to the eleven as they were at table: and He upbraided them with their incredulity and hardness of heart, because they did not believe them who had seen Him after He was risen again. And He said to them: Go ye into the whole world and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved: be he that believeth not shall be condemned. And these signs shall follow them that believe: In My Name they shall cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay their hands upon the sick, and they shall recover. And the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God. But they going forth preached everywhere, the Lord working withal, and confirming the word with signs and wonders.
Laus Tibi Christe
After the Gospel is sung, a server extinguishes the Paschal Candle to signify that Our Lord`s physical body is no longer on earth.
Offertory
Ascendit Deus in jubilatione, et Dominus in voce tubae, alleluia.
God is ascended with jubilee, and the Lord with the sound of a trumpet, alleluia.
Secret
Accept, O Lord, the gifts we offer up to Thee, for the glorious Ascension of Thy Son: and mercifully grant, that we may be freed from present perils and attain to everlasting life.
Suscipe, Domine, munera, quae pro Filii tui gloriosa Ascensione deferimus: et concede propitius; ut a praesentibus periculis liberemur et ad vitam preveniamus aeternam.
May the Lord, by the intercession of blessed Michael the Archangel, who standeth at the right side of the altar of incense, and of all His Elect, vouchsafe to bless this incense and receive it as an odour of sweetness: though Christ our Lord. Amen.
Per intercessionem beati Michaelis Archangeli, stantis a dexteris altaris incensi, et ominum electorum suorum, incensum istud dignetur Dominus benedicere, et in odorem suavitatis, accipere. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
Preface and Sanctus
Preface for Ascension
Vere dignum et justum est, aequm et salutare, nos tibi semper et ubique gratias agere: Domine sancte, Pater omnipotens, aeterne Deus, per Christum Dominum nostrum. Qui post resurrectionem suam omnibus discipulis suis manifestus apparuit, et ipsis cernentibus est elevatus in coelum ut nos divinitatis suae tribueret esse participes. Et ideo cum Angelis et Archangelis, cum Thronis et Dominationibus, cumque omni militia coelestis exercitus, hymnum gloriae canimus, sine fine dicentes:
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt coeli, et terra gloria tua. Hosanna in excelsis. Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Hosanna in excelsis.
It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to Thee, holy Lord, Father almighty, eternal God: through Christ our Lord. Who after His Resurrection appeared openly to all His disciples and in the sight of them all was taken up into heaven, that He might make us sharers in His own Divinity. And therefore, with Angels and Archangels, with Thrones and Dominations, and with all the hosts of the heavenly army, we sing a hymn to Thy glory, evermore saying:
Holy, holy holy, Lord God of Hosts! Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory! Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest.
Consecration
Hoc est enim corpus meum
Hic est enim Calix Sanguinis mei, novi et aeterni Testamenti: Mysterium fidei: qui pro vobis et pro multis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum
Communion and Postcommunion
Communion: Sing ye to the Lord, who mounteth above the heaven of heavens to the East, alleluia.
Postcommunion: Grant us, we beseech Thee, almighty and merciful God, that we may obtain the invisible effects of what we have received under visible signs.
Recessional
