Ascension Day

Christians believe that 40 days after Easter, Jesus rose (or ascended) into Heaven. This day, now known as Ascension Day, always falls on a Thursday (which is why it’s also known as “Jeudi de l’Ascension,” or Ascension Thursday) and is considered a public holiday, with most banks, businesses, and government offices being closed.

Ascension Day was originally celebrated in the Ancien Régime, the period before the French Revolution, in which Christian holidays were widely celebrated. However, after France separated the church and state in 1795, the country stopped recognizing Ascension Day as a public holiday. 

Eventually, the holiday was recognized again, both as a result of the Concordat of 1801 (the agreement between Napoleon Bonaparte and Pope Pius VII that ended hostilities and disagreements between the French and Catholic Church and re-established Catholicism as the state religion following the French Revolution) and in 1905, when the 1905 French law on the Separation of the Churches and State replaced the Concordat of 1801, establishing state secularism in France while also providing for freedom of religion.

On Ascension Day, many French Christians attend church services, enjoy nice meals, or head out for a walk or other leisurely activities. Others may choose to take a vacation day on the following Friday to enjoy a long four-day weekend, which is often called the “Pont de L’Ascension” (or Bridge of Ascension).

How to prepare

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