Forty days after the resurrection of the Lord, the Franciscans of the Holy Land gathered in this chapel, located on the Mount of Olives, above the old village of Bethany, to celebrate the ascension of Jesus into heaven. The chapel that preserves the memory of this event is located in a Muslim property, next to a mosque, and this is the only time of the year when a Catholic liturgy can be celebrated in this place. A few tents were placed near the sanctuary of the Ascension: they were filled with the presence of the local faithful, religious and pilgrims. Sr. MIRIAM FERNANDO Salesian – Sri Lanka "I am very happy to be here, to be able to directly experience the Ascension of the Lord. When I came here I really felt that one day we all will be together in heaven." The episode recounted by the evangelist Luke, marks the moment when Jesus ascended to heaven, before His Apostles. The rock that is located inside the sanctuary was incensed at the beginning of the Mass, celebrated in the same sanctuary. In his homily, the Vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land, Father Dobromir Jasztal, explained that in the first century the Church celebrated Resurrection, Ascension and Pentecost during the same mass, however over time, the celebrations were separated. Fr. DOBROMIR JASZTAL, ofm Vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land "From that time on, the disciples understood the mystery of God's kingdom as well as Jesus’ mission, including the good news, the message that Jesus left them so they could propagate the faith, the good news around the world. And only after the Ascension, Jesus takes action, remaining alive in their hearts and in their mission. And now, they understood the depth of His mystery." The celebration began the previous day with the solemn entry of the Vicar of the Custody and with the recitation of the Vespers by the Franciscans. Inside the small sanctuary is the ascension rock, on which the imprint is still visible. In fact, according to Christian tradition, Jesus was in this place before ascending to heaven. Fr. ALESSANDRO CONIGLIO, ofm Studium Biblicum Franciscanum  "So this is somehow the testament that Jesus left us, the last witness of His physical presence in our midst. He now continues to be among us. As I often say to the pilgrims when we come to this place, Jesus ascending to heaven does not mean that Jesus has abandoned us. Jesus is even more present in our midst, because his presence now is even more intimate for each of us." The last words of Christ on Earth were a promise, a promise that he would send the Holy Spirit to give His disciples the power to be His witnesses in the four corners of the world. Sr. ADRIANA SILVA Salesian Daughter of Mary Help of Christians - Uruguay "Especially now that we are waiting for the feast of Pentecost, coming here also reminds us that the Lord will send us His Spirit to be with us every day until the end of time. May Christians in their daily lives do good, live the Gospel, have the certainty of not being alone, but that the Lord accompanies them, gives them strength, supports them.” Although the ascension festival recalls an event, that is, the ascension of Jesus to heaven, it also highlights a part of the narrative that has not yet been accomplished. The same Jesus who ascended to heaven before his disciples two thousand years ago, will return one day.