The Church of the Ascension

The Church of the Ascension

The Church of the Ascension marks the site where Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, located on the southern side of the Mount of Olives. Queen Helena originally built two churches here in the fourth century AD. The first was burned by the Persians in 614, and remnants of it are found today within the Latin Church of "Our Father," built where Jesus taught the Lord's Prayer.

The second church, larger and octagonal in shape, was constructed on the exact spot of Christ's ascension. After its destruction by the Persians, Crusaders rebuilt it in its original octagonal form. In 1187, Saladin converted it into a mosque. Visitors to this site can see the rock bearing the imprint of Jesus Christ's right foot from the moment of ascension, now housed within a square building. Across from this, the Orthodox Patriarchate has erected a small church in recent times to commemorate this sacred event.