Apostle Bartholomew
Apostle Bartholomew, originally from Cana in Galilee outside of Jerusalem, is reported to have been at the actual ascension of Jesus Christ.

Christians believe that after Jesus rose from the dead, he did not die a second time. Instead, 40 days after his resurrection , Jesus left the Earth by being taken up, body and soul, to Heaven to re-join God the Father. This event is called the ascension , and it was witnessed by Jesus’ eleven remaining apostles .

Ascension, in Christian belief, the ascent of Jesus Christ into heaven on the 40th day after his Resurrection (Easter being reckoned as the first day). Prior to that time, the Ascension was commemorated as a part of the celebration of the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

— N.G. DEAR N.G.: The Bible clearly states that after His resurrection Jesus repeatedly appeared to His disciples over a period of 40 days, and then miraculously ascended into the presence of God. The Bible says, “He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight” (Acts 1:9).

Ascension Day is traditionally celebrated the 40th day after Easter Sunday, that commemorates Jesus Christ’s ascension into heaven according to Christian belief. 40 days after the resurrection, Jesus and his disciples went to Mount Olivet (Mount of Olives), near Jerusalem.

What did Jesus do during the forty days following the Resurrection? He appeared to the Apostles and spoke of the kingdom of God. To teach the “Good News” that Jesus has died on the Cross and He has saved us from sin. How has the Church fulfilled this command throughout the centuries?

So in a very real way, Christ didn’t “leave us” when he ascended into heaven. Christ is still here on earth, in his Body, the Church. But every body must have a soul. The soul is the life force of the body, the animating spirit. It’s what keeps the body together.

The ascension of Jesus ( anglicized from the Vulgate Latin: ascensio Iesu, lit. ‘ascent of Jesus’) is Christian teaching that Christ physically departed from Earth by rising into Heaven , in the presence of eleven of his apostles. According to the New Testament narrative, the ascension occurred 40 days after the resurrection.

Updated March 29, 2019. Ascension Thursday, also known as the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, is a Holy Day of Obligation for Catholics around the world. On this day, the faithful celebrate Christ’s ascension into Heaven on the 40th day after Resurrection. Depending on the year, this day falls between April 30 and June 3.

That’s what Jesus said about His reason of ascending to heaven: Our Savior is the Son of God; He came from God and went back to God. He came to earth for a short period of time so that he can bring the news of salvation and so that he can die on the cross at Calvary for the sins of the entire mankind and for every single person.