[6] At the beginning of the 5th century, Augustine of Hippo says that it is of Apostolic origin, and he speaks of it in a way that shows it was the universal observance of the Catholic Church long before his time.

[citation needed] Hymns for this feast are found in the Georgian Chantbook of Jerusalem,[8] which contains material composed during the 5th century.

[14] In traditional Methodist usage, The Book of Worship for Church and Home (1965) provides the following Collect for Ascension Day, commonly called Holy Thursday:[15] Almighty God, whose blessed Son our Saviour Jesus Christ ascended far above all heavens, that he might fill all things: Mercifully give us faith to perceive that according to his promise he abideth with his Church on earth, even unto the end of the world; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

[16] This is in keeping with a trend to move Holy Days of Obligation from weekdays to Sunday, to encourage more Christians to observe feasts considered important.

In the Eastern Church this feast is known in Greek as Analepsis, the "taking up", and also as the Episozomene, the "salvation from on high", denoting that by ascending into his glory Christ completed the work of our redemption.

The troparion of the day is sung, which says:[This quote needs a citation] O Christ God, You have ascended in Glory, Granting joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit.

The kontakion is sung, which announces:[This quote needs a citation] When You did fulfill the dispensation for our sake, And unite earth to Heaven: You did ascend in glory, O Christ our God, Not being parted from those who love You, But remaining with them and crying: I am with you and no one will be against you.

The megalynarion and irmos from Ode IX of the Canon (also sung at liturgy) is: Magnify, O my soul, Christ the Giver of Life, Who has ascended from earth to heaven!

[citation needed] This council formulated the Nicene Creed up to the words, "He (Jesus) ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father; and shall come again, with glory, to judge the living and the dead; Whose kingdom shall have no end.

The oldest hymn in German related to the feast is the Leise "Christ fuhr gen Himmel", first published in 1480.

Johann Sebastian Bach composed several cantatas and the Ascension Oratorio to be performed in church services on the feast day.

The dialogue "Lift up your heads, O ye gates" from Psalm 24 (verses 7–10) has inspired Handel's setting in Part II of his Messiah in the scene "Ascension", and Christoph Bernhard Verspoell's 1810 hymn in German, "Öffnet eure Tore".

[citation needed] Settings of "God is gone up" have been composed by William Croft, Arthur Hutchings and Gerald Finzi (words by Edward Taylor).

"Im Himmel hoch verherrlicht ist" (Highly gloryfied in Heaven) is a 1973 hymn in German for the occasion.