About “Christ II”
Christ II, also known as The Ascension, is one of Cynewulf's four signed poems in the Old English vernacular. It is part of the Christ triad in the Exeter Book and occupies lines 440–866. Unlike other poems such as Juliana, Elene, and Fates of the Apostles, which focus on martyrdom, Christ II is homiletic and centers on the Ascension of Christ. The poem relies on several ecclesiastical sources but is primarily based on Gregory the Great’s Homily XXIX on Ascension Day. It reflects religious instruction and theological reflection rather than narrative storytelling. (Summary adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.)
More by Cynewulf
Some summaries adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.