K in Lautern is a mall in Kaiserslautern, Germany. ()

Thursday is a public holiday in Germany. Most German businesses, including grocery stories, banks and post offices will be closed for Ascension Day, or Christi Himmelfahrt. Public transportation also will operate less frequently.

Stores on U.S. bases will operate as usual, as will most stores located in train stations, airports and along highways.

Ascension Day commemorates the Christian belief of Jesus Christ’s ascension into heaven, occurring 40 days after Easter Sunday.

In Germany, the day has also evolved into a celebration of Father’s Day, where it’s common to see groups engaging in outdoor activities and social gatherings.

For those wishing to travel by bus in Kaiserslautern tomorrow, a holiday scheduled can be found on the Stadtwerke Kaiserslautern website. Meanwhile, Deutsche Bahn has updated train schedules on its website.