Advent

The name “Advent” is a derivative of the Latin term adventus, meaning “coming;” the Advent season lasts four Sundays. This year’s Advent begins on Sunday, December 3 and, as always, ends on December 24. The Advent celebration is both a commemoration of Christ’s first coming and an expectation of the second coming of Christ. Israel longed for their Messiah to come, as Christians long for their Savior to return again.

 
The Advent Wreath is a circular, evergreen wreath with five candles: four around the circumference of the wreath and one in the center.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are five Advent readings to coincide with the five candles. There is a reading for each week of Advent (the four Sundays preceding Christmas). The flames of the candles point to the coming of Jesus as the Light of the World. The purple candles represent royalty and are lit on the first, second, and fourth Sundays of Advent. A rose candle is lit on the third Sunday, representing roses to welcome the Christ child’s coming. The fifth candle is white, the color associated with angels and the birth of Jesus. This candle is placed in the center of the Advent wreath and is lit on Christmas Eve.