Over the years, Christians have developed a variety of devotions and symbols to help them observe the Advent season. Each in its own way helps visualize the Advent experience of waiting and watching, listening and preparing for the celebration of Jesus's birth at Christmas, for the advent of Christ's presence in our daily lives, and for the Lord's return at the end of time. In his Angelus message for the first Sunday of Advent in 2020, Pope Francis reminded us that " Advent…is a time of expectation and a time of hope." Advent “reminds us that God is present in history to lead it to its ultimate goal and to lead us to its fullness, which is the Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ. God is…the 'God-with-us', God is not distant…. God walks beside us to support us…. He accompanies us through the events of our lives to help us discover the meaning of the journey, the meaning of everyday life and to give us courage when we are under duress or when we suffer."
THE ADVENT WREATH is one of the most recognized Advent symbols and a common Advent devotion. It consists of a horizontal wreath of evergreens into which four candles are placed -- three purple candles (a sign of royalty) and one pink candle (a sign of joy). The candles are lit in succession for each week of Advent. The circle of evergreens represent God's never-ending love for humankind; the candles symbolize the long years during which the Hebrew people waited for the promised Messiah who, when he arrived, enlightened a world made dark by human ignorance and sin with the light of God's love and forgiveness. The first two purple candles, lit during the first two weeks of Advent, represent hope and faith; the pink candle, lit during the third week, symbolizes joy; the third purple candle, lit during the last week of Advent, symbolizes peace -- all four representing the gifts which the Son of God's Incarnation bring to human kind.
Lighting of the candles is accompanied by prayers and scripture readings which also remind us that the fullness of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ grows gradually, both in ourselves and in a world still waiting for the final expression of God's eternal kingdom of peace and justice. The Advent wreath is believed to have originated among German Lutherans in the sixteenth century, but did not become popular there until the mid-nineteenth century; it was gradually adopted by other Christian denominations.
THE ADVENT WREATH is one of the most recognized Advent symbols and a common Advent devotion. It consists of a horizontal wreath of evergreens into which four candles are placed -- three purple candles (a sign of royalty) and one pink candle (a sign of joy). The candles are lit in succession for each week of Advent. The circle of evergreens represent God's never-ending love for humankind; the candles symbolize the long years during which the Hebrew people waited for the promised Messiah who, when he arrived, enlightened a world made dark by human ignorance and sin with the light of God's love and forgiveness. The first two purple candles, lit during the first two weeks of Advent, represent hope and faith; the pink candle, lit during the third week, symbolizes joy; the third purple candle, lit during the last week of Advent, symbolizes peace -- all four representing the gifts which the Son of God's Incarnation bring to human kind.
Lighting of the candles is accompanied by prayers and scripture readings which also remind us that the fullness of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ grows gradually, both in ourselves and in a world still waiting for the final expression of God's eternal kingdom of peace and justice. The Advent wreath is believed to have originated among German Lutherans in the sixteenth century, but did not become popular there until the mid-nineteenth century; it was gradually adopted by other Christian denominations.
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