The term Advent is derived from the Latin word adventus, meaning "the coming". It is a season in the calendar of the Christian church, where followers celebrate a period of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus.
It cannot be determined, with any degree of certainty, when the celebration of Advent was first introduced into the Church. The preparation for the feast of the Nativity of Our Lord was not held before the feast itself existed, and we find no evidence that Christmas was celebrated before the end of the fourth century when, according to Duchesne [Christian Worship (London, 1904), 260], it was celebrated throughout the whole Christian world - by some on 25 December and by others on 6 January.
Advent is, nowadays, a period beginning on the Sunday nearest to the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle (30 November) and embracing four Sundays. The first Sunday of Advent may fall as early as 27 November, with Advent being twenty-eight days long, or as late as the 3 December, giving a season of only twenty-one days.
Historically, the main colour of Advent is purple. This is the colour of penitence and fasting as well as the colour of royalty - to welcome the Advent of the King. Purple is still used in Catholic churches. The purple of Advent is also the colour of suffering used during Lent and Holy Week. This points to an important connection between Jesus’ birth and death. The nativity - the Incarnation - cannot be separated from the crucifixion of Christ and His death. The purpose of Jesus’ coming into the world, of the "Word made flesh" and dwelling among us, was to reveal God and His grace to the world through Jesus’ life and teaching ... but also through His suffering, death, and resurrection. To reflect the emphasis on the similarity of both seasons, Advent was originally a time of penitence and fasting, much as the Season of Lent, sharing also the same representative colour.
The third Sunday of Advent came to be a time of rejoicing that fasting was almost over, and in some traditions it is called Gaudete Sunday, from the Latin word for "rejoice". The shift from the purple of the season to pink (or rose) for the third Advent candle reflects the diminishing emphasis on penitence as attention turns more toward celebrating the birth of Christ.
In recent times Advent has undergone a shift in emphasis, reflected in a change of colours used in many churches. Except in the Eastern churches, the penitential aspect of the season has been almost totally replaced by an emphasis on hope and anticipation.
The spirit of Advent is expressed well in the parable of the bridesmaids who are anxiously awaiting the coming of the Bridegroom (Matt 25:1-13). There is profound joy at the Bridegroom’s expected coming. And yet a warning of the need for preparation echoes through the parable. But even then, the prayer of Advent is still:
Come, O Come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel!
And ransom captive Israel!
The Advent Wreath is the widely recognized symbol of Advent. The wreath is made of a circle of evergreen branches laid flat to symbolize eternal life. Four candles, traditionally three of them are purple and one is pink, stand in the circle and each one represents one of the four Sundays of Advent. They all carry a message. The first candle represents God's people and is known as the candle of hope, the second denotes the Old Testament prophets and is known as the candle of peace, the third (pink) candle reminds us of John the Baptist and is known as the candle of love and the last candle represents Virgin Mary and is also known as the candle of joy. In the centre of the circle is a fifth candle (traditionally white), the Christ Candle, which is lit on Christmas Day and which shows the light brought by his salvation. The circle of the wreath reminds Christians of God, His eternity and endless mercy, which has no beginning or end. The green of the wreath speaks of the hope that Christians have in God, the hope of newness, of renewal, of eternal life. Candles symbolise the light of God coming into the world through the birth of His son, Jesus. If you wish to read daily scripture readings during Advent, click here. Also, click here if you want advice on how to make and use an Advent Wreath in the home.
An Advent Wreath
Advent is also celebrated with a Jesse Tree. This represents the family tree, or genealogy of Jesus Christ. It tells the story of God's salvation plan from creation and throughout the Old Testament, to the coming of the Messiah. The name comes from Isaiah 11:1: "Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit." Everyday, an ornament depicting a biblical figure is hung to the tree. Every figure has a symbol and a scripture reading assigned to it which is to be read and meditated upon daily. This is done to take a journey along the Bible and relive the same expectation of the Messiah that various people lived throughout the centuries. Here you can find a thorough explanation of the Jesse Tree.
A Jesse Tree
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