Advent is a time of joyful anticipation, a period of preparing for the coming of Jesus – the Messiah. We are hopeful as we await the celebration of the birth of Jesus, and we look forward to the second coming of Christ when the Kingdom of God will be permanently established.
The Advent wreath is the traditional and most symbolic devotion of the season. In fact, every part of the wreath is symbolic.
CIRCLE:
The circular shape of the wreath symbolizes God’s eternity with no beginning and no end.
EVERGREENS:
The wreath is made out of evergreens which symbolize the new life of eternal salvation available to us through Christ.
CANDLES:
The candles on the wreath are lit when we say the Advent prayers. The light of the candles symbolizes that Christ is the light of the world.
FOUR:
The wreath has four candles which represent the four Sundays in the Advent season.
PURPLE:
Three of the candles are purple. These are lit during the 1st, 2nd, and 4th weeks of Advent. Purple represents prayer, penance, and preparation for the coming of the Lord.
ROSE:
The candle that is lit during the 3rd week of Advent is pink or rose. The third Sunday of Advent is also known as Gaudete (Latin, “rejoice”) Sunday. At this time, it’s appropriate to take a break and rejoice as we recognize that we are past the midway point of the season and the arrival of the infant Jesus is near.
Following are links to prayers to say while lighting the candles on the Advent wreath:
Prayers for Lighting the Advent Wreath Candles
Family Advent Guide Prepare the Way for the Lord!
© 2017 Catechist’s Aide
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