ADVENT means “an arrival,” and the four Sundays of Advent represent a time of waiting and preparing for the celebration anew of Christ’s arrival. The tradition began among Protestant Christians in the 1500s as a way to highlight the importance of Christmas Day and of spiritual discipline prior to celebration.
The wreath’s circular shape has no beginning and no ending, which symbolizes the never-ending love and presence of God.
Evergreen branches represent eternal life with God; the candles signify the Light that came into the world in Jesus Christ (Jn. 1).
Purple is the color of royalty as Christ is the King of kings, and purple connects Advent with the season of Lent - a penitent time of waiting and preparing for Resurrection Sunday (Easter).
Sunday 1 represents HOPE
Sunday 2 represents PEACE
Sunday 3 represents JOY, the joy of Mary represented by the rose color
Sunday 4 represents LOVE
On Christmas Eve, the white Christ candle is lit as white is the color of purity, new birth, and Christmas.
(Green and red at Christmas come from the green leaves and red berries of the holly bush, which was traditionally seen as reminiscent of Christ's crown of thorns with drops of blood.)
Traditionally, Christmas Day for Christians marks the beginning of the Christmas season, not the end as with secular, non-religious "observences" of Christmas. The season of Advent preparation ends on Christmas Day and begins the 12 days of the true Christmas season, which culminates with Epiphany on January 6, celebrating the arrival of the Wise Men and the end of the Christmas season.
The wreath’s circular shape has no beginning and no ending, which symbolizes the never-ending love and presence of God.
Evergreen branches represent eternal life with God; the candles signify the Light that came into the world in Jesus Christ (Jn. 1).
Purple is the color of royalty as Christ is the King of kings, and purple connects Advent with the season of Lent - a penitent time of waiting and preparing for Resurrection Sunday (Easter).
Sunday 1 represents HOPE
Sunday 2 represents PEACE
Sunday 3 represents JOY, the joy of Mary represented by the rose color
Sunday 4 represents LOVE
On Christmas Eve, the white Christ candle is lit as white is the color of purity, new birth, and Christmas.
(Green and red at Christmas come from the green leaves and red berries of the holly bush, which was traditionally seen as reminiscent of Christ's crown of thorns with drops of blood.)
Traditionally, Christmas Day for Christians marks the beginning of the Christmas season, not the end as with secular, non-religious "observences" of Christmas. The season of Advent preparation ends on Christmas Day and begins the 12 days of the true Christmas season, which culminates with Epiphany on January 6, celebrating the arrival of the Wise Men and the end of the Christmas season.