Rachel Evans
Advent is a time of spiritual preparation for Catholics, who use the four weeks before Christmas to ready their hearts and minds for the celebration of Jesus' birth. The season is marked by rituals and traditions, such as the lighting of Advent wreaths, that help Catholics to focus on Jesus and what he has done for them. It is a time to reflect on the truths about Jesus and the Catholic faith, and to spiritually prepare for the celebration of Christmas.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Advent wreath | A circular wreath with four candles, representing the four weeks of the Advent season and the light of Christ. The candles symbolise hope, peace, joy and love. |
| Advent calendar | A calendar with a numbered flap that opens to reveal a picture or small surprise, including Bible verses, reflections and holiday fun. |
| Fasting | A spiritual exercise to draw nearer to God and prepare the heart for the arrival of Jesus. |
| Feast days | St. Nick's Feast Day, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, and the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. |
| Readings and prayers | Scripture readings and prayers to focus on Jesus and prepare for his coming, including the "O Antiphons". |
| Family traditions | Praying the Rosary, reading liturgically-themed books, and decorating the Christmas tree. |
| Nativity scene | A visual reminder of the birth of Jesus, traditionally set up under the Christmas tree and blessed. |
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What You'll Learn
Advent wreaths and candles
Advent wreaths are circular, representing God’s infinite love, and are usually made of evergreen leaves, symbolising life. Within the wreath are four candles, which represent the four weeks of the Advent season and the light of Christ. Each candle also has its own significance, symbolising the Christian concepts of hope (week one), peace (week two), joy (week three) and love (week four). The third candle, lit on the third Sunday of Advent, is known as Gaudete Sunday, meaning "rejoice" in Latin. This candle is often pink or rose-coloured, symbolising a lightness and joy as Advent is halfway over and the light of Christ is drawing nearer. Many Advent wreaths also have a fifth, white candle in the centre, known as the Christ candle, which is lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
The blessing of the Advent wreath takes place on the first Sunday of Advent or the evening before. Many families incorporate the daily lighting of the Advent wreath as they pray before dinner, with prayers found in traditional Catholic devotional books or online. The wreaths and candles are available for sale through the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
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Fasting
The O Antiphons are ancient prayers traditionally used during the last week of Advent. They are a magnificent theology that uses ancient biblical imagery drawn from the messianic hopes of the Old Testament to proclaim the coming Christ as the fulfillment of Old Testament hopes and present ones.
During Advent, Catholics may also choose to pray more, participate in Mass during the week, or create family traditions. Some families light Advent wreaths, which usually have four candles that represent the four weeks of the Advent season and the light of Christ. Each candle has its own significance, symbolizing the Christian concepts of hope (week one), peace (week two), joy (week three), and love (week four). Many Advent wreaths also have a white candle in the centre to symbolize the arrival of Christmastide, which is lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
Advent is a time of expectation and preparation, when Catholics prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day. It is a four-week spiritual preparation with Mass readings and prayers to help focus on Jesus and what He has done for us.
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Praying the Rosary
Advent is a time of expectation and preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day. It is a wonderful time to establish or re-establish rituals and traditions. One such tradition is praying the Rosary, which is a Scripture-based prayer. The Rosary can be said privately or with a group.
The Rosary begins with the Sign of the Cross and the Apostles' Creed, which summarises the great mysteries of the Catholic faith. On the first bead, say an Our Father. Say one Hail Mary on each of the next three beads. For each of the five decades, announce the Mystery, perhaps followed by a reading from Scripture, then say the Our Father. While fingering each of the ten beads of the decade, say ten Hail Marys while meditating on the Mystery. Then say a Glory Be. After saying the five decades, say the Hail, Holy Queen. Conclude the Rosary with the Sign of the Cross.
The Mysteries of the Rosary centre on the events of Christ's life. There are four sets of Mysteries: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Luminous, the last of which was added by Saint John Paul II in 2002. The Joyful Mysteries are traditionally prayed on Mondays, Saturdays, and, during the season of Advent, on Sundays. The Sorrowful Mysteries are said on Tuesdays and Fridays, and the Glorious Mysteries are traditionally prayed on Wednesdays and, outside the seasons of Advent and Lent, on Sundays. The Luminous Mysteries are optional and are said on Thursdays.
The gentle repetition of the words in the Rosary helps one to enter into the silence of our hearts, where Christ's spirit dwells. The Rosary is a powerful way to pray during Advent, helping to keep in memory certain principal events in the history of our salvation.
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Reading liturgically seasonal books
One way to approach this is to choose a devotion or liturgical practice and explore it through reading and reflection. For example, you could focus on the tradition of the Advent wreath, which has four candles that represent the four weeks of the Advent season. The lighting of the candles symbolises the expectation and hope surrounding the coming of Christ. You could read about the meaning of this tradition and its history, such as in traditional Catholic devotional books, and incorporate it into your family prayers.
Another approach is to choose a specific theme or aspect of the liturgical season and explore it through reading and reflection. For example, Advent is a time of preparation and anticipation, directing our hearts and minds to Christ's second coming and the celebration of his birth. You could read liturgically seasonal books that focus on this theme, such as those that offer prayers and reflections on the anticipation of Christ's coming.
In addition to these practices, you can incorporate the "O Antiphons" into your personal prayers. These ancient prayers, traditionally used during the last week of Advent, embody the longing of all for the Divine Messiah. You might also consider fasting during Advent as an inner spiritual exercise to draw nearer to God and prepare your heart for the arrival of Jesus.
Finally, Advent is a wonderful time to establish or reestablish routines, rituals, and traditions. You can read about various Catholic traditions during Advent, such as the celebration of St. Nick's Feast Day and the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, and incorporate them into your family's practices. By reading about and reflecting on these traditions, you can deepen your understanding and appreciation of the liturgical season.
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Feast days
The liturgical colour for Advent is purple, as it is a season of penance and preparation, just like Lent. However, the liturgical colour for the third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, may be rose instead of purple. This Sunday is also known as "Rejoice" Sunday, as it is a day of lightness and joy, marking the halfway point of Advent and the coming of Christ.
There are several feast days during Advent that Catholics celebrate, including St. Nicholas Day, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, and the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. On St. Nicholas Day, children leave out their shoes or stockings to receive candy and small gifts from St. Nicholas. The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is a Holy Day of Obligation, where Catholics attend Mass and celebrate the Catholic doctrine that Mary was conceived without original sin. The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is often celebrated with a Rosary or by saying a Hail Mary.
Advent is also a time to prepare for the great feast days that will come after it, leading up to Christmas. Families may light Advent wreaths, which traditionally have four candles, one for each week of Advent, and a fifth, rose-coloured candle for Gaudete Sunday. Each candle has a specific significance, representing the Christian concepts of hope, peace, joy, and love. The lighting of the candles symbolises the expectation and hope of the coming of Christ.
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Frequently asked questions
Advent is the season encompassing the four Sundays (and weekdays) leading up to the celebration of Christmas. It is a time of spiritual preparation for celebrating Jesus' birth.
Some traditions that can help you live Advent liturgically include:
- Praying the Rosary daily
- Reading the Bible each day
- Spending more time in personal prayer
- Participating in Mass during the week
- Setting up an Advent wreath
- Creating family traditions, such as putting up a Christmas tree and decorations
- Reading liturgically seasonal books
- Using the Jesse Tree to count down the days until Christmas
- Praying the nightly family Rosary with the Christmas tree lights illuminating the room
Catholics celebrate several feast days during Advent, including St. Nick's Feast Day, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, and the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The Advent wreath is circular, representing God's infinite love, and is usually made of evergreen leaves, which represent life. The four candles within the wreath represent the four weeks of the Advent season and the light of Christ. Each candle has a specific meaning, symbolizing hope (week one), peace (week two), joy (week three), and love (week four). The rose candle, lit on the third Sunday of Advent, symbolizes lightness and joy as Advent is halfway over and the light of Christ is drawing closer.
