Advent and Christmas Seasons
Images courtesy of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and the nativity scene above is from the Christmas special "Christmas Eve from the National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi, San Francisco". The Christmas special will be showing on ABC-TV stations around the country, check your local listing.
Advent Season
Advent
Advent (ad-venio in Latin or "to come to") begins the Church year and consists of the four Sundays before Christmas. The Advent season is a time of preparation for the anniversary of the Lord’s birth on Christmas. Advent devotions remind us of the meaning of the season. Special Advent Devotions: the lighting of the Advent wreath each Sunday during Advent; the Advent calendar helps remind us of the season with daily thoughts and activities; Advent prayers prepare us spiritually for the birth of Jesus Christ.
† For more on the history of Advent
Advent Wreath
The four candles represent the four weeks of Advent. A tradition is that each week represents one thousand years, to sum to the 4,000 years from Adam and Eve until the Birth of the Savior. Three candles are purple and one is rose. The purple candles in particular symbolize the prayer, penance, and preparatory sacrifices and goods works undertaken at this time. The rose candle is lit on the third Sunday, Gaudete Sunday, when the priest also wears rose vestments at Mass; Gaudete Sunday is the Sunday of rejoicing, because the faithful have arrived at the midpoint of Advent, when their preparation is now half over and they are close to Christmas. The progressive lighting of the candles symbolizes the expectation and hope surrounding our Lord’s first coming into the world and the anticipation of His second coming to judge the living and the dead.
† For more on the Advent wreath
Advent Prayers
Advent prayers help us spiritually prepare for the Lord's coming on Christmas and His second coming at the end of the world. The USCCB's Advent site will help you with several prayers throughout this site from the blessings of the wreath, tree and nativity scene to the "Lessons and Carrolls" prayer service with text and audio files. We hope this site will bring you a wonderful Advent and Christmas season that brings you closer to the Lord.
† Lessons and Carrolls
Advent Calendar
Advent Calendars usually count down the 24 days before Christmas. The origins of the calendars go back to the early 19th century. Most Advent calendars have doors to open with a surprise behind them which can vary from candy, toys, symbols and suggestions for activities of the season. They are fun ways for children of all ages to participate and be reminded of the season and help prepare them for the birth of Jesus. Check out our calendar on the homepage for special activities to help you enjoy the season and prepare for Christmas.