The Season Of Advent - Part 3 of 3: Popular Advent Traditions

Source: Gospel - Comm. Foundation for Asia

Advent Wreath

In 1833, Johann Hinrich Wichern, a Protestant pastor in the of Hamburg, Germany had an idea of preparing for Christmas through prayers and meditation with his community. For the purpose, he laid a huge cross in the middle of the room and put 4 candles on its four ends. Later, they put more candles which they arranged in circular form. It was winter time and only pine trees got green leaves, so they added some green branches of pine trees as decoration. Year later, Pastor Wichern's friends came up with huge wooden ring that hang from the ceiling. They put candles and green pine branches on it. They did not light all the candles at once but only one in each day to signify increase of light.

Advent wreath became a popular symbol of preparation for Christmas in the protestant communities in Germany. One hundred years later, the custom was adopted by Catholic communities in their churches and homes. They used it when family members gather to listen to Scriptures, sing Advent hymns together and meditate on the season. Thus, the Advent wreath is a fitting sign of ecumenical sharing-an everlasting memento of unity and faith.

Today is how we look at the Advent wreath. The round form of the wreath came to symbolize eternity, no beginning and no end. The green symbol is the symbol of life and hope. The four candles, 3 purple and 1 pink stand for the four Sundays of Advent, reminding us of the 4,000 years the Jews were waiting for the coming of the Messiah. The purple candles are lit on the 1st, 2nd and 4th Sundays of Advent, and the pink one is lit on the third week, the Sunday we call Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete comes from the Latin word that means rejoice. Sometimes we put a white candle at the center of the wreath to be lit on Christmas eve.

The Advent wreath is indeed a fitting symbol for the Christians' preparation for the great day of the Lord's coming to grant us our salvation. The increase of light very appropriately pictures the world in darkness when it was waiting for the Messiah thousands of years ago. An in our time, the increase of light show that people are filled with hope as they actively wait for the final coming of the Lord.