Ben Carter
The Advent wreath is a longstanding tradition in the Catholic Church, where Christians light candles in the four weeks leading up to Christmas. The wreath, which is usually made of evergreen branches, symbolises eternity and the everlasting life found in Christ. The circular form of the wreath, with no beginning or end, represents God's eternity and the soul's everlasting nature. The four candles on the wreath represent the four Sundays of Advent, with one candle lit on each Sunday. Three of the candles are purple, and the fourth is pink. The first purple candle symbolises hope, the second faith, and the third pink candle symbolises joy. The final purple candle represents peace. A fifth white candle, called the Christ candle, is sometimes added to the wreath and lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
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What You'll Learn
- The first purple candle symbolises hope and anticipation of Christ's coming
- The second purple candle symbolises faith and the journey to Bethlehem
- The pink candle is lit on the third Sunday and symbolises joy
- The final purple candle is lit on the fourth Sunday and symbolises peace
- The fifth white candle symbolises Christ and is lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day
The first purple candle symbolises hope and anticipation of Christ's coming
The Advent wreath is a Christian tradition that involves lighting candles in the weeks leading up to Christmas. The circular wreath, usually made of evergreen branches, symbolises eternity and the unending cycle of God's love. The four candles of the Advent wreath are typically purple, pink, and white, with each colour holding spiritual significance.
The first purple candle is typically lit on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day, accompanied by readings from scripture, such as Isaiah 64:1-9, and hymns like "O Come, Divine Messiah" or "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel". This candle represents the hope and expectation that people felt before the birth of Jesus. The purple colour symbolises spiritual preparation, repentance, and fasting, reflecting the devotion of Christians as they ready their hearts and minds for the birth or second coming of Jesus Christ.
While there is no prescribed order for lighting the Advent candles, the general practice is to light one additional candle each successive Sunday until Christmas Day. The second candle, also purple, symbolises faith and peace, while the third candle is pink, representing joy. The fourth candle, usually purple, is called the "Angel's Candle" or the "Candle of Love", signifying the ultimate love of God in sending His son. Finally, a white candle, representing Christ, is lit on Christmas Eve.
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The second purple candle symbolises faith and the journey to Bethlehem
The Advent wreath is a symbol of eternity and unending love. Five candles are arranged on the wreath, and one is lit each Sunday as a part of the Advent services. The first candle is purple, the primary colour of Advent, and symbolises hope and the anticipation of the birth of Christ.
The second purple candle is known as the Bethlehem candle or the candle of peace. It symbolises faith and the journey to Bethlehem made by Mary and Joseph before the birth of Jesus. This candle recalls that after all the division, destruction, and dispersion of the kingdom in the Old Testament, there might finally be peace on Earth. The second candle is lit on the second Sunday of Advent, along with the first purple candle.
The third candle is pink and is known as the shepherd's candle or the candle of joy. It is lit on the third Sunday of Advent, also known as Gaudete Sunday in the Catholic Church. The fourth candle is purple and is known as the angel's candle or the candle of love. It is lit on the Sunday before Christmas and leads us to eagerly await the new Kingdom of God on earth.
The fifth and final candle is white and is known as the Christ candle. It is placed in the centre of the wreath and is lit on the fourth Sunday of Advent, representing the completion and fulfilment of the Advent season as it transitions into the Christmas celebration.
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The pink candle is lit on the third Sunday and symbolises joy
The Advent wreath is a longstanding Catholic tradition, marking the four weeks before Christmas Day. Each Sunday, a candle is lit, with the pink candle being lit on the third Sunday.
The pink candle symbolises joy, marking a shift in the tone of Advent from reflection to joyful anticipation. It is also known as the "Shepherd's Candle", reminding Christians of the joy the world experienced when Jesus was born.
The third Sunday of Advent is also known as Gaudete Sunday, from the Latin word for "rejoice". The pink candle's lighter colour reflects the anticipated joy of Christmas.
The first two candles are purple, representing hope and faith, and the fourth and final candle is also purple, representing peace. The purple candles are the main candles of Advent and each one is lit on successive Sundays before the pink candle is lit.
Some traditions include a fifth candle, which is white and represents Christ. This candle is lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
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The final purple candle is lit on the fourth Sunday and symbolises peace
The Advent wreath is a longstanding Catholic tradition that was originally adopted by Christians in the Middle Ages as part of their spiritual preparation for Christmas. The circular form of the wreath symbolises the eternity of God and the everlasting soul, as a circle has no ending. The wreath is typically made of evergreen branches, which represent the continuous life of Christ, as they never die.
The fourth and final purple candle is lit on the fourth Sunday of Advent and symbolises peace. This candle is called the "Angel's Candle", reminding us of the message the angels sang: "Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men!". The lighting of this candle marks the end of the progression of the four weeks of Advent, each candle representing a theme: hope, peace, joy, and love.
The first purple candle, also known as the "Prophet's Candle", symbolises hope and the anticipation of Christ's coming, recalling the prophecies about the Messiah and the hope He brings to the world. The second purple candle, or the "Bethlehem Candle", symbolises faith and recalls Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem. The third candle is pink and represents joy, reminding believers of the joy the world experienced with Jesus' birth.
The order of lighting the candles is not set in stone, and there are variations in different traditions. However, the rose or pink candle is always lit on the third Sunday of Advent, and the final purple candle on the fourth Sunday symbolises peace and the coming of Christ.
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The fifth white candle symbolises Christ and is lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day
The Advent wreath is a longstanding Catholic tradition that was originally adopted by Christians in the Middle Ages as part of their spiritual preparation for Christmas. The circular form of the wreath symbolises the eternity of God and the everlasting soul, as a circle has no ending. The evergreen branches represent the continuous life of Christ, as they never die.
The wreath typically holds four candles, each representing one of the four weeks of Advent. Three of the candles are purple, and one is pink. The purple candles are lit on the first, second, and fourth Sundays of Advent, and the pink candle is lit on the third Sunday. The fifth white candle, also known as the Christ candle, is placed in the centre of the wreath and lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. It symbolises Christ, the light of the world.
While there is no prescribed order for lighting the candles, the rose-coloured candle is always lit on the third Sunday of Advent, also known as Gaudete Sunday. The other three candles are usually violet, but the Book of Blessings allows for violet or white candles. The first candle symbolises hope, the second faith, the third joy, and the fourth peace.
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Frequently asked questions
There is no prescribed order for lighting candles for Adviento, but the rose-coloured candle is lit on the third Sunday of Adviento, and the other three are customarily purple.
The purple candles represent a time of prayer, penance, sacrifice, and spiritual reflection. The pink candle represents joy and marks a shift in tone from reflection to joyful anticipation.
The four candles represent the four weeks of Adviento, with the lighting of each new candle bringing you closer to Christmas.
The first candle is lit on the first Sunday of Adviento, with an additional candle lit each successive Sunday until Christmas Day.
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