Advent

The Advent (of Latin adventus : arrival, arrival) is the period which covers a few weeks preceding Christmas, four (the last being able to be incomplete) in the tradition of the Latin Church.

In the Churches using the Roman calendar, the Advent begins fourth Sunday before Christmas, and marks the ecclesiastical beginning of the year or liturgical.

At the Eastern ones and the Mozarabs, as in time among the Celts, Spaniards and Gallic, the time of the Advent lasts 6 weeks, by beginning either the 11, or on November 15th.

The liturgical color of this period is in general the Violet. Some épiscopaliens and Lutherans use blue, and certain Byzantine use red or white.

Since the Pope Gregoire I {{er}}, also named Gregoire the Large one, the Advent represents for the catholics the period when one prepares with the arrival of Christ, with its birth.

Tradition

The topics which are the reading and teaching for the period of the Advent prepare with the second arrival of Christ and commemorates at the same time her first arrival. With for intention making concentrate the Christians on the first and second arrival of Jesus Christ (like Saver, then like Judges), of the additional lessons four Sundays of the Advent are exempted. Moreover, the Church then encourages sermons on the following topics: waiting (watcher of Isaïe) and the Hope (return of Christ in glory).

Symbols

Crown of the Advent

Manufactured for first Sunday of the Advent, it is made branches of fir tree, pine, houx or sometimes of GUI. It is tied red ribbons and is decorated of four candles and sometimes of apples of pin.
It can be posed horizontally or suspended (without the candles) like decoration with the doors or the windows.

The crown is an old symbol which means several things:

  • Its form round evokes the sun and announces its return each year.
  • the four candles mark the four weeks of the Advent and are lit each of four Sundays. Christmas will be there when the last candle is lit.
  • In Canada, the crown of the Advent is decorated of 3 candles purple and a pink candle. The pink candle is lit 3rd Sunday and it evokes the joy because waiting is completed. With each Sunday when a new candle is lit, it is to evoke fire and thus the light.
  • In Sweden, the candles are white symbol of festival and purity. In Austria, they are violets which is a symbol of Pénitence.
  • the number four symbolizes also the four cardinal seasons and the four points.
  • the green color of the crown symbolizes the vegetation, signs hope during the long winter months.
  • For the Christians, this crown is also the symbol of Christ King, the houx pointing out the crown of spines posed on the head of the Christ.

Advent calendar

See also: Advent calendar

The Saint Nicolas

During this period, the inhabitants of North and Is Europe celebrate the Saint Nicolas on December 6th. In France this tradition is especially alive in North (Nord-Pas-de-Calais) and Is (Alsace and Lorraine).

See too

Be-X-old: Піліпаўка

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