The Season of Advent
Anticipation and Hope
The Colors of
Advent
The Spirit of
Advent
Evergreens and
The Advent Wreath
Celebrating
Advent
An Advent
Reflection
Music for Advent
Advent is the beginning of the Church Year
for most churches in the Western tradition. It begins on the fourth Sunday
before Christmas Day, which is the Sunday nearest November 30, and ends on
Christmas Eve (Dec 24). If Christmas Eve is a Sunday, it is counted as the
fourth Sunday of Advent, with Christmas Eve proper beginning at sundown.
Historically, the primary sanctuary color of
Advent is Purple. This is the color of penitence and fasting as well as
the color of royalty to welcome the Advent of the King. Purple is still
used in some traditions (for example Roman Catholic). The purple of
Advent is also the color of suffering used during Lent and Holy Week.
This points to an important connection between Jesus’ birth and death. The
nativity, the Incarnation, cannot be separated from the crucifixion. The
purpose of Jesus’ coming into the world, of the "Word made flesh" and
dwelling among us, is to reveal God and His grace to the world through Jesus’
life and teaching, but also through his suffering, death, and resurrection. To
reflect this emphasis, originally Advent was a time of penitence and fasting,
much as the Season of Lent and so shared the color of Lent.
In the four weeks of Advent the third Sunday
came to be a time of rejoicing that the fasting was almost over (in some
traditions it is called Gaudete Sunday, from the Latin word for
"rejoice"). The shift from the purple of the Season to pink or rose
for the third Sunday Advent candles reflected this lessening emphasis on
penitence as attention turned more to celebration of the season.
In recent times, however, Advent has
undergone a shift in emphasis, reflected in a change of colors used in many
churches. Except in the Eastern churches, the penitential aspect of the
Season has been almost totally replaced by an emphasis on hope and
anticipation.
