Posted: 12/16/05
Advent symbols explained
Advent centers on hope, peace, joy and love as Christians move through the season of waiting and looking forward to the feast of Christmas.
A common symbol for the season is the Advent wreath, a circular garland of evergreen branches signifying eternity. Arranged in the wreath are three purple candles and one pink candle. The first candle, purple, symbolizing hope, is lit on the first Sunday of Advent, the start of the liturgical year of the Christian calendar. Each week an additional candle is lit.
The second candle, also purple, represents peace. The third, a pink candle, is the shepherds' candle, symbolizing joy. The fourth candle is love.
The center candle of white, the Christ candle, is lit on Christmas Eve. The four candles of Advent lend themselves to Sunday themes like Old Testament prophets or the Gospel writers as well.
The purpose of the Christian year is to keep followers tied to the life of Christ. From its early days, Christian worship was connected to the theological significance of time.
Taking from its Jewish roots a pattern of feasts that recalled what God had done in history, Christian worship developed yearly, weekly and daily cycles for remembering and re-enacting what God continued to do through his Son.
The basic pattern, in place by the fourth century, has two main sequences. The pattern in both is preparation, feast and extension. The first sequence includes Advent (the beginning of the Christian year), Christmas and Epiphany. The second sequence includes Lent, Easter and Pentecost. The time between Pentecost and Advent, called Ordinary Time, is not marked by major times of celebration.
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