Lighting The Advent Candles Ceremony

This is written for that tradition using scriptures for the day from the revised common lectionary.

Lighting the advent candles ceremony.

The evergreen symbolizes god s unchangeableness. Advent includes four sundays before christmas. This year as we prepare for christmas we will also have the lighting an advent wreath. The meaning of the advent wreath ceremony.

The season of advent has been set aside as a time of preparation since the 6th century. The following text then is one way of approaching the advent candle lighting ceremony in worship each week. Liturgy and song for lighting advent candles for use on the four sundays of advent and christmas eve or christmas day one of the fondest advent traditions for both congregations and families is the lighting of advent candles. We will light a candle each week for the next four sundays to prepare our hearts for christmas.

The tradition reaches back to pre christian northern europeans. The four candles lit during advent are traditionally blue or purple. Lighting the advent wreath advent candles advent comes from the latin word adventus meaning coming advent begins the church year starting four sundays before christmas. Each week during advent a new candle is lit until all the candles burn on christmas or christmas eve.

Lighting the advent wreath in the tradition of hope peace joy and love many churches are used to lighting candles of hope peace joy and love. Many churches and families light advent candles to mark the progression toward the birth of christ. Advent is also a time for preparing for christ s second. The wreath as a circle expresses god s eternity.

The final candle is lit either on christmas or christmas eve and is known.