The Tradition Of The Advent

Types Of Advent Candles

In Advent, there are two different types of candles which used start counting to Christmas Day. The first appears to be a regular candle, but it has the days leading up to Christmas Day written on it. The candle is lighted on December 1st and burned down to the very first line on the candle.

The same procedure is followed day after day, with the remainder of the candle burnt on Christmas Day. Since the 1700s, Protestant churches in Scandinavia have used 24 little candles to count down the days until Christmas.

An Advent Crown is a candle used to mark the days until Christmas. These are usually in churches than in people’s homes. The crown usually consists of a greenery wreath with four candles around the outside and one in the middle.

The five candles are sometimes displayed in a more typical candelabra. On the first Sunday of Advent, they light one candle, two on the second Sunday, and so on. In Christianity, each candle has a particular meaning.

On Christmas Day, they light the center or independent candle to signify Jesus, the light of the world. This fifth candle, known in Germany as the ‘Heiligabend,’ is lit on Christmas Eve. The color purple is often used in churches to represent the Advent season. The hue can sometimes be changed to pink or rose on the third Sunday, representing Mary.

While Advent is a season to rejoice and anticipate the birth of Christ, it is also much more. Only in the shadows of Advent can the miracle of Christmas be wholly understood and cherished. In the light of Christmas, could Christian living be appropriately appreciated and valued. It’s a choice between Christ’s first-coming promise and the yet-to-be-fulfilled promise of his second coming. Jesus Christ fulfills both Israel’s and the church’s promises; he has come and will return. This is what Advent is all about.