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Kevin
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July 22, 2024
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Common Questions
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No matter how you frame it, Advent is always just around the corner! In preparing ourselves for the season of the Lord’s coming, it’s important to remember what the Advent candles represent.
In this post, we’ll talk about the story of Christmas and why it’s an essential part of Christian theology. We’ll also go over each week of Advent in detail to see exactly where these unique candles fit in. Come along with us as we learn more about Advent and how you can prepare for it!
What Are the Advent Candles?
Advent Candles are candles you light during the four weeks leading up to Christmas. They symbolize the four weeks of waiting for Jesus Christ’s birth and a sign of his second coming.
- The first Sunday in Advent marks the start of this journey when we look back to see how far we’ve come since Jesus’ birth;
- The second Sunday marks our gratitude for what Christ has given us;
- The third Sunday is a time to anticipate what he will give us in the future, and finally:
- The fourth Sunday is a time to reflect on all that has been given by God across history, personal experience, and even our daily lives.
What Is Advent?
Advent, or the “coming” of Christmas, is an ancient tradition that dates back to the fourth century. It is a time of waiting, preparation, reflection, and joy as Christians anticipate the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day.
Who Celebrates Advent?
Most Christians and Catholics observe Advent, a unique service each Sunday before Christmas Day called Vespers (or Evensong). They also light candles in their homes during this period and give gifts to one another as a sign that Christ’s light has come into their lives.
They will often celebrate with other kinds of symbolism, including advent wreaths, advent calendars, pinecones, and many occasions with family and loved ones.
What Is the Story of Christmas?
In the Christian faith, the story of Jesus is often told as a series of events that happened in the past. The Bible tells us that he was born to Mary and Joseph, who were not yet married. He was born in Bethlehem as prophesied by Isaiah 700 years earlier.
Jesus came to earth to save mankind from the sin that separates us from God. Christmas is a holiday that celebrates the birth of Christ so that He can become the light of the world.
Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again three days later so we could be forgiven. He ascended into Heaven, where he waits until his second coming, when he will judge all people according to their deeds in this life before sending them into eternal life or damnation (or possibly even another chance at redemption).
The advent season is entirely based on the story of Jesus being the messiah or the savior of the world from eternal death. This coming of Christ is celebrated by people of all Christian denominations, from Lutherans to Catholics to Evangelicals.
What Do the Different Candles Mean?
There are five primary candles in most advent candle traditions. Their meanings and purposes are as follows:
The First Candle
The first week of Advent—the “week of expectation” or “week of preparation”—marks the beginning of the Christmas season. This week, people focus on preparing for celebrating Christ’s birth, which falls 40 days later. During this time, people remember what God has done for us and begin to look forward to his coming into our lives again.
The purple candle, known as the prophecy candle, in this first week represents the light of Christ shining through the darkness in the world. Christians are called to be lights in a dark world (Matthew 5:14). We should strive to shine brightly so that others may see Jesus in us!
The Second Candle
The second week’s candle, known as the Bethlehem candle, marks the beginning of “Gaudete,” Latin for the word “rejoice.” It is known as the Sunday of joy and focuses on the importance of hope. This week also has a purple candle.
The Third Candle
The Shepherd’s candle is lit on the third Sunday of Advent, known as “Gaudete Sunday.” Gaudete Sunday also has another name: Pink Candle Sunday.
Pink candles are lit on this day to symbolize joy in preparation for Christmas Day. The pink candle can be a real or artificial candle made with cotton wicks and not beeswax (beeswax will melt at room temperature). If you need to, you can also use light red candles, even if they aren’t the proper liturgical color.
The Fourth Candle
The fourth week of Advent is the last week before Christmas. In some traditions, it can also be considered the second-to-last week of Advent (though most people think it to be the final week). The purple candle lit on this day is known as the Angel’s Candle.
The Fifth Candle
The fifth and final candle is lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas day, and it is a white candle called the Christ candle. It signifies the end of the days of Advent and has a lot of symbolism for the end of the advent candle seasons.
Conclusion
The advent candle’s meaning is significant because it helps people remember the Christmas holiday. This is a season of hope and promise, and we can look forward to Christ coming again at any time. In fact, what better way could there be to spend this time than with family and friends lighting up a candle?
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Sources:
Advent Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com
