Advent Wreath
The visible reminder of the Advent season in many churches and homes is the Advent Wreath. The wreath is displayed beginning with the first Sunday of Advent, and remains up through the Christmas holidays. As Advent advances, candles are lit sequentially as a reminder that we are waiting for the birth of Christ.
There is no one 'correct' way for an Advent wreath to be fashioned. All Advent wreaths are rich with symbolism to help understand and remember the true meaning of the season and what is to come:
- The wreath is a circle to remind us of God's never-ending love for us.
- The light from the candles symbolizes Christ coming as the light of the world.
- The wreath is built out of evergreens, to remind us of eternal life with Christ.
- There are four candles spaced along the perimeter of the wreath; one for each Sunday in Advent.
- These four candles are blue, which is the color of hope; we wait with Hope for Christ. (Some Lutheran churches use violet candles to symbolize the royalty of Jesus; older traditions treat Advent as a time for repentance and personal introspection, as happens during the Lenten season.)
- The blue candles are named in order:
- The Prophecy Candle. which reminds us that Christ's coming was foretold by the prophets.
- The Shepherds' Candle. The shepherds were the first to be told of the birth of the Messiah; the first to behold Christ and to spread the word to all.
- The Angel's Candle. Angels appeared in the sky, announcing Christ's birth -- Glory to God in the highest, and peace to His people on Earth (Luke 2:14). In some traditions a pink candle is used; pink is another color symbolizing hope.
- The Bethlehem Candle. Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem to be enrolled as part of the Roman census, and while they were there Jesus was born.
- The center candle (Christ Candle) is white to represent purity and light; it is lit on Christmas Eve to mark Jesus' birth.
It is our hope that the explanation of these symbols and meanings will inspire you when you next see an Advent wreath!
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;
and the government will be upon his shoulder,
and his name will be called 'Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.'”
Isaiah 9: 6