The History of Advent Wreaths
Advent wreaths count down the four weeks leading up to Christmas. While they can vary widely in size, colors, and construction, they are always full of meaning for those who display them, and represent an important tradition for many Christians around the globe. Does this Spark an idea?
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Advent
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Advent is the Christian liturgical season in which Christians make spiritual preparation for Christmas. Advent begins on the Sunday nearest the Feast of Saint Andrew and spans the four Sundays leading up to Christmas. The practice dates back, in one form or another, more than 1,400 years, when a local council in France declared that Christians should practice fasting on certain days of the week from the Feast of Saint Martin of Tours (November 11) until Christmas. The practice of Advent soon spread throughout Europe with varying degrees of penitence and preparation.
Composition
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Traditionally the Advent wreath lies flat with four candles, representing the four weeks of Advent, surrounded by a circular arrangement of various evergreen plants. The plants used to make up the wreath are usually the branches of pine, holly, yew, or cedar, and are often decorated with pinecones, nuts, or various other seedpods. In some traditions, a fifth candle is added, representing Christ. This fifth candle is usually lit on Christmas Day.
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Wichern
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No one is exactly sure when the Advent wreath came into widespread use by Christians, but many credit the popularization of the modern Advent wreath to Johann Hinrich Wichern, a German Protestant pastor who lived during the 19th century. Wichern's elaborate Advent wreath had 19 small candles as well as four large candles. One small candle was lit each day during the week, and a large candle was lit every Sunday leading up to Christmas. The simplified version now popular gained acceptance throughout Germany and spread to North America in the early 20th century.
Ancient Origins
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Though in recent centuries Advent wreaths have become a part of the Christian tradition, there is some evidence that something very similar to the Advent wreath was in use in Europe before the spread of Christianity. These wreaths, probably used by Germanic societies in pre-Christian Europe, had a very similar construction, with four candles surrounded by evergreen foliage. This ancestor to the Advent wreath is usually thought to represent the unchanging cycle of the seasons.
Symbolism
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There is a great deal of symbolism embodied by the Advent wreath. Some have noted that the thorny holly that makes up many Advent wreaths is similar to the crown of thorns worn by Jesus on the day of his crucifixion. Most commonly accepted are the notions that the light emanating from the candles represent the light of Jesus, while the circular shape of the Advent wreath represents the eternity of God.
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