What Do the Candles & Wreath of Advent Represent?
Advent refers to the four Sundays leading up to Christmas Day. The period is a time of preparing for the celebration of the birth and incarnation of Christ and the anticipation of His second coming. Liturgically, it is not a part of the Christmas season, but a period of spiritual preparation. Catholic and Protestant symbolism attached to the Advent wreath and candles vary slightly.
Other People Are Reading
-
Wreath Symbolism
-
The Advent wreath is composed of a garland of evergreens, four candles nestled in the greenery and one candle placed in the center of the wreath. The circular shape of the wreath represents the everlasting nature of God.
Plant Symbolism
-
Collectively, the evergreens represent the new and eternal life that Christ brings to the world. The individual plants also carry their own meanings. Laurel symbolizes victory over affliction and persecution. Holly represents the immortality of life in Christ, whereas cedar symbolizes strength.
-
Candle Symbolism
-
Each of the candles placed in the circle of the wreath represents one week of the Advent season; each week, in turn, represents 1000 years of the period from the appearance of Adam and Eve to the incarnation of Christ.
Wreath Candle Symbolism
-
Three of the candles are traditionally purple. In the Catholic tradition, these represent prayer and penance, also demonstrated by sacrifice and good works that are part of the season's customs. For Protestants, the purple color stands for the supreme authority of Christ.
The fourth candle is traditionally rose. In the Catholic liturgy, this is a sign of rejoicing, which is the focus for the third week of Advent. Protestants view the rose color, one of the colors of the early morning light, as a symbol of Christ as light in the midst of darkness.
Center Candle Symbolism
-
The center candle, which is traditionally white, is often called the "Christ candle" and represents Christ as the light of the world. This candle is lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, in commemoration of the first coming of Christ to the world.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit purple advent candles image by Photoeyes from Fotolia.com
