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Purple and pink advent candles have special meaning. - While the advent wreath is a long-standing Catholic tradition, its historic origins are unclear. Both pre-Christian Germanic peoples and ancient Scandinavian cultures used candles on wreaths or wheels to look forward to the coming spring.
- The three purple candles in an advent wreath represent penance. The pink candle represents joyfulness.
- The purple and pink candles are placed on an evergreen wreath which symbolizes the eternity of God and everlasting life.
- The purple candles are lit on the first, second and fourth Sundays of Advent. The pink candle is lit on the third Sunday, also called Gaudete, which is a time to be joyful and celebrate the approach of Christmas.
- Some advent wreaths have a fifth candle that is white and meant to be lit on Christmas. Alternately, the four colored candles can be replaced with white candles on Christmas.












