How Are the Advent Candles Lit?

Advent wreaths have four colored candles, for the four weeks preceding Christmas.

The Advent wreath marks the beginning of the Christian church calendar year and symbolically represents the beginning of Christmas celebrations. Advent starts on the Sunday nearest the feast day of Saint Andrew and continues until Christmas. The origins of the Advent wreath and the Advent candles are not well known, but they have become a long-standing tradition in the Christian church. Each of the four colored candles represents 1,000 years since the creation of man. The last lit candle represents 4,000 years since Adam and Eve and the birth of Christ.

Things You'll Need

• Advent wreath
• Matches

Instructions

1. Light the first Advent candle on the first Sunday of Advent. There are four colored candles on an Advent wreath. Sometimes they are all the same color (usually purple but any color is possible), and other times there are three purple candles and one lavender one. Light the purple candle opposite the lavender one if you have a two-colored candle wreath. The first candle is the Candle of Hope.

2. Light a neighboring purple candle on the second Sunday of Lent. The second candle is the Candle of Peace.

3. Light the lavender candle or a third purple candle on the third Sunday of Lent. This is the Candle of Love.

4. Light the last purple candle on the fourth Sunday of Lent. This is the Sunday closest to Christmas Day. This is the Candle of Joy.

5. Light the large white candle in the center of the wreath on Christmas Day. This is the Christ Candle and represents the birth of Christ.

References

• House Church Network Association: Why is There One Pink Advent Candle?
• Mary Pages: Advent

Resources

• Catholic Education: The History of the Advent Wreath