Advent

Origin and history

The name Advent comes from the Latin adventus, meaning 'coming' or 'arrival'. Christians use the season to look forward to the coming of Christ in three senses: his birth at Bethlehem, his welcome in the hearts of believers, and his return at the end of time. In Western churches Advent marks the beginning of the liturgical (church) year. A season of preparation before Christmas is known from about 480, and in 567 the Council of Tours ordered monks to fast every day in December until Christmas. Since about the 13th century the usual colour for Advent in Western churches has been violet, with rose sometimes used on the third Sunday, called Gaudete Sunday.

Customs

• An Advent wreath of evergreens with four candles, one more lit each Sunday; some wreaths have a fifth, white Christ candle for Christmas. The modern wreath grew from an 1839 idea of Johann Hinrich Wichern, a Lutheran pastor in Germany who worked with poor children.
• Advent calendars with a door or flap for each day of December, first used by German Lutherans in the 19th and 20th centuries.
• Daily Advent devotions and Bible readings, the hanging of the greens in church, and Christingle services.

How traditions differ

Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist and Presbyterian churches all keep a four-week Advent, though the Ambrosian and Mozarabic Rites of the Catholic Church begin it on the sixth Sunday before Christmas. Eastern Orthodox churches keep a related but different season, the Nativity Fast, which is longer and does not begin the church year.

In the library

Works: The Bible · A Christmas Carol

More in Advent

St Andrew's Day · St Nicholas Day · St Lucy's Day