Advent
The season of Advent is the the first season of the Church Year. Advent starts on the fourth Sunday before the 25th of December. This year Advent starts at sunset on Saturday, 26 November 2011. Advent is about waiting. Waiting for the start of the 12-day festival of Christmas when we celebrate the Nativity (birth) of Christ Jesus, as well as waiting for the return of Christ at the end of time, when He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and to establish His unending Kingdom.
The liturgical colour of Advent is sarum blue (in honor of Mary), but purple (symbolic of both royalty - the coming Kingdom of Christ - and penitence) is used in some parishes. Evergreens are used in place of flowers during Advent. Additionally, an Advent Wreath, consisting of five candles is traditionally used. Three candles are blue (or purple), one is pink (representing Mary), and one is white (representing Christ). The white candle is placed in the center of the wreath with the four coloured candles surrounding it. During the first week of Advent one blue (or purple) candle is lit. During the second week two blue (or purple candles are lit. During the third week two blue (or purple) candles and the pink candle are lit, in that order. From the Fourth Sunday of Advent to sunset on 24 December, all four coloured candles are used, with the the pink candle being lit third. After sunset on the 24th, all candles are lit with the pink candle being lit third, and the white center candle being lit last. If the wreath is to be used during the Twelve Days of Christmas, the outer coloured candles are replaced with white candles.
