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Did You Know This About Advent Colours & Activities?
Blue vs. Purple
So, for those with a trained eye they can see that when you go to some churches, they have blue as the liturgical colour for both priests vestments and for the Advent Candles, yet others have purple. Purple and blue both represent hope and anticipation but differ in their symbolic emphasis. Purple is the traditional liturgical colour for Advent, symbolizing royalty, penitence, and a call to reflection for the coming of Christ the King. Blue has been used by some traditions, particularly since the 19th century, to symbolize hope and expectation, and to distinguish Advent from Lent.
Purple symbolizes royalty and repentance. The reasoning comes from the fact that historically, purple was the most expensive dye and was reserved for royalty, a symbolic reference to Christ as the King of Kings. It is also the traditional colour for penitential seasons like Advent and Lent. Purple traditionally and historically is the dominant colour in many Catholic and Protestant traditions and is considered the proper liturgical colour for Advent by some rubrics.
At the same time blue symbolizes hope, expectation, and the night sky just before dawn. Thus, blue is then naturally used to emphasize the hopeful waiting and anticipation of Christ's arrival, creating a more joyful expectation compared to the penitential tone of Purple. Blue is also associated with the Virgin Mary, who is often depicted in blue, symbolizing trust and faith. The use of blue is a more modern tradition, revived by us Anglicans, our Lutheran counterparts, and the Episcopal churches to differentiate Advent from Lent and draw on the medieval use of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer rites.
The Meaningful Rites That We Do As We Prepare
Meaningful rites that we practice as we await the coming of the Messiah among them are common practices which include lighting an Advent wreath, with one new candle lit each week, and using an Advent calendar to count down the days. Other rites include preparing a Jesse tree, saying novenas, decorating a Nativity scene, and engaging in prayer and reflection.
Common Advent rites and practices
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Advent wreath: A wreath of evergreens with four candles is used, with one more candle lit each Sunday. Often, three are blue (purple) and one is pink, with the pink candle lit on the third Sunday (Gaudete Sunday).
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Advent calendar: A calendar, either commercial or handmade, is used to mark the days leading up to Christmas.
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Jesse tree: A tree or branch is decorated with ornaments representing figures from the ancestry of Jesus, and the corresponding Bible story is told each day.
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O Antiphons: Ancient prayers, often recognized from the hymn "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," are used in the last week of Advent.
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Novenas: A nine-day prayer, often dedicated to a specific saint, such as the St. Andrew novena a traditional Catholic prayer recited daily from November 30 (the feast day of St. Andrew) through Christmas Eve (24 December). The prayer is to be said 15 times each day and helps focus on the true meaning of Advent by meditating on the moment of Christ's birth.
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Chrismon tree/Christingle: A tradition in which a tree is decorated with ornaments representing Christ or a candle is placed in an orange, representing Christ.
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Preparing the Nativity scene: Families may set up a Nativity scene but wait until Christmas to place the figures in it.
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Decorations: In some traditions, there is a specific ceremony called the "hanging of the greens" to mark the beginning of Christmas decorations during Advent.
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Fasting and penance: Advent was traditionally a time of fasting and penance, similar to Lent, to prepare for the joy of Christmas
Lighting the Candles on An Advent Wreath
As you will notice us doing in the sanctuary at St. Cuthbert’s, families come and light a candle each week, accompanied by us giving prayers reflecting on hope, peace, joy, and love meaning that with our blue candles and with the focus on hope, peace, joy, and love our focus is not of the penitential mix but that of making preparations for a coming Messiah who brings us hope, peace, joy, and love. We will light the fifth candle, typically white, which represents Christ’s birth on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day. We light it to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, marking the culmination of our Advent season of waiting and preparation coming to fruition. For us this symbolizes Jesus as the light of the world, the culmination of the hope, peace, joy, and love that we light in the past weeks of Advent I, II, III and IV. What you will notice though if you are in any other church is that not all Advent wreaths include a fifth candle, but this is our common tradition at St. Cuthbert’s.
Positioning and Prayers for lighting Advent candles
In parishes, Advent wreaths are placed anywhere on the altar, on a side table, or even hung from the ceiling. In the home, you might place your Advent wreath on an entry or dining table or another location where you, your family, and your guests can enjoy the wreath during the Advent season.
Each person or family might approach lighting Advent candles in a different way, which is totally okay! Some families will let different members light a candle each week and say a prayer. What matters most is that the candles remind you of the overflowing hope, peace, joy, and love that the birth of Jesus means for each of us. If you’re struggling to find the words for prayer, this Advent prayer from Fr. Henri J.M. Nouwen encapsulates what many of us feel and hope for during this Advent season:
Lord Jesus, Master of both light and darkness, send your Holy Spirit upon our preparation for Christmas.
We who have so much to do seek quiet spaces to hear Your voice each day.
We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us.
We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of Your Kingdom.
We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of Your presence.
We are Your people, walking in darkness yet seeking the light. To You, we say, “Come, Lord Jesus!”
Yours in the service of Christ,
Rev. Monte
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