What is Advent? A Guide for the Church
What is Advent?
The great promise of the Old Testament is the coming of Israel’s long-awaited Messiah. For thousands of years, God’s people anticipated the fulfillment of that promise, which Christians today celebrate each year at Christmas—the coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
The season leading up to Christmas has traditionally been referred to as Advent. Derived from the Latin word
How is Advent celebrated?
Christians throughout history have celebrated Advent in a wide variety of ways. The two most common traditions practiced are:
1. Advent Candles
Perhaps the tradition most commonly associated with the season of Advent is the use of Advent Candles to symbolize the anticipation of the coming of Jesus Christ, who is the “Light of the World” (John 8:12). While great variety exists in how this tradition is observed, the most common method is to display five candles and light one on each of the four Sundays of Advent. The fifth candle is then lit on Christmas Day. For aesthetics, many choose to arrange the candles in a wreath. As the candlelight grows brighter, we are reminded of Christ’s imminent coming.
2. Advent Calendar
A popular tradition many families with children employ during the month of December is the use of an Advent calendar to mark the days leading up to Christmas. Beginning December 1, children enjoy uncovering the flap on the calendar for that day, revealing a portion of the Scripture’s Christmas story, a picture, or a small object symbolizing the coming of Christ.
While many creative ideas for Advent calendars exist, our recommendation is to use ones that focus the season on the birth of Christ.