THE ADVENT WREATH

ADVENT is a four-week period during which Christians prepare for Christmas. The word ADVENT means a coming and refers to the coming of Jesus on Christmas Day.

Many Christians have an ADVENT wreath in their homes during the holiday season. Most of these wreaths are made of evergreen or holly branches and may lie on a table or hang on a door. Four candles, one for each Sunday of ADVENT, are placed among the branches. On the first Sunday, the family lights one candle and joins in prayer. They repeat this ceremony on each Sunday of ADVENT, lighting one additional candle each time. Three of the candles are dark purple, and the fourth is pink or light purple. It remains unlit until the third Sunday, when people celebrate the beginning of the second half of ADVENT.