Is Advent a Catholic time or do Protestants participate too?

[midori]

I have an Orthodox friend who started her Nativity fast earlier this month. (Nov. 15-Dec. 24th). No meat, no dairy, and restricted amounts of fish/wine/oil allowed on certain days. I had never heard of it before, but I was impressed.

I was subbing at the local public school last December. There was a pile of advent wreath coloring sheets in the stack of stuff to hand out. But the coloring sheets didn’t actually explain anything about advent, or that the candles needed to be particular colors, or hold a special significance.

I had a Unitarian friend on my FB feed commenting about the Advent Calendar/chalica craft her church had done this weekend.

 

[Brandon_Cal]

The Episcopal Church (Anglican) absolutely celebrates Advent. The basics are the same, though there are some small differences, for example the typical Catholic advent wreath (3 purple, 1 pink candle) can look a little different (often blue or white candles) and vestments for the clergy are blue during the season.

Are you by chance familiar with the history of this tradition in Anglicanism? The handful of times I’ve been inside an Episcopal church during Advent I definitely noticed the blue vestments (and I’ve seen blue and white candles on the wreathes inside Episcopalian homes). Is this a relatively recent novelty or did this tradition arise within Anglicanism early on (if not even before the schism with Rome)?

I believe that liturgical churches (Anglicans, Lutherans, etc) all celebrate Advent, given that it is a liturgical season. Non-liturgical churches, however, are discovering things like Advent and are incorporating them into their own traditions. It is nice to see that happening.

Boy howdy! Advent has even found its way inside Mormon homes, though I think it’ll be a while (if ever) that the LDS Church officially recognizes the season. My family and I took to the Advent wreath way back in the 1960s once we learned of the tradition while we were living in Germany. Upon returning to the States we continued the practice, much to the chagrin of our fellow Mormons. Now some modern Mormons behave as if it’s only natural that Mormons should celebrate Advent.

I have an Orthodox friend who started her Nativity fast earlier this month. (Nov. 15-Dec. 24th). No meat, no dairy, and restricted amounts of fish/wine/oil allowed on certain days. I had never heard of it before, but I was impressed.

I was impressed when I learned this as well. It seems the Catholic Church did similarly up until the High Middle Ages. For example, in Medieval Germany Catholics would celebrate Martinstag on November 11th which marked the start of the Advent Fast for the West.

I was subbing at the local public school last December. There was a pile of advent wreath coloring sheets in the stack of stuff to hand out. But the coloring sheets didn’t actually explain anything about advent, or that the candles needed to be particular colors, or hold a special significance.

Since the Advent wreath is a cultural custom, I don’t think the candles “need” to be particular colors. At least if they must be certain colors they’re likely not the colors you have in mind! I dare you to go to a German or a Scandinavian and tell them that their Advent wreaths really ought to have three violet and one rose candles.

I had a Unitarian friend on my FB feed commenting about the Advent Calendar/chalica craft her church had done this weekend.

What’s a chalica craft?

 

[twf]

Advent was traditionally a penitential time- as seen by the purple vestments and lack of Gloria. Certainly in the East it is still a period of fasting. As a previous poster noted, tha Orthodox, and many Eastern Catholics, are abstaining from all meat, fish and dairy during their Advent penance. The Latin Church once had a lot more fasting too.

 

[Padres1969]

Are you by chance familiar with the history of this tradition in Anglicanism? The handful of times I’ve been inside an Episcopal church during Advent I definitely noticed the blue vestments (and I’ve seen blue and white candles on the wreathes inside Episcopalian homes). Is this a relatively recent novelty or did this tradition arise within Anglicanism early on (if not even before the schism with Rome)?

As I understand it blue was the color often used during advent in medieval church before the reformation and as well as in England later on as part of the Sarum rite. Additionally In the Middle Ages, blue, purple, and even black were often regarded as interchangeable, and the blue itself is identified as indigo, a deep hue, not a pale one, symbolically suggestive, of the darkness of night in which the world sleeps, before the dawn of the Sun of Righteousness and also as a color of “hope” for the coming of the lord. So the blue has a basis in history that in many ways predates the split from Rome.

Also keep in mind also that many Anglican parishes will also utilize Rose on the third Sunday of Advent just as the Catholic Church does in many places.

 

[midori]

What’s a chalica craft?

Chalica is a Unitarian holiday that’s about 10 years old. “Let’s make up a holiday that celebrates Unitarian Universalist values.” Presumably the chalica craft was a craft that celebrated whatever value was being celebrated that day… I think it involved making coasters.

 

[babochka]

I have an Orthodox friend who started her Nativity fast earlier this month. (Nov. 15-Dec. 24th). No meat, no dairy, and restricted amounts of fish/wine/oil allowed on certain days. I had never heard of it before, but I was impressed.

Eastern Catholics of the Byzantine Rite (Byzantine, Melkite, Ukrainian, etc.) still observe the Nativity Fast, also known as St. Philip’s fast, because it begins the day after the feast of St. Philip. I’m not sure about Eastern Catholics of other rites.

 

[steido01]

Can’t speak for all “Protestants,” but Lutherans have always observed the Advent season. Given the Lutheran propensity for Law and Gospel, it is perhaps the most ‘Lutheran’ of all church seasons, as it fixates so clearly on Christ. One Lutheran pastor explained that “Advent is the time for Christians to remember that Christmas might not come this year.” A truly awe-some thought, that.

Legend has it that Christmas trees and advent wreaths have Lutheran origins. I’ve read articles contradicting that, saying the practices predate Lutheranism, which is probably correct. But it is undeniable that Lutheranism expanded and popularized the various observances of the Advent season.

 

[andrewstx]

Chalica is a Unitarian holiday that’s about 10 years old. “Let’s make up a holiday that celebrates Unitarian Universalist values.” Presumably the chalica craft was a craft that celebrated whatever value was being celebrated that day… I think it involved making coasters.

A flaming chalice is a widely known symbol for Unitarians. They light one at the beginning of their services.

It has nothing to do with the chalice used for the Eucharist. The closest thing to the Eucharist in is a flower communion.

 

[ChaosGamma]

The Church of the Brethren congregation that I grew up in pretty much followed the liturgical calendar, though we weren’t exactly a “liturgical” church. I believe the denomination as a whole does more or less the same. It mostly depended on the pastor how closely we actually followed the season or particular feasts. At the very least we changed the color of the cloth on the “altar” and the pulpit to match the season and usually lit the Advent candles each week.

 

[Le_Cracquere]

I was reared in a Southern Baptist household, and my parents switched to Pentecostalism (Church of God) when I was young. Neither church celebrates Advent, or any other sacred holidays except for Christmas Day & Easter Sunday. I was well into adulthood before discovering the existence of Advent, Lent, etc., … and am still slowly, imperfectly absorbing what one even does during them.

 

[The_Apostolate]

Too me Advent ,is for the whole world too celebrate,for Jesus came into the world for all off us. Amen

 

[adamhovey1988]

By the way I don’t know if anyone mentioned this but there is a significant Methodist population where I live and it certainly does seem that they celebrate Advent. This may have to do with their origins in Anglicanism and probably does I would imagine. I do not however know whether it is universal for methodists

 

[adamhovey1988]

I was reared in a Southern Baptist household, and my parents switched to Pentecostalism (Church of God) when I was young. Neither church celebrates Advent, or any other sacred holidays except for Christmas Day & Easter Sunday. I was well into adulthood before discovering the existence of Advent, Lent, etc., … and am still slowly, imperfectly absorbing what one even does during them.

Learning is a lifelong process. be glad you came to this forum.

 

[thewanderer]

I was reared in a Southern Baptist household, and my parents switched to Pentecostalism (Church of God) when I was young. Neither church celebrates Advent, or any other sacred holidays except for Christmas Day & Easter Sunday. I was well into adulthood before discovering the existence of Advent, Lent, etc., … and am still slowly, imperfectly absorbing what one even does during them.

That’s interesting because I currently work at a southern Baptist store and we sell advent wreaths, candles, and calenders as well as books about advent and the Jesse tree.

 

[Le_Cracquere]

That’s interesting because I currently work at a southern Baptist store and we sell advent wreaths, candles, and calenders as well as books about advent and the Jesse tree.

Really? That’s fascinating! Obviously, the Southern Baptists are nothing if not dedicated to the primacy of individual response, but none of the individuals in my part of the world ever had any truck with such things, or portrayed them as anything but cultish. Glad to hear there are honorable exceptions.

 

[Le_Cracquere]

Learning is a lifelong process. be glad you came to this forum.

I’m extremely glad–thanks very much! The odd, discomfiting thing about traditions such as Advent is that Christendom is almost perfectly split between a) churches that utterly reject such concepts and don’t teach them; and b) churches where they’re so taken for granted that nobody imagines that they need teaching, and don’t bother. So if you don’t pick such stuff up by osmosis as a child, no one’s ever going to bother explaining them to you, or treat you as anything but a kind of feral lost cause when you exhibit your ignorance. But I retain enough of my Evangelical upbringing to hope that God might graciously take such ignorance in stride.

 

[ComplineSanFran]

Too me Advent ,is for the whole world too celebrate,for Jesus came into the world for all off us. Amen

But Advent is not Christmas, and if you look at the readings during the Mass, they are all about the End Times. It’s a liturgical season and I find it wonderful that non-liturgical churches are taking on the rituals and symbols.

 

[The_Apostolate]

But Advent is not Christmas, and if you look at the readings during the Mass, they are all about the End Times. It’s a liturgical season and I find it wonderful that non-liturgical churches are taking on the rituals and symbols.

Advent is the being off Jesus come too save us and than it end,s up with Jesus suffering at the end too save us sinner,s.

 

[Sy_Noe]

Others have already spoken about the observance of Advent in various churches. I’m not sure though if I saw anyone mention The United Church of Christ, which some would consider to be the most liberal of the mainline denominations. There is a UCC congregation near me. The pastor performs same sex marriages and she too spoke of Advent in her December newsletter. Saying in this season of Advent we honor the time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of Jesus at Christmas. Preparing with great anticipation of Christ’s coming and for His peace. Doing so by offering good will amongst each other and even on behalf those whom we have yet to meet. On their FB pg on the first Sunday of Advent they lit the first Advent candle to begin the season of Advent with hope in their hearts. And says yesterday on the 3rd Sunday of Advent, they lit a candle of joy.

 

[QNDNNDQDCE]

Advent was traditionally a penitential time- as seen by the purple vestments and lack of Gloria. Certainly in the East it is still a period of fasting. As a previous poster noted, tha Orthodox, and many Eastern Catholics, are abstaining from all meat, fish and dairy during their Advent penance. The Latin Church once had a lot more fasting too.

I have read that Advent was originally a white season in the west, and that the penitential characteristic (and so purple vestments) were due to Eastern influence. Can’t source that off the top of my head, but it might have been in Adrian Fortescue’s book about the history of the mass.

As I understand it blue was the color often used during advent in medieval church before the reformation and as well as in England later on as part of the Sarum rite. Additionally In the Middle Ages, blue, purple, and even black were often regarded as interchangeable, and the blue itself is identified as indigo, a deep hue, not a pale one, symbolically suggestive, of the darkness of night in which the world sleeps, before the dawn of the Sun of Righteousness and also as a color of “hope” for the coming of the lord. So the blue has a basis in history that in many ways predates the split from Rome.

Also keep in mind also that many Anglican parishes will also utilize Rose on the third Sunday of Advent just as the Catholic Church does in many places.

Blue is used as a Marian color. That could also explain its use in Advent.