The Advent Wreath

[Katie1723]

As a revert, one of the things I remember that always meant so much to me at this time of the year was the advent wreath. So I purchased one for my home. I want to “do it right” i.e. light the correct candles, say the correct prayers or readings etc. Also, what is the significance of the different colors? Can anyone help me “do the right thing”?
Many thanks,
~ Kathy ~

 

[Toni]

Here is some information and a web site there are a lot out there.
catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0132.html
Have a blessed Advent season!
The four candles represent the four weeks of Advent. A tradition is that each week represents one thousand years, to sum to the 4,000 years from Adam and Eve until the Birth of the Savior. Three candles are purple and one is rose. The purple candles in particular symbolize the prayer, penance, and preparatory sacrifices and goods works undertaken at this time. The rose candle is lit on the third Sunday, Gaudete Sunday, when the priest also wears rose vestments at Mass; Gaudete Sunday is the Sunday of rejoicing, because the faithful have arrived at the midpoint of Advent, when their preparation is now half over and they are close to Christmas. The progressive lighting of the candles symbolizes the expectation and hope surrounding our Lord’s first coming into the world and the anticipation of His second coming to judge the living and the dead.

 

[Psalm45_9]

Katie1723:

As a revert, one of the things I remember that always meant so much to me at this time of the year was the advent wreath. So I purchased one for my home. I want to “do it right” i.e. light the correct candles, say the correct prayers or readings etc. Also, what is the significance of the different colors? Can anyone help me “do the right thing”?
Many thanks,
~ Kathy ~

I don’t have a resource at my fingertips right now for the correct prayer and readings. You could alway re-read the readings for that Sunday Mass and reflect on them.

As for the colors:

Violet is the color of both royalty and penance. Royalty meaning the kingship of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Penance is for our preperation of the Lord’s second coming. Advent both prepares us for the second coming as well as memorializing the incarnation and first coming of our Lord. Advent is not as major a penitential season as Lent is, it is more of a season of perperation, there is an even blend of the penitential as well as joyful virtues of the season.

Rose is the color of rejoicing. The Third Sunday in Advent is known as Gaudate Sunday. Gaudate was the very first word sung in the introit or enterance chant. Gaudate is the Latin word for “rejoice.” On the Third Sunday in Advent we rejoice because we are halfway there. On this Sunday the Rose candle is lit and the priest wears Rose colored vestments. The spirit of this Sunday is much more joyful.

The order for lighting the candles is:

1st Sunday 1 violet
2nd Sunday 2 violet
3rd Sunday 2 violet and the Rose candle
4th Sunday all of the candles.