An Advent Q & A

by Brandon Jubar

What is Advent?

The word "Advent" is derived from the Latin words, ad-venio or adventus, which both signify a coming -- as in "to come to", "arrival", or "coming". It is a liturgical "season" for Catholics and marks the beginning of the Church Year for most churches in the Western tradition. Advent is when the Roman Catholic Church begins its liturgical year and thus enters into a new cycle of readings. Advent lasts from 21 to 28 days and begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas.

Advent is a time of preparation, when Catholics are asked to try to add a little more devoutness into their lives. This may be done through prayer, by reading the Bible, or by attending Mass more often. Catholics are also encouraged to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation during Advent.

In many homes (and in all Catholic Churches), you will find Advent wreaths consisting of four candles -- one for each week of Advent. The liturgical color for Advent is purple, which is a sign of penance.

How did Advent begin?

The exact time that Advent began is uncertain, but we know that this season of preparation for the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord would not have existed prior to the feast itself. And the feast -- Christmas -- was not universally celebrated in the Church prior to the fourth century.

By the seventh and eighth centuries, some Church lectionaries called for six Sundays in Advent, but Gregory the Great, who died in 604, had actually fixed the season at four weeks -- which is how it is celebrated today.

Over the years, many rules and traditions have sprung up around Advent, but such was not the case when the season first began.

What holy days of obligation fall during the Advent and Christmas seasons?

In all of the Latin Rite United States dioceses, the following are holy days of obligation:

December 8, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception;
December 25, the solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ; and
January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.

Whenever January 1 (the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God) falls on a Saturday or on a Monday, the obligation to attend Mass is lifted.

For more information, visit the US Conference of Catholic Bishops' Web site.

What is an Advent wreath?

The Advent wreath, a very popular Advent tradition, has its origin in pre-Christian Germany and Scandinavia. The people gathered to celebrate the return of the sun after the winter solstice, but the wreath was eventually given its Christian meaning by 16th-century Lutherans in Germany.

Originally, the circular wreath made of evergreens and four equidistant candles (three violet and one pink) symbolized the year and indicated that life endures through the winter. As they approached the summer solstice and the days grew longer, people would light the candles to offer thanks to the "sun god". For us Catholics today, lighting the Advent candles symbolizes the promise that Jesus is coming to be the light of the world!

The third Sunday of Advent is also known as Gaudete Sunday, named after the Latin words "Gaudete in Domino semper" ("Rejoice in the Lord always"), which are the initial words of the opening antiphon for that day’s Mass. While the normal Advent color is purple, rose-colored vestments are permitted on Gaudete Sunday and the rose-colored candle is lit, reminding us all that we are called to rejoice.

Was St. Nicholas a real person (and really a saint)?

Historians generally believe that much of what is said about St. Nicholas is merely legend. Such belief stems from the fact that, historically, attributing miracles and wonders to a person was a common way of expressing one's conviction about the holiness of the person.

From a religious perspective, St. Nicholas of Myra actually lived long before the Church ever considered the need to investigate and authenticate claims of miracles. Thus he gained a reputation for holiness -- and became recognized as a saint by popular opinion -- prior to the Church's formal process of beatification and canonization.

You can still find him in dictionaries of saints, and you will still find Nicholas listed as an optional memorial in the Roman Calendar on December 6th. Thus, Parishes have the option to either celebrate the liturgy in honor of St. Nicholas, or simply celebrate it as if it were a normal weekday in Advent.

Life Applications:

What family traditions do you have during Advent?
What spiritual preparations do you make during this season?
(Bonus Question) How much more Christmas shopping do you have to do?

Copyright 2004 by Brandon Jubar
All rights reserved.