Christmas brings together different traditions from different parts of the world. One of these, for example, is the celebration of Advent, a period in which Christians prepare for the celebration of this great feast.
But what period does it consist of and when did it begin to be celebrated? We will discuss these and other topics related to Advent in the following lines.
Countdown to Christmas
The word “advent” means “arrival”, and in the case of this period it would literally be a preparation for the arrival of Christmas. It is celebrated in Christian religions and lasts four weeks, with a start that varies from year to year.
Many celebrations within the church became more frequent around the 5th century AD, but it was not until the 6th century AD that Advent gained more vigor. The first known celebrations took place in France, where at that time it was customary to celebrate St. Martin’s Lent.
Because Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the Catholic Church has defined Advent as the first great celebratory period of the liturgical year. In it it is common to find churches with purple fabric decorations to refer to this time of reflection and preparation.
It’s also worth mentioning that this is the same color used during Lent. However, unlike this period, Advent is not a time marked by fasting and abstinence from meat.
Advent symbolism
In Advent celebrations every Sunday has a different meaning. In order, they represent the virtues of love, joy, hope and peace. The readings offered at Christian celebrations also reflect these feelings.
To celebrate this time, it is very common to have a symbol known as the Advent wreath, created in 1838 by Johann Wichern, a German Lutheran pastor. Every Sunday he receives a candle to represent the light of Christ that is born in the heart of every Christian with the arrival of Christmas.
The modern version of this crown continues to have four candles, and they are now all identified by color. The first two are purple, the third is pink (symbolizes the joy of Christmas approaching, since in theory it would be halfway through the celebrations) and the fourth is also purple.
Another common gesture during this time is the Advent calendar. It emerged in the 19th century as a way to help children count down to Christmas, initially simply with chalk scratches on the front door. However, in the 20th century they began to take the form of a conventional calendar, generally starting on December 1st and ending on the 25th of the same month.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
