|
| Advent Resources |
Advent is a time of preparation, not just a celebration of the Christmas season. It is a time when each person may seek the Christ child within and prepare for that mystery of the incarnation of God, who came to Earth and became one of us. |
The word Advent is from the Latin adventus for "coming" and is associated with the four weeks of preparation for Christmas. Advent always contains four Sundays, beginning on the Sunday nearest the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, (November 30) and continuing until December 24. It blends together a penitential spirit, very similar to Lent, a liturgical theme of preparation for the Second and Final Coming of the Lord, called the Parousia, and a joyful theme of getting ready for the Bethlehem event. Since the 900s, Advent has been considered the beginning of the Church year. This does not mean that Advent is the most important time of the year. Easter has always had that honor. The traditional color of Advent is purple or violet, which symbolizes the penitential spirit. Traditionally, fasting and penance during Advent is a proper expression of the inner preparation for the coming of the Christ child on Christmas, with religious celebrations coming after Christmas itself. All Roman Catholic traditions throughout the centuries associated with Advent express these themes. |
An Advent Prayer: |
 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops |
||||
St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Parish, 1175 Overlook Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45238, Tel: (513) 921-9200 • Fax: (513) 921-0307
|
