Sunday, December 1st 2019 marks the beginning of Advent. It is a time of preparation for the holiday of Christmas when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas and it is a time of joy and good spirits that we try to give each other every day.
Advent is a special time of year for the Western Church, which is evident in the customs that we follow during this time:
In our houses and churches we light the Advent Wreath, symbolizing four Sundays of Advent. This Sunday we will light the first candle and each following Sunday we will light a candle more. Every Sunday of Advent has a name: Hope, Love, Joy and Peace.
The first Advent Wreath, in the form that we know today, originated in Hamburg in 1839.
The most common colour in liturgy is purple. We go to mass at dawn to spiritually prepare for Christmas. The morning mass begins at 6 a.m. We sing Advent carols and pray.
The Advent calendar is especially liked BY children who are introduced to Advent and Christmas through colorful pictures. There is also a chocolate Advent calendar which children also enjoy very much. In one word, Advent is a time of JOY.
Marija Šokec, Religion teacher