Advent is the beginning of the Church Year for most churches in the Western tradition. It begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day, which is the Sunday nearest November 30, and ends on Christmas Eve (Dec 24). If Christmas Eve is a Sunday, it is counted as the fourth Sunday of Advent, with Christmas Eve proper beginning at sundown.

First Sunday of Advent November 29, 2009
Second Sunday of Advent December 02, 2009
Third Sunday of Advent December 13, 2009
Fourth Sunday of Advent December 20, 2009

The Advent wreath is an increasingly popular symbol of the beginning of the Church year in many churches as well as homes. The candles are lighted one at a time, in succession on the four Sundays.

Thank you for the post Inda.
Advent is a nice idea, it gives us something to celebrate and makes us look forward to Christmas.

Advent is the season to prepare for the coming of the baby Jesus on Christmas.

Love,
Vicky

Thank you Inda.

We have never celebrated Advent, but I find it a very nice and festive idea.

Enjoy the season.

Sincerely,
Gisele

Thank you for posting the information Inda.

We have never really celebrated Advent either, but I think that it is a lovely idea.
It gets us into the special spirit and mood for Christmas. It lights up the dark Sundays at this time of the year.

Love,
Sue

Thank you girls.

There is one candle already burning.




Love,Inda

Thank you for the Advent post Inda.

Love,
Vicky


Memory Awakens Hope. . . . . . . . . Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Seek That Which Is Above,1986

"Advent is concerned with that very connection between memory and hope which is so necessary to man. Advent’s intention is to awaken the most profound and basic emotional memory within us, namely, the memory of the God who became a child. This is a healing memory; it brings hope. The purpose of the Church’s year is continually to rehearse her great history of memories, to awaken the heart’s memory so that it can discern the star of hope.…

It is the beautiful task of Advent to awaken in all of us memories of goodness and thus to open doors of hope."

Thank you Inda for the nice post for this season.
I was not familiar with Advent, even though some of my friends have mentioned it.

May the healing ight shine on everyone.

As I understand, there will be two candles lit tomorrow,
on the second Sunday.

Love,
yoko

Thank you everyone for your replies.

Thank you yoko for lighting the two candles.


It is uncertain as to when exactly the celebration of Advent was first introduced in the Christian church. Some sources say that Advent began on November 11 (St Martin's Day) at some time in the fifth century in the form of a six-week fast leading to Christmas. Advent was reduced to its current length at some stage in the sixth century and the fasting was later no longer observed. Advent is originally a time to reflect and prepare for Christmas similarly to how Lent is in preparation for Easter. Advent has sometimes been referred to as the Winter Lent. In recent times the restrictions that Advent brings to Christians have become more relaxed.

http://www.timeanddate.com/hol...ada/first-day-advent

3rd Sunday of Advent is tomorrow,
December 13, 2009.

Three candles will be lit.

Oh, thank you my friends, for this wonderful thread. It reminds me so much of the traditions of Switzerland, where Advent was very much celebrated and the atmosphere was deeply felt.

Swiss people love the decorations so much, especially the one with the four candles. I have a Swiss friend who lives in Abu Dhabi now (after having been in Rome for several years), he is a Brother of the Order of St. Francis, he assists the Bishop there (who is also Swiss, they had known each other since college). He told me that there were visits from Germany and the accompanying priest had brought all the necessary to create the famous crown of the Advent. He had filled his luggage with Pine branches from Germany! They were able to create ten crowns. Just to show how deeply the traditions are rooted ...



Love and enjoy all a wonderful Advent.

Margherita

Thank you everyone for joining me in the celebration of Advent.

Thank you Margherita for your interesting reply and your very lovely picture.

This Sunday, December the 20th, we will light the four candles.

Dear friends,

The first day of Advent is almost here again, in 2010.
Let us light a candle.

********************************************************

Dear friends, what are our drops of oil in our lamps? They are the small things from every day life: the joy, the generosity, the little good things, the humility and the patience. A simple thought for someone else. Our way to be silent, to listen, to forgive, to speak and to act. That are the real drops of oil that make our lamps burn vividly our whole life. Don’t look for Jesus far away, He is not there. He is in you, take care of your lamp and you will see Him.”

– Mother Teresa

Adding one candle.

Love,
Vicky

http://dailychristianquote.com/dcqchristmas2.html

For the Christ-child who comes is the Master of all; No palace too great, no cottage too small.

Phillips Brooks

Sunday was the 1st day of Advent 2010.

Lighting mu candle.

Adding a light for Gisele.
She has real problems with her eyes and asked me to post for her.

I think we forgot to post our 2 Advent candles for December 12.

Here we are.

Thank you for the reminder Vicky.

Adding my 2 candles.

Love,
Sue

I think it is almost time to light three candles.



Love,
yoko

Thank you for remembering to light the 3 candles yoko.

Love,
Vicky

I do not belong to the Christian church, but I like the traditions, and some of my friends belong to that church.

I am bringing this post back foe everyone who believes in this tradition. It is a very nice way to start the Christmas season, although I believe that it starts next Sunday.



Love,
yoko