Advent wreath

Advent is the time of four weeks before Christmas. We are anticipating the coming of Christ through the memorial of his birth in Bethlehem and preparing to receive him into our lives. The sign of the anticipation is the wreath: “the Advent wreath”. In church (and at home too) we can prepare a wreath on which there are four candles. Each candle symbolizes one week of Advent. The lighting of the candles reminds us that the coming of Jesus is drawing close. Therefore, each day we should do something that opens our heart to Jesus.

Each candle has a special meeting:

- The first candle is called the “candle of the prophet” because it reminds us of the prophecies that foretold the coming of the Messiah.

- The second candle is called the “candle of Bethlehem” as we remember the town where the Messiah was born.

- The third called is called the “candle of the shepherds”, they being the first who saw the Messiah and rendered homage to him.

- The fourth candle is called the “candle of the angels”, the first who proclaimed the birth of Jesus.

During the entire period we can pray in connection with the theme of the week’ and through it meditate the meaning of this event in the history of salvation.