Advent Wreathers-Did you light a rose colored candle today?

Question

Do you have an Advent Wreath?
Where is it?When do you light it? What color are the candles? In what order do you light them? Do you use it somehow at Christmas?

I just wanted to know what YOU do.
I have an Advent Wreath and I will light the rose candle for Gaudete Sunday this evening at supper time.
Thank you for such extensive answers!

Answer 1

We did. It sits on a small table in our living room. Near the tree and next to the Nativity scene. Today it was the rose candle for joy/rejoicing. Gaudete Sunday.

Answer 2

I have an Advent "wreath" which is made up of figures from the story of Christ's birth. I use three purple candles and one pink candle. The first purple candle is lit on the first Sunday in Advent, followed by the remaining two purple candles on each subsequent Sunday. The pink candle is lit on the Sunday before Christmas. There are accompanying prayers for each Sunday to remind us of Christ's birth and His sacrifice for us.

The purple candles represent royalty, since Christ is the King of kings and Lord of lords. They also hint at the coming sorrow that He would endure on the Cross for us. The pink candle symbolizes His innocence and Incarnation as a child.

Hope this helps explain the custom! If you have other questions, please feel free to ask.

Edit:

Someone said that the pink candle is lit on the third Sunday before Christmas, which is Gaudete ("rejoicing") Sunday. There are a number of different traditions surrounding the Advent wreath, and that determines which candle you light on a particular Sunday.

Some people use all purple candles, and in Protestant homes, I've seen everything from white to blue candles. So there is no one hard-and-fast way to light the candles or set-in-stone color choices, despite what the person who gave me the thumbs-down may believe.

Answer 3

No I don't have an Advent Wreath.

The Advent Wreath first occurred in the Middle Ages; however, the first modern Advent wreath was made by Johann Hinrich Wichern (1808-1881), a German theologian and educator that founded a home for poor children in the city of Hamburg. During the Advent season, the children asked daily if Christmas had arrived. In 1839, he built a wooden ring (made out of a cartwheel) with 19 small red and 4 big white candles. A small candle was lit successively every day of Advent. On Sundays, a large white candle was lit. This eventually led to the modern Advent wreath with its four candles. In 1860, people started to entwine the wooden ring with evergreen cuttings. The Advent wreath became a German Christmas tradition at the beginning of the 20th century. In Austria and Southern Germany (particularly Bavaria) it did not become a custom before 1930.

It has now spread to other countries as well. Eventually, the advent wreath made its way into various Protestant churches and later into Roman Catholic churches in the United States. In Orthodox Christian countries, Advent wreaths with 6 candles are sometimes used due the longer Advent season.

Advent goes for a period of 4 weeks time.

There are several interpretations of the symbolism of the advent wreath. The underlying symbolism is the accumulation of light as an expression of the growing anticipation of the birth of Jesus Christ, who is seen as "the light of the world" in Christian faith.

Later different interpretations had been added - especially for the colours of the candles and the form.


Advent Wreath in the Catholic liturgyIn the Catholic liturgy, three of the candles are violet-coloured, and one is rose-coloured. Increasingly, due to changes in the Roman Catholic Church's lectionary in the United States, all four candles may be violet. When used in household devotion, one violet candle is lit on the first evening of Advent (a Sunday). On successive Sundays, the second violet candle is added, then the rose candle, and finally, the third violet candle. Some Anglicans, Methodists, and Lutherans use blue candles rather than violet, while some use only white candles. Purple is a colour of penitence and royalty. Some churches will use Blue, a colour of hope, in place of purple to distinguish the use of purple during Lent. Some wreaths have a larger, central fifth candle (generally white), which is lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day to signify Christ's birth.

The circular wreath is meant to represent God's eternity. The violet candles symbolize faithful expectation, and the rose candle joy and hope. In earlier times the season of Advent had stronger penitential and ascetic aspects, and a relaxation of disciplines was offered on the third Sunday of Advent, also called Gaudete Sunday, from the Latin for "rejoice", the first words of the Introit. This turn is reflected in the theme of rejoicing and the shift from violet to rose.

In some traditions the first candle is often called the prophet's candle, and is meant to signify the hope of Jesus' arrival. The second is generally called the Bethlehem candle, reminding Christians that God appeared to them in a humble manner; Bethlehem was located in the territory of one of the least powerful tribes of Israel. The third candle is the shepherds' candle, representing the joy that more than half of Advent is over. The final candle is the angels' candle, symbolising their peace and the message of good news that they offer.

In other traditions that use five candles the First Candle, the candle of Hope represents the Patriarchs of the faith. The second candle, the candle of Peace represents prophets who foretold of Jesus' birth, the third Candle is the Candle of Love and represent John the Baptist who came to prepare the way for Christ and the fourth candle is called the candle of joy and represents Mary the mother of Jesus. The fifth and final candle which is usually white represents Jesus Christ and is lit on Christmas day.

Answer 4

Let me think here. I think it's from left to right. 3 purple, 1 rose. The wreath is not used at Christmas. Yes, the rose candle is lit today. The week before Christmas not the week of.

Answer 5

No i haven't Father, but it sounds lovely, i'll look for one for next year

I will light a white candle on this Christmas day to celebrate the birth and life of my Saviour and Lord - Jesus Christ - Light Of The World
God Bless and Keep You.
*Tinkly*Christmas*Bell*

Answer 6

I think at all of the churches I have been to they light the candles during the mass... though today one of the guys lit the candle without saying anything and without stopping mass, I thought that was kinda weird

Answer 7

I don't have one :(