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Introduction
The use of the Advent Wreath is a traditional practice which has found its place in the Church as well as in the home. The blessing of an Advent Wreath takes place on the First Sunday of Advent or on the evening before the First Sunday of Advent.
Customarily the Advent Wreath is constructed of a circle of evergreen branches into which are inserted four candles. According to tradition, three of the candles are violet and the fourth is rose. However, four violet or white candles may also be used. Find out more about making an Advent wreath
The candles represent the four weeks of Advent and the number of candles lighted each week corresponds to the number of the current week of Advent. The rose candle is lighted on the Third Sunday of Advent, also known as Gaudete Sunday.
When the blessing of the Advent Wreath is celebrated in the home, it is appropriate that it be blessed by a parent or another member of the family.
Order for Blessing an Advent Wreath
All make the sign of cross as the leader says:
Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All:
Who made heaven and earth.
Reading
One of those present or the leader reads a text of sacred Scripture, for example:
A reading from the prophet Isaiah
9:1-2, 5-6
But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined.
For all the boots of the tramping warriors
and all the garments rolled in blood
shall be burned as fuel for the fire.
For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
The word of the Lord.
All:
Thanks be to God.
Prayer
Then, with hands joined, the person leading the blessing says the prayer:
Lord our God,
we praise you for your Son, Jesus Christ:
he is Emmanuel, the hope of the peoples,
he is the wisdom that teaches and guides us,
he is the Saviour of every nation.
Lord God,
let your blessing come upon us
as we light the candles of this wreath.
May the wreath and its light
be a sign of Christ’s promise to bring us salvation. May he come quickly and not delay.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
All:
Amen.
Prayer When Lighting the Candles Each Week
When the Advent Wreath is used in the home, the opening prayer of the Sunday Mass is recited when the candles are lighted. The lighting of the candles may be preceded or followed by an Advent hymn and a Scripture reading. The lighting of the Advent Wreath may fittingly be included as a part of the evening meal.
Prayers
First Week of Advent
Sunday Gospel Reading
Let us pray.
Grant your faithful, we pray, almighty God,
the resolve to run forth to meet your Christ
with righteous deeds at his coming,
so that, gathered at his right hand,
they may be worthy to possess the heavenly Kingdom.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Second Week of Advent
Sunday Gospel Reading
Let us pray.
Almighty and merciful God,
may no earthly undertaking hinder those
who set out in haste to meet your Son,
but may our learning of heavenly wisdom
gain us admittance to his company.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Third Week of Advent
Sunday Gospel Reading
Let us pray.
O God, who see how your people
faithfully await the feast of the Lord’s Nativity,
enable us, we pray,
to attain the joys of so great a salvation
and to celebrate them always
with solemn worship and glad rejoicing.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Fourth Week of Advent
Sunday Gospel Reading
Let us pray.
Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord,
your grace into our hearts,
that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son
was made known by the message of an Angel,
may by his Passion and Cross
be brought to the glory of his Resurrection.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Advent Songs for Use at Home
The following songs are used by our parish during the season of Advent, and may be used in your own prayer, particularly accompanying the lighting of the Advent wreath. The final two (O Emmanuel and We shall prepare) are particularly accessible and suitable for use with children and young people.
Christ, Be Our Light
Bernadette Farrell
City of God
Dan Schutte
O come, O come Emmanuel
Traditional
O Emmanuel
Michael Mangan
We shall prepare
Mark Friedman and Janet Vogt
Making an Advent Wreath for Your Home
You may choose to make your own wreath, using a circle of evergreen foliage from around your home, or by purchasing a wreath. Craft and sewing stores often have floristry supplies such as floristry foam and circular bases, as well as undecorated artificial green wreaths, especially in the lead up to Christmas. They will also have ribbon in the Advent colours of purple and rose that could be helpful for decoration.
A number of different stores sell white candles that could be decorated with coloured ribbon to reflect the different weeks of Advent.
The Benedictine Nuns at Jamberoo Abbey make and sell Advent candles in different sizes and styles. You can visit their physical shop at the Abbey, or order online – please remember to order in advance.
Around Advent time, many Christian and Catholic supply stores and piety shops sell coloured candles for Advent wreaths, as well as wreaths and stands to hold the candles which could be decorated. The closest stores to our church are:
- Church Stores, corner Great Western Highway and Bransgrove Street, Wentworthville
- St Patrick’s Cathedral Gift Shop, 1 Marist Place, Parramatta
- CMP Religious Store (Sisters of Mary, Queen of the World), 31 Jamieson St, Granville
While Church Stores and St Patrick’s Gift Shop have online stores, it is best to visit in person to see the full range of Advent stock available at the time.
Excerpts from the English translation of the Book of Blessings, © 1985, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. Excerpts from the English translation of the Roman Missal, © 2010, ICEL. All rights reserved.
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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