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Advent 2026 begins on Sunday, November 29 and ends on December 24, Christmas Eve.
Advent is the time with which the Christian liturgical year begins. In Latin it means adventus Redemptoris or «Coming of the Redeemer» and it is the first period of the Christian liturgical year that consists of a time of spiritual preparation for the solemnity of the Nativity, the liturgical name for Christmas, in which the birth of Jesus is celebrated. Its duration can vary from 21 to 28 days, since it is celebrated during the four Sundays before Christmas. Consequently, the first Sunday of Advent is located between November 27 and December 3.
Advent wreath: a symbol of celebration
In the celebration of this Catholic tradition together with the family, the Advent Wreath is used. It is a wreath made with branches of pine, fir or evergreen species, which contains four candles or candles, representing the liturgy of the Church and one is lit each Sunday before Christmas.
The Advent Wreath was used as a calendar leading up to Christmas Day, attributed to Johann Hinrich Wichern (1808-1881). He was a German Protestant pastor who carried out missionary work among the urban poor.
In 1839 the children of a school founded by Wichern asked daily if Christmas Day had arrived. That is why the shepherd built a wooden ring, made from an old cart wheel, with nineteen small red candles and four white candles. During Advent they lit a small candle every day of the week and every Sunday they lit a large candle. This way they could determine how close they were to celebrating Christmas.
During the Sundays of Advent families and the community gather to pray and share.
The circle of the crown symbolizes the eternal cycle of the seasons and the love of Christ that has no beginning or end, the green branches are the hope of the coming and birth of Jesus, the red ribbon is the love of Christ that surrounds us and the light means the «light of the world», the spirit, the persistence and the force of life.
The lighting of the four candles symbolizes the preparation to receive the light of Christmas. You are assigned a virtue to practice during each week: love, peace, tolerance and faith. A fifth white candle is usually placed in the center, which is lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, known as the Christ Candle.
The liturgical colors of the candles of the Advent Wreath represent the following:
Purple: means spiritual deepening and corresponds to the color of the priest’s vestments used in the Advent period.
Pink: it is used at the Gaudete Sunday mass in the third week of Advent, to indicate the proximity of Christmas.
White: symbolizes purity and a time of joy.
How is Advent celebrated?
Celebrating the time of Advent varies, according to the liturgical particularities of the Christian churches that celebrate it: Catholic Church, Orthodox Church, Anglican Communion, Protestant Churches (Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Moravian) and Coptic Church.
A common element consists of placing an Advent Wreath in churches and homes. We mention below the traditions of some of them:
Catholic and Christian Church:
It is customary to read Bible verses, sing Christmas carols and pray with good wishes and blessings.
While waiting for Christmas, the manger, nativity scene or Bethlehem is set up at the beginning of Advent or during the Advent season. It is placed in a visible place or at the foot of the Christmas tree.
Orthodox Church:
Advent involves abstinence from food. A strict fast is carried out, known as the Nativity Fast.
Anglican Communion:
Advent represents the commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ and the renewal of hope in the Second Coming of Christ, called the Parousia.
Bible readings, sermons and Advent catechesis are carried out.
The traditional colors of vestments in Advent are purple or indigo blue and pale pink.
Some traditionalist churches continue mandatory fasting and abstinence.
