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Advent Wreath, Candles and Poinsettias
In the early church, clergy and laypeople alike
looked for ways to mark the season of Advent. According to Ace Collins’
book the “Traditions of Christmas”, the Vikings started the Advent
wreath. He states. “In far Northern Europe the Vikings who had converted
to Christianity grasped upon the idea of Advent with an exuberance that
did not exist in the rest of the world. Because the Norse winters were
so long and dark, the light that Jesus brought to the earth, along with
the promise of everlasting life beyond the bounds of a harsh world,
meant a great deal to these new believers. Out of this faith and their
cultural interpretation of the Christmas season the Vikings created the
Advent wreath.”
Evergreen trees were an inspiration to the people
in Northern Europe. During the winter when most of the other plants were
dormant, the Evergreen was a symbol of faith. They took the limbs and
shaped it like a wheel. To help mark the passing days of winter and
remember the strength of their faith, they placed a candle in the wreath
to symbolize the light brought into the world with Christ birth.
Over time the Advent wreath made its way into the
church. It is believed to have started in the Lutheran churches. As it
stands now the candles represent hope, love, joy, and peace. In some
churches they may have a little different meaning. The color of candles
may vary. The use of four purple candles with the white Christ candle is
the most popular version used today. Years ago one candle was red for
the blood Christ shed for all. With red being the primary color used by
the secular world to celebrate Christmas, the use of the red candle was
dropped. Some churches use a pink candle in lieu of red on the third
Sunday of Advent.
The pink candle has a rather strange origin. At
one time the pope had a custom of giving someone a rose on the fourth
Sunday Lent. The effect was to give some relief of the solemnest of the
season. Eventually the pink candle made its way to the third Sunday of
Advent.
The Lutheran church has set the tradition. The
pink candle is being dropped, since it is not a liturgical color in the
church. In the future, the candles will mostly be four purple and the
center white Christ candle. The Christ candle is not lighted until after
sundown on Christmas Eve.
The color of the paraments used in the church
during Advent dictates the color of the candles in the Advent wreath. If
blue paraments are used in place of purple, then the candles are blue.
In decorating the sanctuary for Christmas gold is
used rather than red, because gold is the symbol of royalty. The
different colors of poinsettias represent variety in creation.
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