Love Came Down: Anglican Readings for Advent and Christmas

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Martin , 11 November, until Christmas, one fasts three times per week; this is why Advent is also named Lent of St.

This practice remained limited to the diocese of Tours until the sixth century. But the Macon council held in adopted the practice in Tours and soon all France observed three days of fasting a week from the feast of Saint Martin until Christmas. The most devout worshipers in some countries exceeded the requirements adopted by the Council of Macon, and fasted every day of Advent.

The homilies of Gregory the Great in the late sixth century showed four weeks to the liturgical season of Advent, but without the observance of a fast. In the thirteenth century, the fast of Advent was not commonly practised although, according to Durand of Mende, fasting was still generally observed. As quoted in the bull of canonisation of St.

Louis, the zeal with which he observed this fast was no longer a custom observed by Christians of great piety. It was then limited to the period from Saint Andrew until Christmas Day, since the solemnity of this apostle was more universal than that of St. When Pope Urban V ascended the papal seat in , he simply forced people in his court to abstinence but there was no question of fasting. It was then customary in Rome to observe five weeks of Advent before Christmas.

This is particularly discussed in the Sacramentary of St. Ambrosian or Milan Liturgies have six. The liturgy of Advent remained unchanged until the Second Vatican Council, in , introduced minor changes, differentiating the spirit of Lent from that of Advent, emphasising Advent as a season of hope for Christ's coming now as a promise of his Second Coming. The theme of readings and teachings during Advent is often the preparation for the Second Coming , while also commemorating the First Coming of Christ at Christmas.

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The first clear references in the Western Church to Advent occur in the Gelasian Sacramentary , which provides Advent Collects, Epistles, and Gospels for the five Sundays preceding Christmas and for the corresponding Wednesdays and Fridays. In some Christian denominations , blue, a colour representing hope, is an alternative liturgical colour for Advent, a custom traced to the usage of the Church of Sweden Lutheran and the medieval Sarum Rite in England.

In addition, the colour blue is also used in the Mozarabic Rite Catholic and Anglican , which dates from the 8th century. This colour is often referred to as "Sarum blue". There has been an increasing trend in Protestant churches to supplant purple with blue during Advent as it is a hopeful season of preparation that anticipates both Bethlehem and the consummation of history in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Advent Readings for - Sunday Scriptures

Proponents of this new liturgical trend argue that purple is traditionally associated with solemnity and somberness, which is fitting to the repentant character of Lent. The Roman Catholic Church retains the traditional violet. During the Nativity Fast, red is used by Eastern Christianity, although gold is an alternative colour. Many churches also hold special musical events, such as Nine Lessons and Carols and singing of Handel's Messiah oratorio.

Also, the Advent Prose , an antiphonal plainsong , may be sung. They form the basis for each verse of the popular Advent hymn, " O come, O come, Emmanuel ". During Advent, the Gloria of the Mass is omitted, so that the return of the angels' song at Christmas has an effect of novelty.

Bishop Perpetuus of Tours, who died in , ordered fasting three days a week from the day after Saint Martin's Day 11 November. In the 6th century, local councils enjoined fasting on all days except Saturdays and Sundays from Saint Martin's Day to Epiphany the feast of baptism , a period of 56 days, but of 40 days fasting, like the fast of Lent. In the Anglican and Lutheran churches this fasting rule was later relaxed. The Roman Catholic Church later abolished the precept of fasting at an unknown date at the latest in , later, but kept Advent as a season of penitence. In addition to fasting, dancing and similar festivities were forbidden in these traditions.

On Rose Sunday , relaxation of the fast was permitted.

DaySpring Love Came Down Advent Calendar

Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches still hold the tradition of fasting for 40 days before Christmas. In England, especially in the northern counties, there was a custom now extinct for poor women to carry around the "Advent images", two dolls dressed to represent Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary. A halfpenny coin was expected from every one to whom these were exhibited and bad luck was thought to menace the household not visited by the doll-bearers before Christmas Eve at the latest.

In Normandy , farmers employed children under twelve to run through the fields and orchards armed with torches, setting fire to bundles of straw, and thus it was believed driving out such vermin as were likely to damage the crops. In Italy, among other Advent celebrations is the entry into Rome in the last days of Advent of the Calabrian pifferari , or bagpipe players, who play before the shrines of Mary, the mother of Jesus: In recent times the most common observance of Advent outside church circles has been the keeping of an advent calendar or advent candle , with one door being opened in the calendar, or one section of the candle being burned, on each day in December leading up to Christmas Eve.

In many countries, the first day of Advent often heralds the start of the Christmas season , with many people opting to erect their Christmas trees and Christmas decorations on or immediately before Advent Sunday. Since , an Advent labyrinth consisting of tealights has been formed for the third Saturday of Advent in Frankfurt - Bornheim. The concept of the Advent wreath originated among German Lutherans in the 16th Century. In view of the impatience of the children he taught as they awaited Christmas, he made a ring of wood, with nineteen small red tapers and four large white candles.

Every morning a small candle was lit, and every Sunday a large candle.

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Custom has retained only the large candles. The wreath crown is traditionally made of fir tree branches knotted with a red ribbon and decorated with pine cones, holly, laurel, and sometimes mistletoe. It is also an ancient symbol signifying several things; first of all, the crown symbolises victory, in addition to its round form evoking the sun and its return each year. The number four represents, in addition to the four weeks of Advent, the four seasons and the four cardinal virtues, and the green colour is a sign of life and hope.

The fir tree is a symbol of strength and laurel a symbol of victory over sin and suffering. The latter two, with the holly, do not lose their leaves, and thus represent the eternity of God.

The flames of candles are the representation of the Christmas light approaching and bringing hope and peace, as well as the symbol of the struggle against darkness. For Christians, this crown is also the symbol of Christ the King , the holly recalling the crown of thorns resting on the head of Christ. The keeping of an Advent wreath is a common practice in homes or churches. The Advent wreath is traditionally placed on a table with four candles or, without candles, on the front door of the house as a welcome sign. The Advent wreath is adorned with candles, usually three violet or purple and one pink, the pink candle being lit on the Third Sunday of Advent, called Gaudete Sunday after the opening word, Gaudete , meaning "Rejoice", of the entrance antiphon at Mass.

Some add a fifth candle white , known as the Christ Candle, in the middle of the wreath, to be lit on Christmas Eve or Day. The candles added to the wreath crown symbolise, in one interpretation, the great stages of salvation before the coming of the Messiah; the first is the symbol of the forgiveness granted to Adam and Eve, the second is the symbol of the faith of Abraham and of the patriarchs who believe in the gift of the Promised Land , the third is the symbol of the joy of David whose lineage does not stop and also testifies to his covenant with God, and the fourth and last candle is the symbol of the teaching of the prophets who announce a reign of justice and peace.

Or they symbolise the four stages of human history; creation, the Incarnation, the redemption of sins, and the Last Judgment. In Sweden, white candles, symbol of festivity and purity, are used in celebrating Saint Lucy's Day , 13 December, which always falls within Advent. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. This article is about the Western Christian practice.

What Are Advent Readings & Why Are They Important?

For Eastern Christian practice, see Nativity Fast. For other uses, see Advent disambiguation. Baptists at Work in Worship. Wipf and Stock Publishers. There are a variety or worship practices that enable a congregation to celebrate Advent: Many churches hold Christingle services during Advent. Children are given a Christingle.

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