In the Christian Church, a period of penitence and preparation for the celebration of the first coming of Christ at Christmas, and for his promised second coming to judge the world. It begins on Advent Sunday, the fourth Sunday before Christmas (in effect, the Sunday nearest 30 November).
| Liturgical year |
|---|
| Western |
| Advent Christmas season Epiphany Lent Easter season Feast of the Ascension Pentecost Ordinary Time (Kingdomtide) |
| Eastern |
| Feast of Cross Nativity Fast Nativity Theophany Great Lent Pascha Pentecost Transfiguration Dormition Intercession |
Advent (from the Latin Adventus, sc.
Tradition
The theme of readings and teachings during advent is often to prepare for the Second Coming while commemorating the First Coming of Christ at Christmas. With the view of directing the thoughts of Christians to the first coming of Christ as Saviour, and to his second coming as Judge, special lessons are prescribed for each of the four Sundays in Advent.
Eastern Orthodox tradition
In Eastern Orthodox churches — where it is also called the Nativity Fast, Winter Lent, or the Christmas Lent — it lasts forty days, beginning on November 15 (for those churches using the Julian calendar this is equivalent to November 28), and in other churches from the Sunday nearest to St. Andrew's Day (30th of November) until Christmas. A canon of a council at Saragossa in 380, forbidding the faithful to be absent from church during the three weeks from the 17th of December to the Epiphany, is thought to be an early reference to Advent.
Western Christian tradition
In Western Christianity, Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. The earliest Advent can begin is November 27 and the latest is December 3. Very often Advent begins on the Sunday after the American Thanksgiving. However, if December 24, Christmas Eve, should fall on a Sunday (as in 2006), the Sunday obligation for Catholics to attend Mass still applies, and it is treated as the Fourth Sunday of Advent, and the Vigil of Christmas is commemorated in the Mass. this being the feast day of St. Martin, the fast became known as "St. Martin's Fast" or "St. Martin's Lent"), but in the Anglican and Lutheran churches this rule was relaxed, with the Roman Catholic Church doing likewise later, but still keeping Advent as a season of penitence.
By country
In many countries, Advent was long marked by diverse popular observances, some of which still survive. 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 the Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Marking the passing of Advent
Advent in the Christian sense refers to the four weeks before Christmas. The four Sundays of advent are often traditionally celebrated with four candles, often on an Advent wreath, with one to be lit each Sunday.
In popular usage, Advent is the month of December up to Christmas Day. A common way of marking the days of this advent, particularly among children who believe in Santa Claus, is an Advent Calendar.
There are also advent counters that use candles, stories or toys of every day in December until Christmas Day, but are not in traditional calendar form.
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