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TraditionsAcolyte lighting Advent candlesThe 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 Jesus Christ as savior and to his second coming as judge, special readings are prescribed for each of the four Sundays in Advent.The usual liturgical colour in Western Christianity for Advent is purple or blue. The purple colour is often used for hangings around the church, on the vestments of the clergy, and often also the tabernacle. On the 3rd Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, rose may be used instead, referencing the rose used on Laetare Sunday, the 4th Sunday of Lent. In some Christian denominations, blue, a colour representing hopefulness, 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 & Anglican), which dates to the eighth century. This color is often referred to as "Sarum blue". The Lutheran Book of Worship lists blue as the preferred colour for Advent while the Methodist Book of Worship identifies purple or blue as being appropriate for Advent. There has been an increasing trend to supplant purple with blue during Advent as it is an hopeful season of preparation that anticipates both Bethlehem and the consummation of history in the second coming of Jesus Christ. 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. During the Nativity Fast, red is used among the denominations of Eastern Christianity, although gold is an alternative colour.Many churches make use of Advent wreaths during this season, with one candle representing each of the four Sundays of Advent. The rose candle is lit on the 3rd Sunday of Advent. During Christmas Day, four white candles are used.In Advent, the Advent Prose, an antiphonal plainsong, may be sung. The "Late Advent Weekdays", December 17-24, mark the singing of the Great Advent 'O antiphons'. These are the antiphons for the Magnificat at Vespers, or Evening Prayer (in the Roman Catholic and Lutheran churches) and Evensong in Anglican churches each day and mark the forthcoming birth of the Messiah. They form the basis for each verse of the popular Advent hymn, "O come, O come, Emmanuel".From the 4th century the season was kept as a period of fasting as strict as that of Lent (commencing in some localities on 11 November; this being the feast day of St. Martin of Tours, the fast became known as "St. Martin's Lent", "St. Martin's Fast" or the "forty days of St. Martin"). The feast day was in many countries a time of frolic and heavy eating, since the 40-day fast began the next day. In the Anglican and Lutheran churches th is fasting rule was later relaxed, with the Roman Catholic Church doing likewise later, but still keeping Advent as a season of penitence. In addition to fasting, dancing and similar festivities were forbidden in these traditions. The third Sunday in Lent was a Rose Sunday, when the color of the vestments was changed and a relaxation of the fast was permitted. The Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches still hold the tradition of fasting for 40 days before the Nativity Feast.Censing During Solemn Advent Vespers (St. Mary's Catholic Church, Greenville, South Carolina).In many countries Advent was long marked by diverse popular observances, some of which still survive. 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 me nace 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 is believed driving out such vermin as are 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, the Italian tradition being that the shepherds played these pipes when they came to the manger at Bethlehem to pay homage to the infant Jesus.In recent times the commonest 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. End of the liturgical yearIn Anglican churches the Sunday b efore Advent is sometimes nicknamed Stir-up Sunday after the opening lines of the Book of Common Prayer collect for that day. In the Roman Catholic Church since 1969, and in most Anglican churches since at least 2000, the final Sunday of the liturgical year before Advent has been celebrated as the Feast of Christ the King. This feast is now also widely observed in many Protestant churches, sometimes as the Reign of Christ. In consequence, the collect for the first Sunday of Advent in the Episcopal Church USA is no longer "stir up". Since the 1979 revision of the Book of Common Prayer that collect is read on the third Sunday of the season. See alsoAdvent calendarAdvent candleAdvent wreathApostles' FastDormition FastFasting and abstinence in the Roman Catholic ChurchGreat LentLentMortification of the flesh in ChristianityRogation Days References^ Kallistos (Ware), Bishop (1969), "The Five Cycles", The Festal Menaion, London: Faber and Faber, p.40^ a b c d e "The Color Blue in Advent". The United Methodist Church GBOD. /worship/default.asp?act=reader&item_id=1828&loc_id=9,32,44. Retrieved 2009-12-14.^ "The Season of Advent - Anticipation and Hope". CRI/Voice, Institute. /cyadvent.html. Retrieved 2009-12-14.^ "Liturgical Vestment Colors of the Orthodox Church". . /vestment/liturgical_colors.html. Retrieved 2009-12-14.^ The book of days: a miscellany of popular antiquities in connection with the calender, Philadelphia 1864, editor Robert Chambers. Volume 2, p. 724-5. Available digitalized at Google books:^ William Hone, The Year Book of Daily Recreation and Information. London: Thomas Tegg, 1832. As quoted on /Text/Hone/december_5_advent_in_normandy.htm. Accessed 16:16 GMT 05/02/2010^ Christmas customs and traditions, their history and significance, Clement A. Miles, p. 112. IBSN 978-0486233543Book of Common Prayer, 1979 according to the usage of The Episcopal Church External linksWikimedia Commons has media related to: AdventChristian Season of Adv ent at the Christian Resource InstituteCatholic Encyclopedia: AdventAdvent history, hymns, virtual wreath at i.UCC online communityAmerican Catholic: Advent to Epiphany Prayers, calendar and activitiesLiturgical Resources for AdventAdvent FAQ at the Missouri Synod Lutheran web siteAdvent wreath FAQ at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America web siteAdvent Resources at The Bible Resource Center, an online ministry of the American Bible SocietyHistory of AdventAdvent Online Devotional sitevdeChristmasMainChristmas Eve Christmas Day History Bringers of gifts Decorations EconomicsChristianityNativity of Jesus Nativity of Jesus in art Nativity scene Nativity of Jesus in later culture Jesus Christ Mary Joseph Angel Gabriel Adoration of the Shepherds Three Magi Star of Bethlehem King Herod Massacre of the Innocents Saint Nicholas Bethlehem Twelfth Night Epiphany Advent ChristmastideFolkloreFather Christmas Santa Claus Mrs. Claus Santa Claus' elves Santa Claus's reindeer Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Sinterklaas Pre Nol Joulupukki Ded Moroz La Befana Christkind Black Peter Krampus Belsnickel Le Pre Fouettard North Pole Santa's workshop Korvatunturi Knecht RuprechtTraditionsTwelve Days of Christmas Christmas trees Wassailing Yule log Stockings Ornaments Lights Crackers Nutcrackers Cookies Christmas cards Christmas music Christmas films Christmas stamps NORAD Tracks Santa Secret Santa Advent calendars Yule Goats Santa Claus parades Flying Santa Christmas markets Plants Food Feasts Events Parades Worldwide: German Irish Philippine Polish Serbian UkrainianMediaFiction Films PlaysTV: Episodes SpecialsMusic: Albums Carols Hit singles and tracks Other Christmas music and songsSocietyChristmas club Christmas controversy Christmas creep Christmas Island Christmas Mountains Christmas truce Christmas in various languages Black Friday Cyber Monday Boxing Day Super Saturday White Christmas Christmas Day (Trading) Act 2004 Christmas and holiday season Related h olidays List of winter festivals SantaCon Running of the Santas Christmas in July Christmas in August Christmas in the American Civil War Christmas in Puritan New England Christmas in the post-War United States Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus Hollywood Christmas Parade Categories: Christian festivals and holy days | Christmas-linked holidays | Liturgical calendar | AdventHidden categories: Articles containing Latin language text