What is Advent?
The simplest way to explain it is, Advent is a time of anticipation for Christ’s birth in the season leading up to Christmas. But that is only part of it. The word “Advent” is derived from the Latin word adventus, which means “coming.” In the Greek translation, this means parousia.
Scholars believe that during the 4th and 5th centuries, Advent was a season of ‘preparation’ for the baptism of new Christian’s at the January feast of Epiphany, the celebration of God’s incarnation represented by the visit of the Magi to baby Jesus (Matthew 2:1), His baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist (John 1:29), and His first miracle at Cana (John 2:1). During this season of preparation, Christian’s would spend 40 days in penance, prayer, and fasting to prepare for the celebration. By the 6th century, Roman Christians had tied Advent to the coming of Christ. The “coming” they had in mind was not Christ’s first coming … but His second coming as the Judge of the world (see Revelation). It was not until the Middle Ages when the Advent season was explicitly linked to Christ’s first coming … Christmas.
St. Andrew Advent Novena
The St. Andrew Christmas novena is traditionally recited 15 times per day starting on November 30th and going through Christmas Day on December 25th.
Day 1 – St. Andrew Advent Novena
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment
In which the Son of God was born
Of the most pure Virgin Mary,
at midnight, in Bethlehem,
in the piercing cold.
In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee,
O my God,
to hear my prayer and grant my desires,
(Mention your request here…)
through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ,
and of His Blessed Mother.
Amen.
Say 1: Our Father… Say 1: Hail Mary… Say 1: Glory Be…
Day 2 – St. Andrew Advent Novena
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment
In which the Son of God was born
Of the most pure Virgin Mary,
at midnight, in Bethlehem,
in the piercing cold.
In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee,
O my God,
to hear my prayer and grant my desires,
(Mention your request here…)
through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ,
and of His Blessed Mother.
Amen.
Say 1: Our Father… Say 1: Hail Mary… Say 1: Glory Be…
Day 3 – St. Andrew Advent Novena
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment
In which the Son of God was born
Of the most pure Virgin Mary,
at midnight, in Bethlehem,
in the piercing cold.
In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee,
O my God,
to hear my prayer and grant my desires,
(Mention your request here…)
through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ,
and of His Blessed Mother.
Amen.
Say 1: Our Father… Say 1: Hail Mary… Say 1: Glory Be…
Day 4 – St. Andrew Advent Novena
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment
In which the Son of God was born
Of the most pure Virgin Mary,
at midnight, in Bethlehem,
in the piercing cold.
In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee,
O my God,
to hear my prayer and grant my desires,
(Mention your request here…)
through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ,
and of His Blessed Mother.
Amen.
Say 1: Our Father… Say 1: Hail Mary… Say 1: Glory Be…
Day 5 – St. Andrew Advent Novena
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment
In which the Son of God was born
Of the most pure Virgin Mary,
at midnight, in Bethlehem,
in the piercing cold.
In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee,
O my God,
to hear my prayer and grant my desires,
(Mention your request here…)
through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ,
and of His Blessed Mother.
Amen.
Say 1: Our Father… Say 1: Hail Mary… Say 1: Glory Be…
Day 6 – St. Andrew Advent Novena
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment
In which the Son of God was born
Of the most pure Virgin Mary,
at midnight, in Bethlehem,
in the piercing cold.
In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee,
O my God,
to hear my prayer and grant my desires,
(Mention your request here…)
through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ,
and of His Blessed Mother.
Amen.
Say 1: Our Father… Say 1: Hail Mary… Say 1: Glory Be…
Day 7 – St. Andrew Advent Novena
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment
In which the Son of God was born
Of the most pure Virgin Mary,
at midnight, in Bethlehem,
in the piercing cold.
In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee,
O my God,
to hear my prayer and grant my desires,
(Mention your request here…)
through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ,
and of His Blessed Mother.
Amen.
Say 1: Our Father… Say 1: Hail Mary… Say 1: Glory Be…
Day 8 – St. Andrew Advent Novena
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment
In which the Son of God was born
Of the most pure Virgin Mary,
at midnight, in Bethlehem,
in the piercing cold.
In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee,
O my God,
to hear my prayer and grant my desires,
(Mention your request here…)
through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ,
and of His Blessed Mother.
Amen.
Say 1: Our Father… Say 1: Hail Mary… Say 1: Glory Be…
Day 9 – St. Andrew Advent Novena
Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment
In which the Son of God was born
Of the most pure Virgin Mary,
at midnight, in Bethlehem,
in the piercing cold.
In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee,
O my God,
to hear my prayer and grant my desires,
(Mention your request here…)
through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ,
and of His Blessed Mother.
Amen.
Say 1: Our Father… Say 1: Hail Mary… Say 1: Glory Be…
What about the wreath and candles?
The Advent wreath first appeared in Germany in 1839. Eventually, the Advent wreath would be created out of evergreens to symbolize everlasting life in the midst of winter and death. The circular shape of the wreath reminds us of God’s unending love and the everlasting life He makes possible through salvation. Advent candles can be red and white; the red being lit on weekdays and the four white candles being lit on Sundays. The red color points ahead to Jesus’ sacrifice and death. Pinecones symbolize the new life Jesus brings through His resurrection. Traditionally, families begin lighting a candle on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, and light another candle each subsequent Sunday.
The most common Advent candle tradition, however, involves four candles. A new candle is lit on each of the four Sundays before Christmas. Each candle represents something different, although traditions vary. The four candles traditionally represent hope, faith, joy, and peace. Often, the first, second, and fourth candles are purple; the third candle is rose-colored. Sometimes all the candles are red; in other traditions, all four candles are blue or white. Occasionally, a fifth white candle is placed in the middle and is lit on Christmas Day to celebrate Jesus’ birth.
Advent and Christian Life
While Advent is indeed a time of celebration and anticipation of Christ’s birth, it is only in the shadow of Advent that the miracle of Christmas is fully understood and appreciated. Moreover, it is only in the light of Christmas that the Christian life makes any sense. The promise for Israel, the Church, and for all of us is, and forever will be, Jesus Christ. He has come, and He will come again in His glory. This is the essence of Advent.
