How do you prepare for Advent?

Today is the First Sunday of Advent. Advent is often called a “Little Lent” because just like Lent, Advent is meant to be a penitential season. In the past, Advent was 40 days long (just like Lent) but now is just 4 weeks long. We have four candles on our Advent Wreath to help us count and observe the four weeks of Advent. We also see the violet and rose colors of Lent during the season of Advent because purple is a color used in the liturgy to represent repentance and sorrow for our sins. Another similarity to Lent is that we do not sing the Gloria during the Mass during Advent. The first candle on the Advent wreath – a purple one – is often called the Prophet’s Candle and symbolizes hope because Jesus is coming soon! (Source & Image: MorningOffering.com)

The word Advent is from the Latin adventus for "coming" and is associated with the four weeks of preparation for Christmas. Advent always contains four Sundays, beginning on the Sunday nearest the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle (November 30) and continuing until December 24.

In 2023, Advent begins on December 3 and ends on December 24 (Christmas Eve), as the Mass of the Lord’s Nativity begins. Christmas Day is December 25. (Source: EWTN)

Advent Calendar