What does word advent mean

Christianity is the largest religious group globally, with roughly 2.4 billion adherents equalling 33 percent of the total population. So, we’d say there’s a good chance you’ve come across the word advent — but do you know what it means? Or how to use it in a sentence? 

Not to worry, this article will provide you with everything you need to know about advent, including its definition, origin, synonyms, and more. By the end of this post, you should better understand the word advent and even feel comfortable using it in a sentence. 

What Is the Definition of Advent?

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, advent can be defined as the fact of an event happening, an invention being made, or a person arriving. 

In a different definition provided by the Oxford English Dictionary, advent refers to the first season of the Church’s liturgical year leading up to Christmas. 

Other definitions of advent include:

• The arrival of a notable person, thing, or event

• The coming or second coming of Christ

• The time when something or someone begins or arrives; the first appearance of someone or something

What Is the Origin of Advent?

Advent derives from the Latin word adventus (quite literally meaning “coming” or “arrival”), which is a translation of the Greek word parousia (παρουσία) — a word commonly used in anticipation of the arrival of a king, official, or emperor.  

The history of advent is a little blurry; however, many scholars believe that sometime during the 4th and 5th centuries in Gaul and Spain, Advent was a season of preparation for the baptism of new Christians at the January feast of Epiphany, which is:

• The celebration of God’s incarnation, represented by the Magi’s visit to baby Jesus

• Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist

• Jesus’ first miracle at Cana 

By the 8th century, Advent was generally observed for six weeks in the East and seven in the West. But by the 12th century, the West shortened it down to four weeks.

Synonyms, Antonyms, and Related Words

Now that you understand what our word of the day means, let’s look at a few synonyms, antonyms, and related terms to help get you better acquainted with advent, shall we? 

Synonyms of advent:

• Arrival
• Appearance
• Emergence
• Surfacing
• Occurrence
• Dawn
• Origin
• Birth
• Rise
• Development
• Approach
• Coming
• Looming
• Onset
• Entrance
• Visitation

Antonyms of advent:

• Departure 
• Disappearance
• Evacuate
• Decampment
• Exit
• Farewell
• Leaving
• End
• Absence 
• Egress
• Evacuation

Related words:

• Advent calendar
• Nativity
• Coming of Jesus
• Denominations
• Messiah
• Advent wreath
• Easter
• Isaiah
• Jesus Christ
• Advent candles 
• White candle
• Old testament
• New testament
• Lent
• Lutheran

Examples of Advent Used in a Sentence

Advent is defined as the coming or arrival of something. With this in mind, quiz yourself to see how many sentences you can come up with using the word advent. 

To get you going, feel free to check out our usage examples listed below:

With the advent of technology, working from home has become easier than ever!

The elders of the church are discussing the advent of the messiah tonight.

With the advent of the railways, it’s no wonder why tourism boomed.

The Advent hymn O Come, O Come, Emmanuel is my favorite to sing.

Advent always commences on the fourth Sunday before Christmas.

Did you know that advent is also known as the Nativity Fast in Orthodox Christianity? 

Don’t forget to light the advent candles!

Thanks to the advent of electronic banking, paper checks have practically become obsolete!

How Do You Celebrate Advent?

The advent season is a period of spiritual preparation. 

Celebrating advent typically involves a season of prayer, repentance, and fasting, followed by hope, anticipation, and joy. With that in mind, here are a few more ways you can celebrate the season of Advent with loved ones: 

• Set aside time for family bible study
• Attend an advent event at your local church
• Make an advent wreath and use it as a part of your daily prayer and reflection
• Make a Jesse tree
• Visit a living nativity
• Get involved with your parish
• Celebrate advent saints
• Encourage thankfulness
• Connect to history 

Summary

The season leading up to Christmas, advent is observed by Catholics and other liturgical groups, such as Anglicans, Methodists, and Lutherans. It’s a time of anticipation, a time of preparation, and a time of remembrance. 

The Christian advent tradition celebrates the coming of Jesus Christ through his birth in Bethlehem. It starts on the fourth Sunday before December 25 and ends on Christmas Eve. 

No one is sure when the first advent was celebrated, but it dates back to hundreds of years ago when monks were ordered to fast during December in the days leading up to Christmas. 

We hope this guide has provided you with a better understanding of the word advent. In short, advent is the period of four Sundays and weeks before Christmas. To discover more interesting words, feel free to explore our website, where you’ll also find useful grammar tools and helpful tips.  

Sources:

1. Advent English Definition and Meaning | Lexico.com
2. Advent | definition | Cambridge English Dictionary
3. Advent | Description, Meaning, History, & Symbols | Britannica

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Latin adventus (“arrival, approach”).

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /ˈæd.vɛnt/, /ˈæd.vənt/

Noun[edit]

advent (plural advents)

1. arrival; onset; a time when something first comes or appears

   • Death’s dreadful advent

   • 1853, Herman Melville, «Bartleby, the Scrivener,» in Billy Budd, Sailor and Other Stories, New York: Penguin, 1968; reprinted 1995 as Bartleby, →ISBN, page 3:

     At the period just preceding the advent of Bartleby, I had two persons as copyists in my employment, and a promising lad as an office-boy.

   • 2008, Philip Roth, Indignation:

     The car in which I had taken Olivia to dinner and then out to the cemetery — a historic vehicle, even a monument of sorts, in the history of fellatio’s advent onto the Winesburg campus in the second half of the twentieth century — went careening off to the side…

   • 2012, Christoper Zara, Tortured Artists: From Picasso and Monroe to Warhol and Winehouse, the Twisted Secrets of the World’s Most Creative Minds, part 1, chapter 2, 51–52:

     Berlin’s six-decade career began before the advent of radio and ended during the height of Beatlemania.

Synonyms[edit]

• (coming): arrival, approach, oncome, onset

Derived terms[edit]

[edit]

• advene
• adventure

Translations[edit]

Catalan[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

• Advent

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Latin adventus.

Pronunciation[edit]

• (Balearic) IPA^(key): /ədˈvent/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /ədˈben/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /adˈvent/
• Rhymes: -ent

Noun[edit]

advent m (plural advents)

1. Advent

Further reading[edit]

• “advent” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “advent”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2023
• “advent” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “advent” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Czech[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Latin adventus.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): [ˈadvɛnt]
• Hyphenation: ad‧vent

Noun[edit]

advent m inan

1. Advent (season before Christmas)

Declension[edit]

[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• advent in Příruční slovník jazyka českého, 1935–1957
• advent in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého, 1960–1971, 1989

Danish[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Latin adventus.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /advɛnt/, [ˈaðˌvɛnˀd̥]

Noun[edit]

advent c (singular definite adventen, plural indefinite adventer)

1. Advent (the period from Advent Sunday to Christmas)

Inflection[edit]

Dutch[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Middle Dutch advent, borrowed from Latin adventus.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /ɑtˈfɛnt/
• Hyphenation: ad‧vent
• Rhymes: -ɛnt

Noun[edit]

advent m (uncountable)

1. (Christianity) Advent (period from the fourth Sunday before Christmas until Christmas Eve)

Derived terms[edit]

• adventskaars
• adventskalender
• adventstijd

Descendants[edit]

• Afrikaans: Advent
• → Indonesian: adven
• → Javanese: adven
• → Papiamentu: atvènt

Norwegian Bokmål[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Latin adventus.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /ɑdʋɛnt/

Noun[edit]

advent m (definite singular adventen, indefinite plural adventer, definite plural adventene)

1. Advent (period before Christmas)

Derived terms[edit]

• adventskalender

References[edit]

• “advent” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Latin adventus.

Noun[edit]

advent f (definite singular adventa, indefinite plural adventer, definite plural adventene)

1. Advent (period before Christmas)

Derived terms[edit]

• adventskalender

References[edit]

• “advent” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old Frisian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Latin adventus.

Noun[edit]

advent m

1. advent

Inflection[edit]

Romanian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from French advent or Latin adventus.

Noun[edit]

advent n (plural adventuri)

1. Advent

Declension[edit]

Serbo-Croatian[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

• àdvenat

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Latin adventus (“coming to”), perfect passive participle form of verb advenīre (“come to”).

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /ǎdʋent/
• Hyphenation: ad‧vent

Noun[edit]

àdvent m (Cyrillic spelling а̀двент)

1. (Christianity) Advent (period or season of the Christian church year between Advent Sunday and Christmas)

Declension[edit]

[edit]

• Àdvent

References[edit]

• “advent” in Hrvatski jezični portal

Swedish[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Old Swedish advent, borrowed from Latin adventus (“arrival, approach”). Compare Swedish åtkomst.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /adˈvɛnt/

Noun[edit]

advent n

1. Advent

Declension[edit]

Declension of advent
	Uncountable
Indefinite	Definite
Nominative	advent	adventet	—	—
Genitive	advents	adventets	—	—

[edit]

• adventskalender
• adventsljusstake
• adventsrätt
• adventsstjärna
• adventssöndag
• adventstid
• adventsäpple

Descendants[edit]

• → Finnish: adventti

(The word «advent» comes from the Latin word that means ❋ Unknown (2009)

Even in advent, we usually try and find time during the evening to light candles and sing a song or two. ❋ Unknown (2009)

To await its advent is to adopt a policy of indefinite drift, and possibly lose an opportunity that may never be so favourable again. ❋ Unknown (1916)

No; social intercourse may be long in coming, but its advent is sure; the mischief is already done. ❋ Pauline Elizabeth (1902)

Zerubbabel’s kingdom was not independent and settled; also all the prophets end their prophecies with Messiah, whose advent is the cure of all previous disorders. ❋ Unknown (1871)

As Jehovah’s advent is glorious to His people, so it is terrible to His foes. burning coals — Ps 18: 8 favors English Version. ❋ Unknown (1871)

Highlights of this title The advent of VoiceXML, the open standard for IVR and next-generation IVR platforms, is helping businesses to re-evaluate the strategic value of IVR in the enterprise.

Hence His human nature could not [4151] be understood, prior to the consummation of those things which had been predicted, that is, the advent of Christ. ❋ 1819-1893 (2001)

Until, that is, the advent of Minimalism, an ethos so certain of its rightness, both aesthetic and historic, that it stands in the causeway of late 20th-century art as the most intractable of obstacles. ❋ Unknown (2001)

When the first list had displayed Young Marius’s name second from the top, Julia and Mucia Tertia had come to see Aurelia; as these visits were usually the other way around, their advent was a surprise. ❋ McCullough, Colleen, 1937- (1993)

All this put together can be characterized as the advent of a new life in Cuba. ❋ Unknown (1984)

The evening congregation was scattering, so their advent was the more noticeable. ❋ Mary Hitchcock (N/A)

By accident I came upon her that evening, at last, in the salon; yet my advent was the signal for her departure, and all the words she had for me were: ❋ Rafael Sabatini (1912)

Between the first advent, which is the subject of the Gospels, and the second advent, which is the subject of the Apocalypse, we have the present interval, which is the subject of the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles. ❋ 1837-1913 (1909)

I recall the advent of a new attendant — a young man studying to become ❋ Clifford Whittingham Beers (1909)

Their advent will be the beginning of the end for steam traction on land and of the steam ship at sea: the end indeed of the Age of Coal and Steam. ❋ Unknown (1906)

Along upper Broadway, his advent was a golden joy. ❋ Harry Leon Wilson (1903)

His advent is a day of happiness for the father, of still greater satisfaction for the young mother. ❋ William Stearns Davis (1903)

«You are no longer a member of [Advent].»
«[Shootemup] left Advent to join [Easy Company].» ❋ Brent Soffey (2006)

Person Thing: I’m [ADVENT].
Horny Wannabe-Messican: (Fake [Fobby] Accent) [Oh baby]. ❋ Ee? (2005)

«Advent uses [dynamicity].»
«Advent [Guild] [Online]!» ❋ Silrani (2006)

[Florence] [wore] [all pink] to celebrate Advent RC. ❋ Peeler (2008)

Did you see [the latest] [AC] pictures? Sexier than a lesbian [gang bang]!!! ❋ Jamie (2004)

[I want] an Advent calendar. ❋ RoseCandyFloss (2014)

«Dude, I am so [growing] an [Advent beard] this [year]» ❋ Madmax_fargo (2010)

It’s [Christmas Eve] and [I forgot] to open the last 15 days of my [Advent Calendar]. I’m going on an Advent Binge. ❋ Mwmonty (2011)

Final Fantasy Fanboy «Hey Set! Wasn’t Advent Children a great movie!?!»
Set «Sure it was. If by great you mean: A poor story, a poor script, poor [voice acting], and a bunch of cell phones. But i guess [all that’s] ok, because the two emos had a big, [overblown] fight scene.» ❋ Set Abominae (2007)

[Reno] [teamkilled] Rude in Advent Children.
How is [Tseng] alive again in Advent Children?! ❋ ~souba~ (2005)

It has Latin roots and a double spiritual meaning.

In the weeks before Christmas many Christians around the world celebrate a season of preparation called “Advent.” However, few know what this word actually means.

The word “Advent” stems from the Latin word adventus, which literally means “coming” or “arrival.” In context, this commonly refers to the coming of Jesus on Christmas day.

St. Jerome, when composing the Latin Vulgate, also used adventus when translating the Greek word parousia. This word has a similar meaning, but in a broader context refers to Jesus’ second coming at the end of time.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church confirms this double meaning, “When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Savior’s first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second coming” (CCC 524).

There is even an ancient tradition that says Jesus will come again during the Advent season. For this reason as we prepare for the celebration of Christmas, we recognize that Jesus could come again at any time and prepare our own hearts to receive him when he does.

Read more:
How Hebrew-speaking Catholics make Advent longer

Read more:
How to use an Advent wreath

This article is about the Western Christian practice. For Eastern Christian practice, see Nativity Fast. For other uses, see Advent (disambiguation).

Advent
Lighting the candles of an Advent wreath in a church service
Observed by	Christians
Type	Christian, cultural
Significance	Preparation for the Second Coming and commemoration of the birth of Jesus
Observances	Church services, completing an Advent calendar and Advent wreath,[1] praying through a daily devotional,[1] erecting a Chrismon tree,[1] hanging of the greens,[1] lighting a Christingle,[2] gift giving, family and other social gatherings
Begins	Fourth or (in the Ambrosian and Mozarabic Rites) sixth Sunday before Christmas
2022 date	27 November
2023 date	3 December
2024 date	1 December
2025 date	30 November
Frequency	Annual
Related to	Christmastide, Christmas Eve, Annunciation, Epiphany, Epiphanytide, Baptism of the Lord, Nativity Fast, Nativity of Jesus

Advent is a season observed in most Christian denominations as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for both the celebration of the Nativity of Christ at Christmas and the return of Christ at the Second Coming. Advent is the beginning of the liturgical year in Western Christianity. The name was adopted from Latin adventus «coming; arrival», translating Greek parousia from the New Testament, originally referring to the Second Coming.

The season of Advent in the Christian calendar anticipates the «coming of Christ» from three different perspectives: the physical nativity in Bethlehem, the reception of Christ in the heart of the believer, and the eschatological Second Coming.^[3]

Practices associated with Advent include Advent calendars, lighting an Advent wreath, praying an Advent daily devotional,^[1] erecting a Christmas tree or a Chrismon tree,^[1] lighting a Christingle,^[2] as well as other ways of preparing for Christmas, such as setting up Christmas decorations,^[4][5][6] a custom that is sometimes done liturgically through a hanging of the greens ceremony.^[1][7]

The analogue of Advent in Eastern Christianity is called the Nativity Fast, but it differs in meaning, length, and observances, and does not begin the liturgical church year as it does in the West. The Eastern Nativity Fast does not use the term parousia in its preparatory services.^[8]

Dates[edit]

In the Western Rite of the Orthodox Church, and in the Anglican, Lutheran, Moravian, Presbyterian, and Methodist calendars, Advent commences on the fourth Sunday before Christmas (always falling between 27 November and 3 December), and ends on Christmas Eve on 24 December.^[9][10]

In the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, Advent begins with First Vespers (Evening Prayer I) of the Sunday that falls on or closest to November 30 and it ends before First Vespers (Evening Prayer I) of Christmas.^[11] The first day of Advent also begins a new liturgical year. In the Ambrosian Rite and the Mozarabic Rite of the Catholic Church, Advent begins on the sixth Sunday before Christmas, the Sunday after St. Martin’s Day (11 November).^[12]

Significance[edit]

For Western Christians of the Catholic and Lutheran traditions, Advent signifies preparation for a threefold coming of Christ: firstly in the Incarnation at Bethlehem, then in a perpetual sacramental presence in the Eucharist, and thirdly at his Second Coming and final judgement.^[13][14]

History[edit]

It is not known when the period of preparation for Christmas that is now called Advent began, though it was certainly in existence from about 480; the novelty introduced by the Council of Tours of 567 was to order monks to fast every day in the month of December until Christmas.^[15] According to J. Neil Alexander, it is «impossible to claim with confidence a credible explanation of the origin of Advent».^[16]

Associated with Advent as a time of penitence was a period of fasting, known also as St Martin’s Lent or the Nativity Fast.^[17] According to Saint Gregory of Tours the celebration of Advent began in the fifth century when the Bishop Perpetuus directed that starting with the St. Martin’s Day on 11 November until Christmas, one fasts three times per week; this is why Advent was sometimes also named «Lent of St. Martin». This practice remained limited to the diocese of Tours until the sixth century.^[18]

The Council of Macon held in 581 adopted the practice in Tours. 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, and fasted every day of Advent.

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.^[19] 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.^[20] Under Charlemagne in the ninth century, writings claim that the fast was still widely observed.

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 the feast of Saint Andrew until Christmas Day, since the solemnity of this apostle was more universal than that of St. Martin.^[21]

When Pope Urban V ascended the papal seat in 1362, he imposed abstinence on the papal court but there was no mention of fasting. It was then customary in Rome to observe five weeks of Advent before Christmas. The Ambrosian Rite has six. The Greeks show no more real consistency. Advent was an optional fast that some begin on 15 November, while others begin on 6 December or only a few days before Christmas.^[22]

The liturgy of Advent remained unchanged until the Second Vatican Council 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.^[23]

Traditions[edit]

The theme of readings and teachings during Advent is often the preparation for the Second Coming and the Last Judgement. While the Sunday readings relate to the first coming of Jesus Christ as saviour as well as to his Second Coming as judge, traditions vary in the relative importance of penitence and expectation during the weeks in Advent.

Liturgical colour[edit]

Since approximately the 13th century, the usual liturgical colour in Western Christianity for Advent has been violet; Pope Innocent III declared black to be the proper colour for Advent, though Durandus of Saint-Pourçain claims violet has preference over black.^[24] The violet or purple colour is often used for antependia, the vestments of the clergy, and often also the tabernacle.
On the third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, rose may be used instead, referencing the rose used on Laetare Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Lent.^[25] A rose coloured candle in Western Christianity is referenced as a sign of joy (Gaudete) lit on the third Sunday of Advent.^[26]

While the traditional color for Advent is violet, there is a growing interest in and acceptance, by some Christian denominations of blue as an alternative liturgical colour for Advent, a custom traced to the usage of the Church of Sweden (Lutheran) and the Mozarabic Rite, which dates from the 8th century.^[27]

The Lutheran Book of Worship lists blue as the preferred colour for Advent while the Methodist Book of Worship and the Presbyterian Book of Common Worship identify purple or blue as appropriate for Advent. 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. 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.^[28]

This colour is often called «Sarum blue», referring to its purported use at Salisbury Cathedral. Many of the ornaments and ceremonial practices associated with the Sarum rite were revived in the Anglican Communion in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as part of the Anglo-Catholic Oxford Movement in the Church of England. While Anglican liturgist Percy Dearmer does not object to the use of blue during Advent, he did not attribute its use to Sarum. «[T]he so-called Sarum uses are really one-half made up from the fancy of nineteenth-century ritualists.»^[29] While the Sarum use was influential, different dioceses, including Salisbury, used a variety of colored vestments.^[30] «In the Sarum Rite the Advent colour was red, but it could very well have been the red-purple known as murray…»^[31]

The Roman Catholic Church retains the traditional violet.^[32] Blue is not generally used in Latin Catholicism,^[33] and where it does regionally, it has nothing to do with Advent specifically, but with veneration of the Blessed Virgin.^[34] However, on some occasions that are heavily associated with Advent, such as the Rorate Mass (but not on Sundays), white is used.^[35]

During the Nativity Fast, red is used by Eastern Christianity, although gold is an alternative colour.^[36]

Music[edit]

Many churches hold special musical events, such as Nine Lessons and Carols and singing of Handel’s Messiah oratorio. The Advent Prose, an antiphonal plainsong, may be sung. The «Late Advent Weekdays», 17–24 December, mark the singing of the Great Advent ‘O antiphons’.^[37] These are the daily antiphons for the Magnificat at Vespers, or Evening Prayer, in the Roman Catholic and Lutheran churches, and Evensong in Anglican churches, 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».

German songs for Advent include «Es kommt ein Schiff, geladen» from the 15th century and «O Heiland, reiß die Himmel auf», published in 1622. Johann Sebastian Bach composed several cantatas for Advent in Weimar, from Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 61, to Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147a, but only one more in Leipzig where he worked for the longest time, because there Advent was a silent time which allowed cantata music only on the first of the four Sundays.

During Advent, the Gloria of the Mass is omitted, so that the return of the angels’ song at Christmas has an effect of novelty.^[38] Mass compositions written especially for Lent, such as Michael Haydn’s Missa tempore Quadragesimae, in D minor for choir and organ, have no Gloria and so are appropriate for use in Advent.

Fasting[edit]

Bishop Perpetuus of Tours, who died in 490, 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. It was therefore called Quadragesima Sancti Martini (Saint Martin’s Lent).^[12] This period of fasting was later shortened and called «Advent» by the Church.^[39]

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 1917), 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. Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches still hold the tradition of fasting for 40 days before Christmas.

Local rites[edit]

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.^[40]

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.^[41]

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 Italian tradition, the shepherds played these pipes when they came to the manger at Bethlehem to pay homage to the infant Jesus.^[42]

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.^[6]

Since 2011, an Advent labyrinth consisting of 2500 tealights has been formed for the third Saturday of Advent in Frankfurt-Bornheim.^[43][44]

Advent wreath[edit]

The keeping of an Advent wreath is a common practice in homes or churches.^[45] The concept of the Advent wreath originated among German Lutherans in the 16th century.^[46] However, it was not until three centuries later that the modern Advent wreath took shape.^[47] The modern Advent wreath, with its candles representing the Sundays of Advent, originated from an 1839 initiative by Johann Hinrich Wichern, a Protestant pastor in Germany and a pioneer in urban mission work among the poor.^[48]

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. Custom has retained only the large candles.^[49]

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 the four Sundays of Advent, and the green twigs are 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 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.^[50]

The candles 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.^[51]

In Orthodox churches there are sometimes wreaths with six candles, in line with the six-week duration of the Nativity Fast/Advent.

In Sweden, white candles, symbol of festivity and purity, are used in celebrating Saint Lucy’s Day, 13 December, which always falls within Advent.

Four Sundays[edit]

In the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, the readings of Mass on the Sundays of Advent have distinct themes:^[50]

1. On the First Sunday (Advent Sunday), they look forward to the Second Coming of Christ.
2. On the Second Sunday, the Gospel reading recalls the preaching of John the Baptist, who came to «prepare the way of the Lord»; the other readings have associated themes.
3. On the Third Sunday (Gaudete Sunday), the Gospel reading is again about John the Baptist, the other readings about the joy associated with the coming of the Saviour.
4. On the Fourth Sunday, the Gospel reading is about the events involving Mary and Joseph that led directly to the birth of Jesus, while the other readings are related to these.

In another tradition:^[52][53]

1. The readings for the first Sunday in Advent relate to the Old Testament patriarchs who were Christ’s ancestors, so some call the first Advent candle that of hope.
2. The readings for the second Sunday concern Christ’s birth in a manger and other prophecies, so the candle may be called that of Bethlehem, the way, or of the prophets.
3. The third Sunday, Gaudete Sunday after the first word of the introit (Philippians 4:4), is celebrated with rose-coloured vestments similar to Laetare Sunday at the middle point of Lent. The readings relate to John the Baptist, and the rose candle may be called that of joy or of the shepherds. In the Episcopal Church USA, the collect «Stir up» (the first words of the collect) may be read during this week, although before the 1979 revision of the Book of Common Prayer it was sometimes read in the first Sunday of Advent. Even earlier, ‘Stir-up Sunday’ was once jocularly associated with the stirring of the Christmas mincemeat, begun before Advent. The phrase «stir up» occurs at the start of the collect for the last Sunday before Advent in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.^[54]
4. The readings for the fourth Sunday relate to the annunciation of Christ’s birth, so the candle may be known as the Angel’s candle. The Magnificat or Song of Mary may be featured.
5. Where an Advent wreath includes a fifth candle, it is known as the Christ candle and is lit during the Christmas Eve service.

Other variations of the themes celebrated on each of the four Sundays include:

• The Prophets’ Candle, symbolizing hope; the Bethlehem Candle, symbolizing faith; the Shepherds’ Candle, symbolizing joy; the Angel’s Candle, symbolizing peace^[50]
• Hope–Love–Joy–Peace^[55][56]
• Hope–Peace–Joy–Love^[57]
• Faithfulness–Hope–Joy–Love^[58]
• Prophets–Angels–Shepherds–Magi^[58]
• Faith–Prepare–Joy–Love^[59]

See also[edit]

• Christmas market
• Dormition Fast
• Ember days
• Fasting and abstinence in the Roman Catholic Church
• Four last things
• Great Lent
• Mortification of the flesh in Christianity
• Nativity Fast

References[edit]

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). «Advent». Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

External links[edit]

• Daily Advent Devotional (LHM)
• The Season of Advent (Christian Resource Institute)
• Advent Sermon Series from the Society of Saint John the Evangelist, a monastic community in the Episcopal Church
• American Catholic: Advent to Epiphany Prayers, calendar and activities
• Liturgical Resources for Advent
• Advent FAQ at the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod web site Archived 10 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine
• Advent Online Devotional site
• Online Resources for the Season of Advent at The Text This Week
• Artcyclopedia Advent Calendar 2004

Further reading[edit]

• Book of Common Prayer, 1979 according to the usage of The Episcopal Church

пришествие, приход, наступление, прибытие, рождественский пост

существительное ↓

Словосочетания

advent calendar — рождественский календарь  
advent of freshet — наступление паводка; движение паводка  
advent fast — Рождественский пост  
advent of nuclear weapons — появление ядерного оружия  
advent of weapons — доставка оружия на место  
advent star — рождественская звезда  
advent time — время вступления сейсмической волны  
project advent management agency — управление по руководству разработкой спутника связи  
second advent — второе пришествие  
time of advent — время вступления сейсмической волны  

Примеры с переводом

Возможные однокоренные слова

adventure  — приключение, авантюра, риск, приключенческий, рисковать, отваживаться
adventive  — адвентициальный, добавочный, наружный, случайный

Формы слова

noun
ед. ч.(singular): advent
мн. ч.(plural): advents

Asked by: Anya Stoltenberg DDS

Score: 4.8/5
(37 votes)

Advent is a season of the liturgical year observed in most Christian denominations as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for both the celebration of the Nativity of Christ at Christmas and the return of Christ at the Second Coming.

What does Advent literally mean?

The word ‘Advent’ literally means ‘coming‘ – it’s derived from the Latin word ‘Adventus’. Originally, it had very little to do with Christmas, and was a 40-day period of fasting (more on that in a moment) and contemplation to prepare new Christians for baptism in January, at the feast of Epiphany.

What are the 3 meanings of Advent?

a coming into place, view, or being; arrival: the advent of the holiday season. Usually Advent . the coming of Christ into the world. Advent, the period beginning four Sundays before Christmas, observed in commemoration of the coming of Christ into the world. Usually Advent .

What does Advent mean in Christianity?

Advent is a season marking the preparation for and celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Getty Images. Do not Sell my Personal Information. It begins four Sundays before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve.

What does Advent symbolize?

Advent means «coming,» and during the season, Christians prepare for Jesus’ coming. … The candles on the Advent wreath symbolize hope, love, joy and peace. The candles are lit in that order, beginning today.

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