The First Sunday in Advent: The Start of the Christmas Season

Advent Wreaths

Christmas is for the kid in all of us!

On the first Sunday in Advent, in many traditional churches, the first candle of their Advent wreath is lit – often by a child.

Where did these wreaths come from?

Advent wreaths have their origins in the folk traditions of northern Europe. There in the deep of winter, people lit candles on wheel-shaped bundles of evergreen. Both the greens and the circular shape symbolized eternal life. The candlelight gave comfort at this darkest time of the year, as people looked forward to the coming of spring.

But what else happens on the first Sunday in Advent? You may be surprised!

The official beginning!

Tree-lighting ceremonies often take place right around the first Sunday in Advent -- such as the festivities surrounding lighting London’s Trafalgar Square tree.

This Christmas tree is an annual gift from Norway to express that nation’s gratitude for Britain’s support during World War II.

When did all this get started?

The four weeks of the Advent season have probably been observed since the fourth century. In fact, during the Middle Ages, Advent began on November 11, the feast of St. Martin and lasted until Christmas Day. It was sort of a wintertime Lent -- with a focus on prayer and fasting.

Today, the first weekend in Advent is when many people start putting up Christmas decorations. Christmas lights on Main Streets and on large public Christmas trees are illuminated for the first time ... as we all get into the Christmas spirit!

A Day of Change

What do you mean the mass has changed?!?

On the First Sunday of Advent, 1964, Catholics across the world arrived at Sunday mass to find the priest facing them across the altar for the first time in their lives and – even more jarring – he addressed them not in Latin, but in their own language -- and the new liturgy required them to respond in kind.

In 2011, implementation of new English-language translation of the Roman Missal, the official text of prayers and responses used in the mass, was announced for November 27, 2011, the first Sunday of Advent and the beginning of the new liturgical year.

Not everybody's happy about that. After all, the old mass worked just fine for more than 40 years.

Cardinal Francis George, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said the Vatican has mandated priests and parishioners to change the text that most have repeated weekly for 40 years, such as the prayer, "Lord, I am not worthy to receive you," which is now changed to "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof."

Other familiar passages, such as "Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again" will no longer be used.

Changes to the wording of the Nicene and Apostles' creeds were also made. Pope John Paul II ordered the new translations to encourage greater faithfulness to the original Latin. In his opinion, translations into local languages after the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s were too hastily and sloppily produced.

Feliz Navidad!

Yes, Christmas is for kids!

In Chile, the bishop at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Santiago, traditionally blesses pregnant mothers on the first Sunday of Advent. Every year on “the Sunday of Hope,” expectant moms-to-be are invited to “deepen the mystery of life within them” – symbolizing Mary when she was heavy with the Christ Child.

The ceremony is meant to “bring dignity to the human life they carry,” said a Cathedral spokesman. “Maternity brings a special communion with the mystery of life which matures in the womb of a woman because all those who are conceived are fruits blessed by God now that they exist in the mother. In love the mother is already called to promote, care for, protect, defend and love this new life within her.”

Hallelujah!