3 historical facts to know about Advent Page 3

Two advent pillar candles burning for the second week of Advent. | iStock/Kara Gebhardt

2. Lighting candles in an Advent wreath

An advent wreath contains four candles, one for each week before Christmas. While it likely has its roots in northern European Yule traditions, it was Christianized in Germany in the 16th century. The contemporary practice of lighting candles is credited to German theologian-Pastor Johann Hinrich Wichern in the mid-1800s.

Three candles are purple, and one is rose-colored. According to the Catholic Education Resource Center, "[t]he purple candles in particular symbolize the prayer, penance, and preparatory sacrifices and goods works undertaken at this time. The rose candle is lit on the third Sunday, Gaudete Sunday, when the priest also wears rose vestments at Mass; Gaudete Sunday is the Sunday of rejoicing, because the faithful have arrived at the midpoint of Advent, when their preparation is now half over and they are close to Christmas."

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