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Christmas Eve Begins: Interesting Facts About Advent – Inspirational Ideas – House

Initially, Advent was a time of fasting

The word “Advent” comes from the Latin word “Adventus”, which meant the coming of Christ. Although no one can say exactly when Christians started celebrating Advent, one fact is clear – in the 5th century, monks began fasting three times a week in November to prepare for Christmas, reports the Mental Floss portal.

The shape of the Advent wreath is not chosen at random

Advent and Christmas are Christian holidays, so it is not for nothing that the attributes of Christmas are associated with biblical motives. The crown is woven with several symbols from the Bible, the most important being the shape of the ring: the ring is infinite, without beginning and end – it symbolizes the love of God and the immortality of the soul. The shape of the crown is especially popular in Christianity – since the 7th century, wreaths have been used in children’s baptisms and wedding ceremonies.

PHOTO: Jānis Škapars

Advent is a time of joy and sorrow

Historically, it was believed that during Advent, people had to mourn the sorrows that had accumulated throughout the year in order to start the next year with a white sheet. However, this did not mean that all four weeks of Advent had to be spent with tears in our eyes. This is also a time of hope that provides a ray of positive hope for next year’s events.

The tradition of decorating the Advent wreath dates back to the 16th century

The tradition of decorating Advent wreaths and lighting candles dates back to around the 16th century in Germany. Even before candle lighting had become a Christian tradition, candles served as a tool for waiting for spring and counting weeks in Germanic culture. In the past, the autumn and winter periods were especially gloomy – the days are short, the evenings dark and long, but the weather is cool and unpleasant. The progress of candle lighting was like a ray of hope for the coming spring, but over time this practice was adopted by Christians, symbolizing the expectations of the holiday.

PHOTO: Jānis Škapars

The order of lighting the candles was important

Four Sundays before Christmas, wreath candles were lit in each church, and they were lit in a special order, namely, each following week was lit with the flame of the previous week’s candle. This order of tanning represented a specific event from the Bible. In some countries, people also lit the fifth candlelight on Christmas Eve.

Purple is the most popular Advent candle color

Today, there are countless variations of Advent wreaths, candle colors, shapes and layouts, but according to classical traditions, the right choice of candle colors will be purple tones. Candles of this color are most often chosen by the churches, and it also has a special meaning – this color in Christianity symbolizes repentance and fasting.

PHOTO: Jānis Škapars

The third Advent is the most important

Although the numbering of Advent Sundays may not matter, the most special week of Advent is the Third Advent, when the churches began to celebrate the coming of Christ. This week, people decorated homes with pink decorations and candles that symbolized joy, redemption, and prayer.

PHOTO: Ideas for luxurious Advent wreaths

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