St. Philip the Apostle Church Fresh Advent Wreaths

Celebrate the season of Advent with a fresh evergreen Advent Wreath for one’s home and family. The wreaths are a mix of four different Christmas greens including Noble Fir, Pine, Douglas Fir and Juniper. One rose and four lavender 10″ tapers grace each wreath and will help prepare for the birth of Jesus.

The Advent Wreath Ceremony

Children love the beauty and simple traditional ceremony. Lighting candles in an Advent Wreath is a lovely way to start a tradition of family worship at home. The ceremony starts at the evening meal the first Sunday of Advent (December 3). The underlying symbolism of lighting one candle per week in Advent is the accumulation of light as an expression of the growing anticipation of the birth of Jesus. The circular wreath represents God’s eternity as it has no beginning or end, and the evergreens are a symbol of everlasting life. The following is a suggested way to celebrate this ceremony with the family at home… or create one’s own ceremony!

The First Week – Each night of the first week, the first purple candle is lit by the youngest child during the prayer before the meals and is left burning during the meal.

The Second Week – The eldest child lights the first and a second purple candle. Both candles burn during the evening meal.

The Third Week – The joyful Sunday in Advent is represented by a rose candle. Each night during the third week, the mother or another female in the family lights the pink, as well as the two previously burned candles.

The Fourth Week – The father or any remaining family members light all four candles in proper sequence during the fourth week. With the lighting of all four candles, the excitement builds and concludes on Christmas.

Order a fresh wreath for your home, for family members, or for your child’s classroom! Wreath will come with an instruction card explaying how to perform the Advent Wreath ceremony as well as how to keep it fresh throughout the holiday season.

Order forms due by Tuesday November 25th. Wreaths will be ready for pick-up on Sunday, November 30th after the 9:15 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. masses outside the Parish Hall.

Email Annette Blain for any questions or special requests at annettemr@earthlink.net

St. Philip the Apostle Church, 151 S. Hill Avenue, Pasadena, (626) 793-0693 or visit www.stphiliptheapostle.org.