The Easter Triduum: The Summit of the Liturgical Year!!

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE EASTER TRIDUUM

Introduction

The Easter Triduum, also known as the Sacred Paschal Triduum, is the most solemn and sacred time in the entire liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church. It spans three days, beginning on the evening of Holy Thursday and culminating on the evening of Easter Sunday. Unlike ordinary time periods, the Triduum is one continuous liturgical celebration that commemorates the most central mysteries of the Christian faith: the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. To read more on the this click here......

The Easter Triduum

THE SEASON OF LENT!!

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE SEASON OF LENT

ANOTHER NEW YEAR IN THE CHURCH'S CALENDAR

Introduction

Every year, as the season of Lent begins, a variety of essays, articles, posts, and tweets emerge discussing its observance. This season may be unfamiliar to many people, whether they are Christians or not, leading to inevitable questions about what Lent is and its purpose. If you are looking to learn more about the origins of Lent, you have come to the right place. To read more on the this click here

The Historical Origins of Lent

The History and Origin of Ash Wednesday

THE ADVENT SEASON!!

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE SEASON OF ADVENT

ANOTHER NEW YEAR IN THE CHURCH'S CALENDAR

HISTORY OF THE SEASON OF ADVENT A. WHAT DOES ADVENT MEAN The Advent season is a four-week period before Christmas that celebrates the anticipation of the coming of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. The origin of "advent" is from the Latin word adventus, which simply translates as "coming" or "arrival. The Christian meaning of Advent includes preparing for and celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas, celebrating the new life when someone accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior, and anticipating Jesus' return. B. THE HISTORY AND ORIGIN OF ADVENT The history and origin of Advent trace back to the early centuries of Christianity. Advent, derived from the Latin word "adventus," meaning "coming" or "arrival, initially had different meanings in various Christian traditions. Its roots can be found in the early Christian Church, where the preparation for Christmas was a significant focus, but it wasn't always a uniform observance. One of the earliest references to a period of preparation leading up to Christmas comes from the writings of St. Athanasius in the 4th century, although the practices and duration of this preparation varied between Eastern and Western branches of Christianity. The Eastern Orthodox Church emphasized fasting and penance during this time, while the Western Church, especially in Rome, laid the groundwork for what we now recognize as Advent. By the late 5th century, Pope St. Gregory the Great shaped Advent as a distinct liturgical season, lasting five to six weeks, depending on the proximity of the Feast of St. Andrew (November 30) and Christmas. During this time, it became customary to focus on themes such as Christ's second coming, the Last Judgment, and the Nativity, connecting past, present, and future aspects of Christ's 'coming. C. WHAT IS THE ADVENT WREATH? In the 6th century, St. Gregory I (also known as Gregory the Great) shaped some common Advent practices, including the use of the Advent wreath. This wreath,usually crafted from evergreen foliage in a circular shape, symbolizes God's eternal nature, the cyclical liturgical year, and the hope of eternal life. Advent wreaths gained wider recognition after Lutheran minister Johann Wichern created a wreath with candles representing the Sundays of Advent in 1839, using a wooden ring with candles to help the impatient children he was teaching mark the Sundays leading to Christmas. Though modern Advent wreaths retain only the larger candles, initially, Wichern's design included 19 small red tapers and 4 large white candles, each with a specific daily or weekly lighting tradition.Eventually, the Advent wreath was created out of evergreens, symbolizing everlasting life in the midst of winter and death as the evergreen is continuously green. The circle reminds us of God’s unending love and the eternal life He makes possible. The Advent wreath is a symbol of the season, with a candlelit each of the four Sundays leading up to and on Christmas Day. The light of the flickering candle flames reminds us of who Jesus is: “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:4-5). Advent candles are often nestled in the evergreen wreath. We will go into further detail on the purpose and meaning behind each advent candle below. Additional decorations, like holly and berries, are sometimes added. Their red colour points ahead to Jesus’ sacrifice and death on the cross, shedding his blood for our sins. Pinecones can symbolize the new life that Jesus brings through His resurrection. Families begin lighting a candle on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, and they light another candle each subsequent Sunday. D. THE MEANING AND SYMBOLISM OF THE ADVENT CANDLES Advent candles shine brightly in the midst of darkness, symbolizing and reminding us that Jesus came as Light into our dark world. The candles are often set in a circular Advent wreath. In Scandinavia, Lutheran churches light a candle each day of December; by Christmas, they have twenty-four candles burning. Another Advent candle option is a single candle with twenty-four marks on the side--the candle is lit each day and allowed to melt down to the next day’s mark. The Advent wreath is a meaningful guide, helping us prepare our hearts for the celebration of Christ’s birth. The most common Advent candle tradition, however, involves four candles around the wreath. Its four candles represent the powerful themes of hope, peace, joy, and love, with each one marking a week of reflection as we journey toward the nativity of our Lord. A new candle is lit on each of the four Sundays before Christmas. Each candle represents something different, although traditions vary. Often, the first, second, and fourth candles are purple; the third candle is rose-coloured. Sometimes all the candles are red; in other traditions, all four candles are blue or white. Occasionally, a fifth white candle is placed in the middle of the wreath and is lit on Christmas Day to celebrate Jesus’ birth. • The first candle symbolizes hope and is called the "Prophet’s Candle." The prophets of the Old Testament, especially Isaiah, waited in hope for the Messiah’s arrival. The purple colour symbolizes royalty, repentance, and fasting. • The second candle represents faith and is called "Bethlehem’s Candle." Micah had foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, which is also the birthplace of King David. The second candle is also purple to symbolize preparation for the coming king. • The third candle symbolizes joy and is called the "Shepherd’s Candle." To the shepherd’s great joy, the angels announced that Jesus came for humble, unimportant people like them, too. In liturgy, the colour rose signifies joy. This candle is coloured pink to represent joyfulness and rejoicing. • The fourth candle represents peace and is called the "Angel’s Candle." The angels announced that Jesus came to bring peace--He came to bring people close to God and to each other again. This colour is also purple to represent the culmination of love through the Messiah. • The (optional) fifth candle represents light and purity and is called "Christ’s candle." It is placed in the middle and is lit on Christmas Day. This candle is white to represent pure light and victory. E. Significance of Christ Three Comings For Western Christians of the Catholic, Advent signifies preparation for a threefold coming of Christ:  Firstly, in the Incarnation at Bethlehem, then in  Second Coming it is through the perpetual sacramental presence in the Eucharist, and  Thirdly, at his Second Coming and final judgement. Furthermore, Advent is a time to focus on his present coming to mankind in the Word and Sacraments.

STAY TUNE FOR THE PROGRAMME OF SOLEMN VESPERS FOR ADVENT

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