Greatings and good Wishes

[Duke of Buckingham]

Thanks Searcher. Always the best pictures.

[Fire$torm]

Thank you SEARCHER but I am not familiar with Advents holiday. What is it about?

[Mumps]

Thank you SEARCHER but I am not familiar with Advents holiday. What is it about?

Um, commonly referred to as "Advent" for us Lutherans/Christians out here. The season leading up to Christmas. As his picture may have hinted to you, the Advent wreath has 4 candles on it. One lit each week leading up to Christmas.

[Duke of Buckingham]

In the Nordic countries it is common to make for the season of Advent wreaths made of pine branches. The crowns behave 4 candles in their corners attached to the branches forming a circle. Each Sunday illuminates one.

The candles want to represent the various stages of salvation.

Below is the significance of each candle of Advent.

1st Sunday: the forgiveness offered to Adam and Eve They died in the land but live in God.
2nd Sunday: the faith of the patriarchs. They believe in the gift of the promised land.
3rd Sunday: the joy of King David. He celebrated the alliance and its perpetuity.
4th Sunday: the teaching of the prophets: They announced a kingdom of peace and justice with the coming of the Messiah.
Vicariate of Communication.

Symbols of Advent
Various symbols of Advent helps us delve into the mystery of the incarnation and live better this time. Among them there is the Advent wreath or crown. It is made of woven evergreen branches, forming a circle, in which are placed four large candles representing the four weeks of Advent. The crown can be placed beside the altar or anywhere else visible. Each Sunday a candle is lit; Sunday the 1st one, the second two and so on until the 4 candles lit on the 4th Sunday. The light source indicates the proximity of Christmas, when Christ the Savior and Light of the world shine for all mankind, and is also our faith and joy that comes by God. The purple candles invites us to purify our hearts in preparation to welcome the Christ who comes. The pink candle, calls us to joy, for the Lord is near. The golden details foreshadow the glory of the coming kingdom.

The Advent wreath
Source: The Advent Wreath has its origins in a pagan tradition in Europe. In winter, lit up some candles representing the "fire of the sun god" with the hope that their light and heat back. The first missionaries took this tradition to evangelize people. They broke their own ways to advertise their faith. Thus, the crown is formed by a large number of symbols:

The circular shape
The circle has no beginning nor end. It is a sign of God's love that is eternal, without beginning and without end, and also of our love of God and neighbor that should never end. Moreover, the circle gives an idea of "bond" of marriage between God and people, as a great "Alliance".

The green branches
Green is the color of hope and life. Hopefully God wants his grace, his merciful forgiveness and glory of eternal life at the end of our lives. Blessings that have been bestowed by the Lord Jesus, in His first coming amongst us, and now with renewed hope, look forward to its consummation, in its second and final round.

The four candles
The four candles symbolize the crown, each one of the four weeks of Advent. In the beginning, we see our crown without light and dull. Reminds us of the experience of the darkness of sin. The extent to which you approach Christmas, let's while the weeks of Advent, lighting one by one the four candles representing well the arrival in our midst, the Lord Jesus, light of the world, who dispels all darkness, bringing our hearts awaited reconciliation. The first candle reminds the pardon granted to Adam and Eve The second symbolizes the faith of Abraham and the other patriarchs, who was announced the Promised Land. The third recalls the joy of King David who received God's promise of an everlasting covenant. The fourth recalls the prophets who announced the coming of the Savior.

[Fire$torm]

Um, commonly referred to as "Advent" for us Lutherans/Christians out here. The season leading up to Christmas. As his picture may have hinted to you, the Advent wreath has 4 candles on it. One lit each week leading up to Christmas.

hmmm interesting. I was baptized in '98 but I've never heard of that observance before. I have seen it, lighting the candles and all but.....
Must be my home church's Pentecostal roots. Church was founded by Swedish immigrants during the Great Depression.

[Mumps]

hmmm interesting. I was baptized in '98 but I've never heard of that observance before. I have seen it, lighting the candles and all but.....
Must be my home church's Pentecostal roots. Church was founded by Swedish immigrants during the Great Depression.

Yeah. Around here most everyone is German descent, so it does sort of make sense that it's a regional kind of thing.

[Duke of Buckingham]

A more complete explanation is on wikipedia. I am not christian as you know but I studied in a college where we had two hours a week of religion for seven years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advent

[SEARCHER]

A very toughtful and silent 2. Advent for all SETI.USA MEMBERS,

and for all SETI.USA FRIENDS.





With many Greatings your SEARCHER

[SEARCHER]

Duke of Buckingham, for your exact Informations about the Adventstime in Europe.


Many Greatings SEARCHER

[SEARCHER]

And some special Greatings for Duke of Buckingham, Fire$torm and mumps.





SEARCHER