The Advent wreath, or Advent crown, is a Christian
tradition that symbolizes the passage of the four weeks
of Advent. It is an evergreen wreath with four candles,
one for every sunday of Advent. Advent wreaths are
circular, representing God's infinite love, and are
usually made of evergreen leaves, which represent the
hope of eternal life brought by Jesus Christ. In
addition the four candles represent the light of God
coming into the world through and each of them can be
attributed its own signi...(+)
The Advent wreath, or Advent crown, is a Christian
tradition that symbolizes the passage of the four weeks
of Advent. It is an evergreen wreath with four candles,
one for every sunday of Advent. Advent wreaths are
circular, representing God's infinite love, and are
usually made of evergreen leaves, which represent the
hope of eternal life brought by Jesus Christ. In
addition the four candles represent the light of God
coming into the world through and each of them can be
attributed its own significance as well; they may
symbolize the Christian concepts of hope (week one),
peace (week two), joy (week three) and love (week
four).
Origin: Johann Hinrich Wichern, a Protestant pastor in
Germany and a pioneer in urban mission work among the
poor, was the inventor of the modern Advent wreath in
the 19th century. During Advent, children at the
mission school "Rauhes Haus", founded by Wichern in
Hamburg (Germany), would ask daily if Christmas had
arrived. In 1839, he built a large wooden ring made out
of an old cartwheel with 20 small red and 4 large white
candles. A small candle was lit successively every
weekday and Saturday during Advent. On Sundays, a large
white candle was lit. The custom gained ground among
Protestant churches in Germany and evolved into the
smaller wreath with four candles known today. Roman
Catholics in Germany began to adopt the custom in the
1920s, and in the 1930s it spread to North America.
Heidtmann, Klaus (1952 - )
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