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St. Margaret of Scotland Parish
The Advent Wreath is widely recognized as a symbol of Advent. The wreath is made of a circle of evergreen branches with four candles--three violet and one rose. The wreath symbolizes the endless nature of God's love for his people.
Its four candles representing the four weeks of Advent are in the circle of evergreen branches. The candles are a symbol of living light, Jesus Christ, whose light came forth on the first Christmas. The traditional act of lighting one candle each week reminds us of the growing power of Jesus.
Three of the candles are violet and one is rose. Violet is the symbol of repentance. The rose candle, which is lighted on Gaudete Sunday (the third Sunday of Advent), represents the joy we experience as we anticipate the joyful event which we are about to celebrate. One candle is lit during each week of Advent.
The Advent wreath is not strictly part of the church's official liturgy, but it is an important symbol of the preparation appropriate for the season of Advent. Many families also have an Advent wreath on the family table.