Advent Sunday

The Western Christian Advent season lasts 22 to 28 days and has four Sundays. An exception is the common in the Archdiocese of Milan, Ambrosian rite, which has six Sundays. Also in the Eastern Churches takes the Advent season - here called Christmas fasting - six weeks.

With the first Vespers of the first Sunday of Advent ( in Austria Advent Sunday) begins the Advent season and at the same time in the Catholic and Protestant churches, the new church year. Advent ends on Christmas Eve with the first Vespers of Christmas.

The Sundays of Advent are in the Lutheran liturgy after the opening words of the Introit, named the entrance song of the Holy Mass in the Catholic liturgy only the name of the 3rd Sunday of Advent ( Gaudete ) is commonly used:

The focus of the Annunciation to the four Sundays of Advent are the readings from the Gospels that give the services a particular topic. This varies depending on the denomination:

• Advent
• Church year
• Sunday