Advent wreath

The Advent, Advent wreath in Austria, is a braided usually made ​​of fir branches table or hanging jewelry with four candles of Advent, the Advent candles. The candles are lit during the Advent season in succession: On the first Sunday of Advent, a candle is lit, on the second advent and the second and so on.

History

Wichern shear Advent

The Advent wreath was introduced in 1839 by the Lutheran theologian and educator Johann Hinrich Wichern ( 1808-1881 ) in Protestant northern Germany. Nearly a century later, he was to be found in Catholic areas.

The story according to the Hamburg Wichern some children took them, who lived in great poverty. He moved with them into the Grey House, an old farmhouse, and assisted them there. Since the children are always asked during the Advent season, when at last was Christmas, he built in 1839 out of an old wagon wheel a wooden rim with 20 small red and four large white candles as a calendar. Each day of Advent another candle was lit now, on Advent Sunday a large candle more, so that the children could count the days until Christmas. This large version with minimal 18 when the Christmas Eve coincides with the fourth Sunday of Advent, to a maximum of 24 small when Christmas Eve falls on a Saturday, and four large candles hanging in the Advent and Christmas season, for example, in the church of St. Michaelis Church in Hamburg and the napping house.

Advent wreath with four candles

From the traditional Wichern 's Advent, the Advent wreath with four candles has evolved. Since about 1860 the Advent wreath of pine green is made. First time in 1925, a wreath was hung in a Catholic church. This took place in Cologne, 1930 followed by the first Advent wreath in Munich.

The occasionally expressed suspicion of the Christmas wreath have long existed before the time of Johann Hinrich Wichern is based on a poem which described the Advent wreath and the often incorrectly Matthias Claudius (1740-1815) is attributed. Indeed, the poetry of his great-grandson Hermann Claudius dates ( 1878-1980 ).

Symbolism

There are several interpretations of the symbolism of the Advent wreath. The original symbolism is the increase of light as an expression of the growing anticipation of the birth of Jesus Christ, who is called the " light of the world " in the Christian faith.

In addition, different interpretations have taken that relate to the circular shape, the symbolism of the wreath, the pine green in winter as well as the colors used candles or even the grinding: How the Advent wreath is often interpreted in terms of the world, and the four cardinal directions. The circle symbolizes the given with the resurrection of the eternity of life, the green is the color of hope and life, and the candles the next light, which illuminates the world on Christmas night.

The Benediktionale the Catholic Church has a rite for the blessing of the Advent wreath. In the Catholic Church and Catholic areas, it is sometimes customary to decorate the wreath with three purple candles and one pink candle. The pink candle is lit on the third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday (Latin for Rejoice ). The color symbolism is based on the liturgical color of the vestments: The liturgical color of Advent is purple; on the third Sunday of Advent can alternatively pink ( = violet, by the festive color shines white) vestments are used (see Laetare Sunday in Lent ).

Sometimes the Advent wreath with candles in four colors purple, red, pink and white decorated that are inflamed in that order. Also, with the individual candles designations connected, corresponding to the liturgy of Advent each Sunday: Isaiaskerze, John candle, candle etc. Marie

In the Catholic part of Ireland is the Advent wreath of five candles, three purple and one each in pink and white. The three purple candles are for the first, second and fourth Sunday of Advent, the pink candle for Gaudete Sunday. The fifth, white candle stands in the center of the Advent wreath and the Christmas Eve.

Even the Protestant Norway knows the tradition to choose the candles after the liturgical color. That's four violet candles according to the tradition of the Lutheran Church of Norway. In Sweden, the first candle is traditionally white, the other three purple. The white stands for the color of paradise, as Kristin Solli Schøien in the book " I en kurv til min datter " from 2003 describes.

There is the tradition that the Advent wreath adjacent candles or candles are always lit counterclockwise. The lighting of the candle opposite the second advent is considered in this tradition as wrong.

The symbolism of the Kerzenentzündens also deal with Christmas carols as we tell you to love Advent of Mary and Henry Ferschl pipe as well as the widespread nursery rhyme Advent, Advent, a candle burns.