Saturday, November 28, 2015
By LINDA M. LINONIS
YOUNGSTOWN
In many churches and some homes, decorating an Advent wreath and reading Scripture and special prayers continue as a religious and seasonal custom. The first Sunday of Advent is this weekend.
Monsignor Michael Cariglio, pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Basilica, 343 Via Mount Carmel, explained the Advent wreath is traditionally made of evergreen boughs. “That’s the sign of life with something that is evergreen,” he said. “That is symbolic of the One who is life ... Christ.
“The prickly aspect, the needles, are a reminder of Christ’s crucifixion and the salvation of the world,” he said.
Four candles are featured in the wreath, marking the four weeks of Advent. “The candles represent how Christ dispels the darkness and how He is the light of the world.”
Monsignor Cariglio said the horizontal wreath includes four candles, three purple and one rose. Comparing the wreath to a clock, the candles are positioned at noon, 3, 6 and 9. The rose candle is for the third Sunday of Advent. Monsignor said the candles are lighted following a clockwise rotation, starting with noon. For each week of the season, another candle is lighted.
“The color purple reminds God’s people that Advent is a time of prayer, penance and conversion,” he said. “The rose candle is lighted the third Sunday. This is a time to rejoice because Advent is nearly over and Christmas is near.” He added that priests wear purple vestments during Advent except on the third Sunday, when rose is worn.
Monsignor Cariglio said the progressive lighting of candles reflects the expectation of Christ’s birth.
The Catholic Education Resource Center explained that the tradition of lighting candles on a wreath dates back centuries when people lighted candles during the dark days of December as a sign of hope for the coming spring. Christians adapted the tradition by the Middle Ages as a part of spiritual preparation during Advent. The Advent wreath is not limited to Catholicism; Lutherans and others also use the wreath.
A modern adaption, the center explained, includes placing a white candle in the middle of the wreath at Christmas to represent Christ. Another tradition replaces the colored candles with white ones that are lighted throughout the Christmas season.
Individuals also may have Advent wreaths, which are usually lighted around dinner time. Various websites provide prayers for each week.
The word Advent comes from Latin words, advenire (to come to) and adventus (an arrival). They refer to Christ’s coming.
“Advent captures the true spirit of Christmas. This is about the greatest gift of all,” said Monsignor Cariglio.
The spiritual tone of Advent asks people to “open up their hearts,” said Monsignor Cariglio. He also pointed out that Advent prayers are mainly scripturally based.
Among popular Advent hymns are “O Come Emmanuel, “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming” and “Behold a Virgin.”
At the basilica, Brenda Archer-Knorr volunteered to decorate the Advent wreath. A 40-year church member, she said she stepped forward to take on the task to honor her mother, Virginia Poccia, who died in 2007 and was a Mount Carmel member. She also wanted to remember her mother-in-law, Mary Knorr, who died in 2010 and was a member of St. Pius Church in Warren. As she decorated, her father, Nicholas Poccia, watched the process.
“The idea just popped into my head and I decided to do it to honor them,” Archer-Knorr said.
“God gave a me a talent. I love to decorate,” she said, recalling her mother also decorated for Christmas.
To enhance the evergreen ring, Archer-Knorr used purple and some rose poinsettias. She grouped the appropriate colored silk flowers around the same colored candle. To add depth, dimension and interest, she placed branches of berries around the wreath along with sprigs of glittered ferns in white. Silver bows also accented the wreath.
Archer-Knorr said decorating the Advent wreath also was her way of “honoring the Blessed Virgin, who has been my patron for years.” “This is a tribute to Mary and Christ’s coming,” she said. “It is my way of saying, ‘I love you.’”
“Christmas, for me, spiritually is a time of showing my appreciation for blessings on my loved ones and me,” she said.