ADVENT BEGINS

The Advent season marks a new year for Christians who observe it. It is a period of hope, growth, and self-reflection.

The little town ; Image Source: ubuy

'Advent' is the Latin word for ‘coming’ or ‘arrival.’ The Advent Season is a period of anticipation and expectance for the birth of Jesus Christ. It was also used to be known as the Nativity Fast or Lent of St. Martin’s.

The Western Advent focuses on two advents, the birth of Christ and Parousia, or the Second Coming, which is the belief that He will return again to Earth after two thousand years from Heaven. It is uncertain when the practice of Advent began, but some claim that it may have begun in the year 480 by the Council of Tours. They ordered monks to fast every day in December till Christmas. This practice was then adopted throughout France by the Macon Council in 581. Fasting during the Advent Season saw a decline during the Middle Ages due to the tumultuous nature of this period.

Advent traditions were celebrated with renewed vigour during the period of the inception of the Advent Calendar. Traditional Advent Calendars feature elements typical of Christmas, like the Nativity scene, Saint Nicholas, or other elements of winter, but in today’s day and age, they have modernised and include sports and technology as well. The first print of the Advent Calendar can be accredited to a German named Gerhard Lang in 1908. His business ran well until the Nazis banned the use of calendars with images. The Nazis came up with their own version of the Calendar, with images of swastikas and military tanks. After World War II, the production of these calendars was renewed by Richard Sellmer. His calendar was based on a traditional winter town scene, and his work was called ‘The Little Town’. His company, Sellmer-Verlag, is still an important producer of Advent Calendars, which are available in hundreds of different varieties. Calendars filled with chocolate were also started in the year 1958, and it was popularised by Cadbury later on.

Advent is celebrated over four consecutive Sundays before Christmas, and although it is considered a Lutheran practice, the practice of commemorating it has spread to other Christian denominations. The tradition of the Advent wreath is common among these denominations- a practice that has been practiced since its conception in 1839 by a Lutheran Minister in Germany. Each of the consecutive Sundays represents a separate virtue of Christ and is conveyed in the wreath through each of the four candles lit- hope, peace, joy, and love. The wreath is circular in its form to represent the infinite love of God, and they are fashioned from evergreen leaves. Other elements used in it are holly leaves, berries, laurels, mistletoe, pine cones, nuts, and seeds. Holly leaves tend to be prickly, and they are meant to characterize the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The red from the berries used illustrates Christ’s sacrifice and bloodshed for sins.

Several countries celebrate Advent in their own ways. In India, Christians form 2.3% of the population. Among the Goan populace, the Christmas traditions are filled with Indian and Portuguese influences. People sing carols, decorate Christmas trees and hang star lanterns. The commonly consumed foods during this season in Goa are Neureos (flaky pastry stuffed with dry nuts and coconut), Dodol (a toffee confection made with coconut and cashew), and roast turkey and chicken. The Christians of the Bhil folk sing carols for an entire week before Christmas. Other parts of India that celebrate this are Mumbai, Kerala, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Chennai, Bangalore, etc.

Advent Wreath ; Image Source: wikipedia