First Sunday of Advent for Catholics

The first Sunday of Advent, the period leading up to Catholic Christmas, is filled with special meaning Traditions and rituals that have developed over centuries are dedicated to it The holiday has a moving date, falling between November 27 and December 3 Christmas is taken as the starting point, or rather the day of the week on which it falls The four weeks before it are Advent, which lasts from 21 to 28 days The first mentions of the holiday date back to early times - to the 4th century But each country had its own characteristics, both celebrations and services The differences concerned the observance of fasting and other aspects of worldly life, for example, the possibility of marriage It was only much later that a single type of service and the number of days that constitute Advent today were formed On the first Sunday of Advent, a new liturgical year begins in the Catholic faith Sundays are so important that other church holidays, if they coincide during this period of time, are transferred to the nearest day of the week - Monday Each of the Sundays is dedicated to a separate topic The first is dedicated to the future Second Coming of Christ, because the word “Advent” itself, translated from Latin, is interpreted as coming or imminent arrival Repentance for sins, confession and hope for eternal life is the main spiritual meaning of the holiday, which Catholic priests try to convey to believers through sermons Only with a pure heart can one worthily expect the reappearance of Christ, and for this it is necessary to prepare by delving into the spiritual meaning of Advent But this first Sunday would not be such a popular and widespread holiday if it did not have pleasant traditions The main attribute of the celebration is a wreath of fir branches as a symbol of eternity and hope, for which the color green is responsible 4 candles, lit sequentially every week, carry the light that Christ gives These wreaths are installed not only in all Catholic parishes, but also in homes True, modern realities are increasingly leaving their mark on the symbolism: the electric version of this design is becoming widespread Today, the lighting of the first candle in many countries is widespread The festive ceremony is held in the main squares of cities and includes music concerts, the opening of Christmas markets, the installation and decoration of Christmas trees and other installations Charitable deeds have also become a tradition Showing generosity at the beginning of the celebration is the destiny of a true Catholic, because it is impossible to prepare for the coming coming without doing good deeds The Advent calendar is another interesting and often delicious custom, because in the windows, which signify the days until Merry Christmas, goodies are hidden Usually these are small chocolates - this version of the calendar first appeared in Germany All these wonderful traditions make the holiday memorable, joyful and capable of not only uniting Catholics, but also delighting families, especially those with children