I have come across various explanations for the Advent Candles. I am choosing to go with the Roman Catholic/Church of England pattern* this year [my Grandsons' school is RC, so I want to make sure we are all in harmony!]
- hope
- peace
- joy
- love
This helpful graphic explains in more detail [sorry, I do not have time to correct its spelling mistakes]
The third candle, also called the Gaudete candle is pink because that is a joyful colour, after the solemn, reflective nature of the previous two Sundays.
* other church groups may have a different order. I'm a Baptist so utterly nonconformist.
If you missed last Sunday's post, that was all about hope so I am not repeating it!
I always wanted to make a Blue Peter Advent Crown, but my mother wouldn't hear of it. The idea of lit candles, swinging in the draughts and dropping wax on the rug, or maybe even burning the house down meant it was definitely verboten!
May your 2025 Advent be one of helpful reflection and may you be kept safe from molten wax and conflagration!
I prefer these meanings. Sometimes the four candles are used to reflect on more difficult themes taken from the book of revelations.
ReplyDeleteThese are 4 good themes, I agree
DeleteThis is St Andrew’s Day in Scotland and 25 years ago since my daughter and her now husband of 23 years became engaged. Catriona
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely memory!
DeleteThank you for the great reminder of what the Advent Candles mean.
ReplyDeleteI think we made one of those BP Advent Crowns but Mum wouldn't let us light the candles 😄Alison in Devon x
Less ecofriendly, but the new LED ones are much more manageable and safer! I shall never forget the awful smell when a girl spun round at the candlelight carol service and singed her long blonde hair. 🔥
DeleteYour Mum sounds just like mine. "You won't be so keen on that Advent Crown when it burns the whole house down - including your presents!" She was completely right, of course, but, as a child, I still thought that it was unfair.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely!!
DeleteI knew what the different candles symbolized according to their number but I never heard that they had actual names! When we lived in Vienna, the florists sold wreaths with stubby candles, all one colour to complement them, could be blue or pink or orange, whatever. There were candle holders sold in packages of 4 for people who wished to make their own wreath. I don't remember seeing the tapered mauve and pink candles outside of the church.
ReplyDelete🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️
DeleteI used to love the Advent crown on Blue Peter! We used to have a mobile competition at school made like these and they all got hung up on the ceiling of our school hall. I loved my primary school! I like these meanings!
ReplyDelete🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️
DeleteInteresting to know what the candles symbolize. Thank you for sharing. :)
ReplyDeleteSome people assign other Meanings, or in a different order/colour. But as I understand it, this is the most common pattern
DeleteI always wanted to make the Blue Peter Advent Crown, for many, many reasons my Mum wouldn't let me ... .mostly though because we had an open fire and all virtually lived in one room. :-)
ReplyDeletePerhaps Biddy Baxter didn't realise how many of her young viewers lived with open fires and anxious mums 🔥🕯️🔥
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