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Udupi : The first Sunday of Advent 2024, the time of waiting, the beginning of new liturgical year  inaugurated at Milagres Cathedral, Kallianpur of Udupi diocese on December 1, 2024. Advent Sunday, also called the first Sunday of Advent or First Advent Sunday and start of Advent season, a time of preparation for the celebration of Christ’s birth at Christmas and the return of Christ at the Second Coming.

Prior to the first Advent Sunday Eucharistic Celebrations at Milagres Cathedral, Very Rev Mngr. Ferdinand Gonsalves blessed the four candles of Advent and inaugurated the Advent season by lighting the candle. The tradition for the first Sunday of Advent includes lighting the candle of hope. The four candles of the Advent wreath specifically symbolize the Catholic concepts of hope, peace, joy and love, with these candles being lit subsequently throughout each week of the Advent season. The Advent wreath is a Christian tradition symbolizing the four weeks of Advent before Christmas. Made of evergreens, it represents eternal life and God’s love. The wreath holds three purple candles for penance and one pink for joy, lit on Gaudete Sunday. White candle symbolizing Christ is lit on Christmas. Lighting the candles weekly reflects the growing anticipation and light of Christ’s coming.

Ahead of the first Advent Sunday Eucharistic Celebrations, Very Rev. Msgr. Ferdinand Gonsalves blessed the Advent wreath and lit the Candle of Hope, marking the start of Advent—a season of anticipation for Christ’s birth.

The Advent wreath, made of evergreen branches, symbolizes eternal life and God’s unending love, with its green color representing hope. The wreath holds four candles, each reflecting a theme:

Hope (First Sunday, purple)

Peace (Second Sunday, purple)

Joy (Third Sunday, pink, lit on Gaudete Sunday)

Love (Fourth Sunday, purple)

A white candle, representing Christ, is lit on Christmas Day.

The purple candles signify penance and prayer, while the pink candle brings joy as Christmas draws near. Lighting the candles weekly reflects the growing anticipation of Christ’s coming.

Before the ceremony, Rev. Fr. Pradeep Cardoza, Assistant Parish Priest, explained the significance of the Advent candles, encouraging the faithful to prepare spiritually for the Savior’s arrival.

Three candles are purple, and lit on the first, second and fourth Sunday of Advent. They represent a time of prayer, penance, sacrifice and spiritual reflection. The fourth candle is pink, and lit on the third Sunday of Advent. The Advent wreath is one of the best known symbols of Advent, Traditionally made of evergreen branches formed into a circle with four candles held within. The evergreen circle is a symbol of eternal life. Green from the evergreen is considered a symbol of hope.

An Advent calendar helps us not only keep track of the passing days, but maintain our focus on the joyous day that is Christmas. The daily ritual of updating an advent Christmas calendar provides a brief opportunity to reflect on the celebration to come.