Fourth Sunday of Advent (18/12)

Advent (from the Latin adventus — coming) — pre-Christmas time, a period to which numerous rituals and customs are timed. Advent — is the waiting time for the Nativity of Christ, and all its Sundays — are significant holidays.

The fourth Sunday of Advent is preceded by the first, second, and third Sundays, which are filled with appropriate customs.

On the fourth Sunday of Advent, the first three candles are lit and the last — Angel Candle is added. It means the last coming of the Savior in glory with all the Angels to take all true believers with them to heaven.

The Wreath of Advent is believed to have appeared in Germany. It is usually made of spruce branches, which are fastened together with wire into a circle. Four red candles are installed on the wreath — symbol of the four weeks of Advent, one of them is lit every Sunday.

As a result, on the last — fourth Sunday of Advent, all the candles will burn brightly over the spruce wreath, announcing the imminent arrival of the holiday.

However, in many countries, for example, in America, there is no tradition of lighting candles; there a spruce wreath is simply attached to the door of the house.

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