Symbolism of the Advent Wreath

Advent Wreaths commonly find their way into our homes this time of year, yet the symbolism of the wreath goes largely unnoticed by.

The Wreath is a lovely picture of the Gospel and a daily reminder of the Incarnation and Passion of Christ.

Love Eternal

The circle reminds us that God’s love has neither beginning nor end, and life with him lasts forever. Evergreen symbolizes the same.

The Passion

The wreath highlights the Execution and Resurrection of Christ as well as his Birth. We include elements of red to symbolize the blood that was shed on the cross. Further, pine cones remind us Jesus' words in John 12 when he speaks of a seed falling into the ground and dying for the sake of new life. And lastly, the pine needles remind us of the crown of thorns.

The Candles

The shade of each week's candle gets brighter as the season progresses. This reminds us that the light is overcoming the darkness. Also, the candles reflect the writings of the Old Testament. The first candle is the Torah Candle reminding us that God revealed himself to his people. The second candle is the Writings Candle and recalls the stories of God establishing his covenant people. The third candle is the Prophet's Candle, and it reminds us to repent and trust his forgiveness. The final candle, the Wisdom Candle, invites us to orient our lives around Jesus. At the center is the Christ Candle. It is lit on Christmas Eve and is the culmination of Advent. Though our Wreaths are put away after Advent, we leave this candle out in our homes through Lent to remember Jesus' time on earth. We extinguish this candle on Good Friday and relight it on Easter.