The Advent wreath ceremony starts at the evening meal on the Saturday before the first Sunday in Advent with the blessing of the wreath.

Leader: Our help is in the name of the Lord.

All: Who has made Heaven and earth.

Leader: Let us pray: O God, by whose word all things are made

holy, pour forth your blessings upon this wreath, and grant that we who use it may prepare our hearts for the coming of

Christ.

All: Amen.

Leader: The Lord is our faith and our life. Leader: May the Lord’s peace be with us all. All: May the Lord’s peace be with us all. All: The Lord is our faith and our life.

Leader: And His love shine in our hearts. Leader: May His love shine in our hearts.

All: Our hope is in the coming of the Lord. All: Our hope is in the coming of the Lord.

One purple candle is lit (by the youngest child) Two purple candles are lit (by the eldest child) and allowed to burn as before. Leader: Let us pray, that our faith my be strengthened for the coming of the Lord. Leader: Let us pray, that we may experience fully the peace of Christ.

Pause for silent prayer Pause for silent prayer

Leader: Father in Heaven, our hearts desire Leader: Father in Heaven, the day draws the warmth of your love and our minds are near when the birth of your Son will searching for the light of your Word. make radiant the night of the waiting Increase our longing for Christ our Savior world. May His quiet coming fill us with and give us then strength to grow in our true inner peace. faith so that the day of His coming may find us prepared and filled with joy. Leader: Micah 5:2

Leader: Isaiah 11:1-10 All: Amen.

All: Amen.

Leader: May the Lord’s love shine in our hearts. Leader: Our hope is in the coming of the Lord.

All: And may His peace be with us all. All: May His love shine in our hearts.

Leader: The Lord is our faith and our life. Leader: And may the Lord’s peace be with us all.

All: Our hope is in the coming of the Lord. All: The Lord is our hope and our life.

Two purple candles and the rose-colored candle All four candles are lit by the father and allowed Are lit by the mother and allowed to burn as to burn as before. before.

Leader: Let us pray, that we may grow in love for Leader: Let us pray, that the newborn Savior will each other as the Lord comes to us. bring us His love which lasts forever.

Pause for silent prayer Pause for silent prayer

Leader: Father in Heaven, may we your family Leader: Lord, our minds and hearts are filled with who look forward to the birthday of Christ hope. We long to hear the voice which tells us of experience the joy of your love and celebrate the coming of the Christ Child.His birth with a new sense of love for each other.

Leader: Isaiah 9:6-7 Leader: Malachi 3:1-5

All: Amen. All: Amen.

For the Christmas Season which follows immediately after Advent, candles and ribbons can be changed to white. If you wish, the wreath itself can be freshened with new greens and decorated festively for use during the holiday period. Lighting all four white candles to burn during the principal meal each day of the Christmas Season is a customary and appropriate practice.

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the World; he who

follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 8:12Used with permission . Copyright Abbey Press Hill Drive, St. Meinrad, IN 47577 (Advent Wreath)