A Popular Catholic Advent Custom – First Week

The Advent wreath is a beautiful custom that involves preparing a wreath, blessing it and lighting it. The light of the candles signifies the light of Christ, Who will come into the world at Christmas.

The wreath is easy to prepare. You will need 5 candles, 3 purple candles, one rose, and one white, surrounded by evergreen branches. Arrange the branches around or in straight line like for a mantle. One purple candle is lit the first week, two the second, two purple and one rose the third, and finally all four in the last week of Advent. The middle candle is lit on Christmas.

Next step is to bless the wreath. Traditionally this is done on the first Sunday of Advent or the night before. If you can’t bless the wreath then do it whenever you can.

Blessing an Advent Wreath:
1. Make sign of the cross

2. Father or leader says “Our help is in the name of the Lord.” and everyone else says, “Who made Heaven and earth.”

3. Read Isaiah 9:1-2, 5-6 The father (or leader) reads this passage from the Prophet Isaiah, familiar to many from Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus, which reminds us that Christ is our light, and that His Birth brought us out of the darkness of sin and saved us.

4. The father prays the Prayer of Blessing and everyone says “Amen.”

Prayer of Blessing

O God, by whose word all things are sanctified, pour forth thy blessing upon this wreath, and grant that we who use it may prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ and may receive from Thee abundant graces. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

5. Sprinkle the Advent Wreath With Holy Water

6. Pray the Advent Wreath Prayer for the First Week and Light the First Candle
Advent Wreath Prayer for the First Week:
Bestir, O Lord, Thy might, we pray thee and come; that, defended by Thee, we may deserve rescue from approaching dangers brought on by our sins, and being set free by Thee, obtain our salvation. Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.
7. Make the sign of the Cross.

Lighting the Candles:

Each Sunday in Advent  say the Advent Wreath Prayer for the week and light the candle.

  • In the first week of Advent, light one purple candle.
  • In the second week of Advent, light two purple candles.
  • In the third week of Advent, light two purple candles and one rose candle.
  • In the fourth week, light all four candles.

Many families have adopted the following custom:

  • The youngest child lights the candle in the first week.
  • The oldest child lights the candles in the second week.
  • The mother lights the candles in the third week.
  • The father light the candles in the fourth week.

Go to Second Week here