Editing Advent (section)

{{short description|Christian church season preceding Christmas}}
{{about|the Western Christian practice|Eastern Christian practice|Nativity Fast|other uses}}
{{EngvarB|date=December 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox holiday
| holiday_name = Advent
| image      = Advent2007candlelight.JPG
| caption    = Lighting the candles of an [[Advent wreath]] in a church service
| nickname   =
| observedby = [[Christians]]
| observances = [[Church service]]s, completing an [[Advent calendar]] and [[Advent wreath]],<ref name=KennedyHatch2013/> praying through a [[daily devotional]],<ref name=KennedyHatch2013/> erecting a [[Chrismon tree]],<ref name=KennedyHatch2013/> [[hanging of the greens]],<ref name=KennedyHatch2013/> lighting a [[Christingle]],<ref name=GeddesGriffiths2001/> gift giving, family and other social gatherings
| type       = Christian
| longtype   = Christian, cultural
| significance = Preparation for the [[Second Coming]] and commemoration of the [[nativity of Jesus|birth of Jesus]]
| relatedto  = [[Christmastide]], [[Christmas Eve]], [[Annunciation]], [[Epiphany (holiday)|Epiphany]], [[Epiphanytide]], [[Baptism of the Lord]], [[Nativity Fast]], [[Nativity of Jesus]]
| duration = 22–28 days
| frequency=Annual
| begins=Fourth (or, in the [[Ambrosian Rite|Ambrosian]] and [[Mozarabic Rite]]s, sixth) Sunday before Christmas
| date{{LASTYEAR}}         = {{ubl|{{Weekday after date|{{LASTYEAR}}|November|26|Sunday|j F}}|{{Weekday after date|{{LASTYEAR}}|November|12|Sunday|j F}} ([[Ambrosian Rite|Ambrosian]] and [[Mozarabic Rite]]s)}}
| date{{CURRENTYEAR}}      = {{ubl|{{Weekday after date|{{CURRENTYEAR}}|November|26|Sunday|j F}}|{{Weekday after date|{{CURRENTYEAR}}|November|12|Sunday|j F}} ([[Ambrosian Rite|Ambrosian]] and [[Mozarabic Rite]]s)}}
| date{{NEXTYEAR}}         = {{ubl|{{Weekday after date|{{NEXTYEAR}}|November|26|Sunday|j F}}|{{Weekday after date|{{NEXTYEAR}}|November|12|Sunday|j F}} ([[Ambrosian Rite|Ambrosian]] and [[Mozarabic Rite]]s)}}
| date{{NEXTYEAR|2}} = {{ubl|{{Weekday after date|{{NEXTYEAR|2}}|November|26|Sunday|j F}}|{{Weekday after date|{{NEXTYEAR|2}}|November|12|Sunday|j F}} ([[Ambrosian Rite|Ambrosian]] and [[Mozarabic Rite]]s)}}
| scheduling=Christmas day of week-based
}}

'''Advent''' is a season observed in most [[Christian denomination]]s as a time of waiting and preparation for both the celebration of [[Nativity of Christ|Jesus's birth]] at [[Christmas]] and the return of [[Jesus in Christianity|Christ]] at the [[Second Coming]]. It begins on the [[Advent Sunday|fourth Sunday]] before Christmas, often referred to as Advent Sunday. Advent is the beginning of the [[liturgical year]] in [[Western Christianity]]. The name comes from Latin {{lang|la|adventus}} ('coming; arrival'), translating the [[Ancient Greek|Greek]] {{transliteration|grc|[[parousia]]}} from the [[New Testament]], originally referring to the [[Second Coming]].

The season of Advent in the Christian calendar anticipates the "coming of Christ" from three different perspectives: the physical nativity in [[Bethlehem]], the reception of Christ in the heart of the believer, and the [[Christian eschatology|eschatological]] Second Coming.{{efn|"since the time of [[Bernard of Clairvaux]] (d.&nbsp;1153), Christians have spoken of the three comings of Christ: In the flesh in [[Bethlehem]], in our hearts daily, and in glory at the end of time".<ref name=Pfatteicher2013>{{cite book |first=Philip H. |last=Pfatteicher |year= 2013 |title=Journey into the Heart of God: Living the liturgical year |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-1999-9714-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hfVdAAAAQBAJ |via=Google Books}}</ref>
}}

Practices associated with Advent include [[Advent calendar]]s, lighting an [[Advent wreath]],{{efn|The use of a five-candle Advent wreath involves lighting an additional candle every Sunday and lighting the center Christ Candle on Christmas.<ref name="CRI">{{cite book|url = http://www.crivoice.org/cyadvent.html|title=The Season of Advent: Anticipation and Hope|author=Dennis Bratcher|quote=Finally, the light that has come into the world is plainly visible as the Christ candle is lighted at Christmas, and worshippers rejoice over the fact that the hope and promise of long ago have been realized.|publisher=[[Christian Research Institute]]|access-date=2 December 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110102182005/http://www.crivoice.org/cyadvent.html| archive-date=2 January 2011| url-status= live}}</ref><ref name=Michelin2012>{{cite book |title=Germany Green Guide Michelin 2012–2013 |year=2012 |publisher=Michelin |isbn=978-2-0671-8211-0 |page=73}}</ref>}} praying an Advent [[daily devotional]],<ref name=KennedyHatch2013/> erecting a [[Chrismon tree]],<ref name=KennedyHatch2013/> lighting a [[Christingle]],<ref name=GeddesGriffiths2001>{{cite book |last1=Geddes |first1=Gordon |last2=Griffiths |first2=Jane |year=2001 |title=Christianity |publisher=Heinemann |isbn=978-0-435-30695-3 |page=99 |quote=Many churches hold Christingle services during Advent. Children are given a Christingle.adaa}}</ref> as well as other ways of preparing for Christmas, such as setting up [[Christmas decoration]]s,<ref name="Normark1997">{{cite book|title=Modern Christmas|last=Normark|first=Helena|year=1997|publisher=Graphic Garden|quote=Christmas in Sweden starts with Advent, which is the await for the arrival of Jesus. The symbol for it is the Advent candlestick with four candles in it, and we light one more candle for each of the four Sundays before Christmas. Most people start putting up the Christmas decorations on the first of Advent.}}</ref> a custom that is sometimes done liturgically through a [[hanging of the greens]] ceremony.<ref name=KennedyHatch2013>{{cite book |last1=Kennedy |first1=Rodney Wallace |last2=Hatch |first2=Derek C. |year= 2013 |title=Baptists at Work in Worship |publisher=[[Wipf and Stock Publishers]] |isbn=978-1-62189-843-6 |page=147|quote=There are a variety or worship practices that enable a congregation to celebrate Advent: lighting an advent wreath, a hanging of the greens service, a Chrismon tree, and an Advent devotional booklet.}}</ref><ref name=RiceHuffstutler2001>{{cite book |last1=Rice |first1=Howard L. |last2=Huffstutler |first2=James C. |year=2001 |title=Reformed Worship |publisher=Westminster John Knox Press |isbn=978-0-664-50147-1 |page=197 <!-- |access-date=5 December 2015 --> |quote=Another popular activity is the 'Hanging of the Greens,' a service in which the sanctuary is decorated for Christmas.}}</ref>

The analogue of Advent in [[Eastern Christianity]] is called the [[Nativity Fast]], but it differs in meaning, length, and observances, and does not begin the liturgical church year as it does in the West. The Eastern Nativity Fast does not use the term {{transliteration|grc|parousia}} in its preparatory services.<ref>{{cite web |first=Kevin Basil |last=Fritts |date=14 November 2012 |title=Four reasons it's not 'Advent' |type=blog |url = http://kevinbasil.com/2012/11/14/four-reasons-its-not-advent/ |access-date = 29 September 2014}}</ref>