Free gatherings to make Advent wreaths will be held in Caribou (Nov. 13) and Scarborough (Nov. 28) in advance of Advent, the four-week period leading up to Christmas that is a time of preparation for the celebration of the Lord’s birth in which Christians celebrate the way the Lord comes into our lives each day.
The Parish of the Precious Blood is holding an Advent wreath making event on Saturday, Nov. 13 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Holy Rosary Parish Center on 34 Vaughn Street in Caribou. Wreath making kits will be provided, and participants will learn about various Advent traditions and prayers. To register, please call 207-498-2536.
All are welcome to gather at an Advent wreath making event on Sunday, Nov. 28 at 11:30 a.m. at St. Maximilian Kolbe Church on 150 Black Point Road in Scarborough. Light refreshments will be served. The suggested donation for this event is $10 per family. Sign up to attend or volunteer here.
The Advent wreath is a tradition that symbolizes the passage of the four weeks of Advent as we wait for the birth of Jesus. Advent wreaths traditionally consist of a circle of evergreen branches with four candles, three purple and one pink or rose colored. During Advent, candles are progressively lit week by week, beginning with a single purple candle. During the second week, two purple candles are lit, followed by two purple candles and the pink candle during the third week, and then all four candles. The rose-colored or pink candle coincides with the Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday), on which the priest also wears pink or rose. It is a time of celebration, noting that Advent is nearing completion and Christmas is near.
The blessing of an Advent Wreath traditionally takes place on the First Sunday of Advent (Nov. 28). When the blessing of the Advent Wreath is celebrated in the home, it is appropriate that it be blessed by a parent or another member of the family. To view a blessing from “Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers,” visit www.portlanddiocese.org/adventwreath.