Advent Sunday

On the First Sunday of Advent, Christians start lighting the candles of their Advent wreaths, and praying their Advent daily devotional. The faithful may also erect a Chrismon tree or light a Christingle. They may also prepare for Christmas in other ways, such as setting up Christmas decorations, a custom that is sometimes done liturgically through a hanging of the greens ceremony. In Lutheran, Anglican, and Methodist churches the celebrant wears violet-coloured or blue vestments on this day, and the first violet or blue Advent candle is lit in the worship service. In the Church of Sweden, a Lutheran national Church, the liturgical colour is specifically white: the motivation is that the day is a joyful feast (the colour is changed to blue, the traditional colour for Advent in Scandinavia, or—if the church does not possess blue vestments—violet, after 6 p.m.). Zechariah 9:9–10 and Matthew 21:1–9 are always read in the service, and the symbolism of the day is that Christ enters the church. Likewise, in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, Advent also "begins with First Vespers (Evening Prayer I) of the Sunday that falls on or closest to 30 November and it ends before First Vespers (Evening Prayer I) of Christmas". The colour violet or purple is used in Advent, but where it is the practice the colour rose may be used on Gaudete Sunday (Third Sunday of Advent). Advent Sunday is the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day, whether celebrated according to the Gregorian or Julian calendar.