What is Advent? Where does the word come from
‘The arrival of a notable person or thing’ Oxford English Dictionary. Photo by Grant Whitty on Unsplash What and when is Advent Sunday? Advent Sunday is the first of four Sundays leading up to Christmas. It marks the beginning of the Christian liturgical year and the period leading up to Christmas. Symbols The Advent wreath or Advent crown marks the passage of the four weeks of the Advent season. It started as a Lutheran practice but was later adopted by most other Christian denominations. Etymology Advent derives from the Latin root, adventus. This approximates as ‘arrival’ through advenire , with ad meaning ‘to’ and venire ‘come’. When used in general English, advent describes a 'starting point' e.g the advent of mobile phones. Biblical significance The word itself is not biblical but it links closely to the role of prophecy in the Old Testament. This emphasised the need 'to be ready' for a future manifestation of the Messiah. Detail from "Pr...