Join us the weekend of Nov 28/29 at our weekend masses to celebrate the First Sunday of Advent.
Mass Schedule: Saturday Vigil Mass at 4:30 pm, Sunday Masses at 8:00 am and 10:30 am
The Origins of Advent:
Advent began sometime after the 4th century as a time of preparation for Epiphany – not in anticipation of Christmas. Epiphany celebrates the manifestation of Christ by remembering the visit of the Magi and the Baptism of Jesus. At this time new Christians were baptized and received into the faith, and so the early church instituted a 40-day period of fast and repentance.
Later, in the 6th century, Pope St. Gregory the Great was the first to associate this season of Advent with the Coming of Christ. Originally it was not the coming of the Christ-child that was anticipated, but rather, the second coming of Christ.
By the Middle Ages the Church had extended the Celebration of Advent to the familiar format we know today. The early weeks are rich with the prophecies of Isaiah, reminding us to wait and to prepare for the coming Messiah. Later, the pace quickens and we focus more directly on the events leading up to Jesus’ birth.