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The
Advent wreath is a symbol that we are well acquainted with at St. Mark’s. Each year we can be sure that it will appear in
its designated place with the correct amount of candles in the proper
colors. Many of us remember seeing Advent
wreaths our entire lives and so we suppose the symbol’s origins to be shrouded
in ancient secrecy, perhaps even something to be taken for granted – but just
how ancient is the wreath?
According
to Wikipedia, the symbol is not as ancient as we might think. The evergreen wreath itself is ancient since
we know it was used in northern Europe long before the arrival of Christianity.
The circle told of the cycle of seasons while the pine boughs spoke of the
persistence of life through difficult winters.
Somewhere
along the way, it was reinterpreted as a Christian symbol. Candles were not added to form the Advent
wreath we know until the 16th century. Wikipedia credits Lutherans with establishing
the tradition, but not everything you read on the internet is true! The article goes on to say that Advent
wreaths didn’t appear in American churches until the 1930’s.
This
year the Advent wreath at St. Mark’s will take on a different appearance all
together. The wreath will include us
inside its circle. We are using the
festival stands appropriately adorned with advent colors and symbols. Evan H. will be in charge of this work. The lighting ritual will include the reading
of the gospel and the singing of an Advent song by Daniel E. Schwandt – “Many
Will Come.” This is an unpublished piece
which the composer has granted us permission to use. Schwandt is the Cantor at
Augustana Lutheran Church (Hyde Park, Illinois) and the Staff Musician at
Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
Whatever
form the wreath takes, Advent’s two-fold message is a powerful one for
Christians: Christ has come and he is coming again!
