Colors and Symbols of Advent
Seasons of preparation are so wonderful. The guidance and stepping through these weeks are a bit counter cultural and therefore all the more needed and embraced. I love creating clergy stoles for Advent. The colors and symbols are so very rich! What follows is some of the rationale behind the visual connections for this liturgical season.
Read more about this blue Advent stole here.
Royal blue is the color of royalty to welcome the coming of a King. It can also symbolize the night sky in which the star appeared to announce the birth of Jesus. There are of course many shades of blue and some faith traditions lean towards using a brighter blue to symbolize the sky or heaven where Jesus’ birth was proclaimed. It also links us to creation story in Genesis 1.
Blue Violet is also a color of royalty to welcome the coming of a King. It evokes the pain and suffering that connects us to the story of Lent. It’s a great way to tell the story of Jesus from his birth to his death.
See this purple Advent stole in full here.
As we mark the spirit of expectation, of anticipation, of preparation and of longing we visually connect in worship to symbols that help tell the story as we journey through the season. For example -
The advent wreath - the evergreens are symbolic of God’s everlasting love as is the circular shape. This circle also recalls God Himself, His eternity and endless mercy which has no beginning or end. The green color speaks of the hope that we have in God, the hope of newness, of renewal, and of eternal life. Interesting to note that the origin of the Advent wreath is from the Northern Hemisphere where Advent is celebrated during winter. That little bit of extra light from the candles is certainly a symbol of hope on a wintery day when the sun is far away. Speaking of which ….
The light of candles is a reminder of Jesus the light of the world that comes in the darkness of our lives.
The Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters have been used since the early days of the church to represent Christ - the beginning and the end.
The Jesse tree gets its origins from the medieval times and is used to tell the story of the Bible fro creation to the birth of Christ. The name comes from Jesse who was the Father of King David in the Old Testament. Isaiah 1:1-4 is the root of this symbolism speaking of a branch that shoots up from the stump of Jesse.
The colors and symbols of Advent are used to help us focus on both the past and future. May they be a wonderful visual connection to our spiritual journey.
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