Mumbai: Churches Begin Advent Celebrations In Preparation For Christmas

Advent derives from the Latin adventus, which means an arrival or visit. It is observed on the four Sundays before Christmas on December 25.

An important feature of the worship during the period is the lighting of the four Advent candles. On the evening of Sunday, the first candle, purple and symbolising hope was lit at churches and homes. On Subsequent Sundays, candles of other colours representing love, joy, and peace are added. 

Prayers follow the lighting of the candles. Sometimes, a fifth candle is added in the centre of the four celebratory candles, said Nancy Netto, resident of Marol, Andheri, and member of St John the Evangelist Church.

Advent is a time of anticipation of the birth of Jesus Christ; it is also a period for prayers, charity, penance, and confession. "It is a season of introspection. The four Sundays are dedicated to the celebration of Mother Mary. Priests come from other churches to hear confessions," said Father Avin Franklin, the priest at Our Lady of Health Church, Cavel, Kalbadevi. "People are encouraged to do a good deed like providing a Christmas meal for street children. It is a season of giving. Different churches have their programmes."

Churches have a Biblical calendar for the 24 days preceding Christmas, with suggestions to believers on what to do daily. The days can be dedicated to prayers for the neighborhood, cleaning the house, watching a YouTube video on the season's significance, confession, and food distribution. The period ends with the midnight mass on December 24.

Church units, called zones, compete for the best crib decorations. "Because our lord was born in a stable. A crib is created in every home," said Netto. Advent wreaths, symbolising continuous life, are another feature of the festival.