The Advent wreath is a domestic custom that has found its way into the worship space. The only official Church references to it are in the Book of Blessings (BB) and Built of Living Stones (BLS). What is common to both references is a concern for the size of the wreath. An Advent wreath that fits nicely on your kitchen table will, in all but the smallest chapel, be far too small in a church; it will, in fact, visually denigrate the importance of this great season. An Advent wreath in a church needs to be “proportioned to the size of the space and to the other furnishings” (BLS 128) and “of sufficient size to be visible to the congregation” (BB 1512).
The Book of Blessings suggests suspending the wreath from the ceiling or placing it on a stand (1512). If the wreath is suspended from the ceiling, long pieces of purple and pink fabric can come through the hole in the center of the wreath and extend out to columns or the walls of the church, thus providing a crown or canopy over the assembly. For Christmas, replace the purple and pink fabric with gold and white. Assuming that the wreath and fabric are suspended high enough to avoid any contact with the flame or heat, the four Advent candles can be placed on large stands on the floor below the wreath and fabric. If the wreath is placed on a stand, consider a large, titled stand that allows the wreath and candles to be more visible to the assembly.
For more information on creating a liturgical environment for Advent and Christmas, see this helpful blog from Rev. Philip Horrigan.
You can find more seasonal resources on our Advent and Christmas page, here.
Originally published in Today’s Liturgy © 2015 OCP. All rights reserved.
Paul Covino
Paul Covino received his master’s in liturgical research from Notre Dame and has worked for more than thirty years in pastoral liturgy. He is the editor of Celebrating Marriage and currently serves as director of Campus Ministry at Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts.