Advent wreaths

jas3 · Dec 17, 2025

I've seen an Orthodox Advent wreath for sale with six candles, but I don't actually know of anyone who uses one. I've only heard one person even mention their existence. Out of curiosity, does anyone here have one or know of anyone who does?

I'm aware that the Advent wreath is traditionally a Protestant thing, just wanted to see if it had any notable presence in Orthodoxy.

Lukaris · Dec 17, 2025

jas3 said:
I've seen an Orthodox Advent wreath for sale with six candles, but I don't actually know of anyone who uses one. I've only heard one person even mention their existence. Out of curiosity, does anyone here have one or know of anyone who does?

I'm aware that the Advent wreath is traditionally a Protestant thing, just wanted to see if it had any notable presence in Orthodoxy.

In our parish, we usually have had one & there would be an inspirational reading from a female parishioner with a candle being lit after liturgy. This year it is not being done but our last priest just retired in August. It could just be a preference per the parish priest. It also might be a logistics matter for us this year. I do janitorial work and the area where we did this is cluttered with decorations.

Lukaris · Dec 17, 2025

Yep, Advent Wreaths are western and totally ok with an Orthodox Church.

https://www.st-philip.net/files/Bulletins%20plus/Advent-Wreath.pdf

prodromos · Dec 18, 2025

jas3 said:
I've seen an Orthodox Advent wreath for sale with six candles, but I don't actually know of anyone who uses one. I've only heard one person even mention their existence. Out of curiosity, does anyone here have one or know of anyone who does?

I'm aware that the Advent wreath is traditionally a Protestant thing, just wanted to see if it had any notable presence in Orthodoxy.

I've never heard of them. I don't even remember them growing up in the Anglican Church.

RileyG · Dec 19, 2025

jas3 said:
I've seen an Orthodox Advent wreath for sale with six candles, but I don't actually know of anyone who uses one. I've only heard one person even mention their existence. Out of curiosity, does anyone here have one or know of anyone who does?

I'm aware that the Advent wreath is traditionally a Protestant thing, just wanted to see if it had any notable presence in Orthodoxy.

(posting in fellowship)

Advent wreaths started in the Lutheran Church amongst German immigrants. The Catholic Church now has them. The colors for Advent are purple, purple, pink (rose), purple. In some other Churches, it's all purple, and in some Churches, blue is used for advent.

I don't know much about Eastern Christianity, so I'd be surprised if the Advent Wreath was used in Orthodox Churches.

Peace

RileyG · Dec 19, 2025

prodromos said:
I've never heard of them. I don't even remember them growing up in the Anglican Church.

(posting in fellowship)

I know they started in Lutheranism in the United States. Since I am RC, we have an advent wreath.

The colors vary from denomination to denomination. I think Lutherans use blue, and Methodists use purple only, no rose.

ArmyMatt · Dec 20, 2025

I have seen them occasionally in Churches. not common, but not rejected either.

Lukaris · Dec 20, 2025

It’s a nice observance; the Antiochian Western Rite has it as a fully acceptable tradition within Western Advent.

The History of Advent - St. Gregory the Great Orthodox Church

For most of the world, Advent is a time to prepare, to get ready. From the frenetic rush to buy presents, decorate and plan holiday parties amidst the commercial world’s reminders of the number of shopping days ‘til Christmas, to the more intense time of prayer, fasting and alms-giving that the...

www.stgregoryoc.org

FaithT · Dec 20, 2025

jas3 said:
I've seen an Orthodox Advent wreath for sale with six candles, but I don't actually know of anyone who uses one. I've only heard one person even mention their existence. Out of curiosity, does anyone here have one or know of anyone who does?

I'm aware that the Advent wreath is traditionally a Protestant thing, just wanted to see if it had any notable presence in Orthodoxy.

It’s traditionally a Catholic thing.

jas3 · Dec 22, 2025

RileyG said:
I think Lutherans use blue, and Methodists use purple only, no rose.

Methodists use both purple and rose, at least in my experience.

Interestingly, I saw one of the Orthodox versions for the first time in our narthex this past Sunday. From what I remember it had all purple candles on the outside and a white one for the Christ candle in the center. The one Legacy Icons sells is depicted as having varying color schemes in different places on their website: 5 red and 1 rose, all white, and all green.

RileyG · Dec 22, 2025

jas3 said:
Methodists use both purple and rose, at least in my experience.

Interestingly, I saw one of the Orthodox versions for the first time in our narthex this past Sunday. From what I remember it had all purple candles on the outside and a white one for the Christ candle in the center. The one Legacy Icons sells is depicted as having varying color schemes in different places on their website: 5 red and 1 rose, all white, and all green.

Thanks for the response!

RileyG · Dec 22, 2025

FaithT said:
It’s traditionally a Catholic thing.

Yeah, since Catholicism is very westernized and not Eastern.

RileyG · Dec 22, 2025

Lukaris said:
It’s a nice observance; the Antiochian Western Rite has it as a fully acceptable tradition within Western Advent.

The History of Advent - St. Gregory the Great Orthodox Church

For most of the world, Advent is a time to prepare, to get ready. From the frenetic rush to buy presents, decorate and plan holiday parties amidst the commercial world’s reminders of the number of shopping days ‘til Christmas, to the more intense time of prayer, fasting and alms-giving that the...

www.stgregoryoc.org

Thanks for sharing!

very interesting indeed! I know there’s a small western rite parish in Omaha. (I haven’t gone because I’m not orthodox, I’m RC) I learned not too long ago it’s still functioning

Lukaris · Dec 22, 2025

Reply to Rikey G(problem with CF reply function):

You should feel welcome to visit an Orthodox parish if you would like. I have attended a few Catholic masses & weddings over the years.

ArmyMatt · Dec 23, 2025

Lukaris said:
Reply to Rikey G(problem with CF reply function):

You should feel welcome to visit an Orthodox parish if you would like. I have attended a few Catholic masses & weddings over the years.

agreed

RileyG · Monday at 6:47 PM

ArmyMatt said:
agreed

I think there are two Orthodox parishes in my town. Unfortunately, one Ukrainian Orthodox parish shut down.

(Not to go off topic, but I only attended one Eastern Catholic Divine Liturgy. That was about 8 years ago. It was almost entirely in Ukrainian with a few English mixed in).

Lukaris · Monday at 7:15 PM

RileyG said:
I think there are two Orthodox parishes in my town. Unfortunately, one Ukrainian Orthodox parish shut down.

(Not to go off topic, but I only attended one Eastern Catholic Divine Liturgy. That was about 8 years ago. It was almost entirely in Ukrainian with a few English mixed in).

Eastern Catholic is an option of course.In the US, a few Eastern Catholic ( Byzantine) parishes are even old calendar like the Orthodox.

There used to be an oldies AM station in our area of Pennsylvania that was owned by an Eastern Catholic family. They had the Divine Liturgy ( Ukrainian Catholic) on Sunday mornings. Every year they would play Christmas music all day on December 25th and January 7th.

ArmyMatt · Monday at 8:53 PM

RileyG said:
I think there are two Orthodox parishes in my town. Unfortunately, one Ukrainian Orthodox parish shut down.

bummer to hear that

RileyG · Monday at 9:53 PM

ArmyMatt said:
bummer to hear that

Indeed! I know there are many in Omaha, at least 5-including the western rite.

RileyG · Monday at 9:55 PM

Lukaris said:
Eastern Catholic is an option of course.In the US, a few Eastern Catholic ( Byzantine) parishes are even old calendar like the Orthodox.

There used to be an oldies AM station in our area of Pennsylvania that was owned by an Eastern Catholic family. They had the Divine Liturgy ( Ukrainian Catholic) on Sunday mornings. Every year they would play Christmas music all day on December 25th and January 7th.

In my town, there is one Ukrainian Catholic Church, the elderly priest does at least 3 parishes in 3 different towns, Omaha, Lincoln, and St. Joseph Mo.

I don’t know about their calendar.

I won’t comment further on the EC because I don’t want to go off topic.

Peace

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