History of the Advent Wreath

The Advent wreath is a fine example of domestic rituals which while outside ecclesial practice are nonetheless – by their widespread adoption – sometimes interpolated into Church services even though clearly not part of ordinary rubrics.

As with the Christmas tree, the Advent wreath appears to be this kind of broadly adopted Germanic custom. At least on the web, there is considerable variety in representing its origins. Wikipedia has a fair summary (some detection reveals that most ‘data’ below originates from less than authoritative sites).

The ring or wheel of the Advent wreath of evergreens decorated with candles was a symbol in northern Europe long before the arrival of Christianity. The circle symbolized the eternal cycle of the seasons while the evergreens and lighted candles signified the persistence of life in the midst of winter. Some sources suggest the wreath–now reinterpreted as a Christian symbol–was in common use in the Middle Ages, others that it was established in Germany as a Christian custom only in the 16th century, and others that the Advent wreath was not invented until the 19th century. This last theory credits Johann Hinrich Wichern(1808-1881), a Protestant pastor in Germany and a pioneer in urban mission work among the poor, as the inventor of the modern Advent wreath. During Advent, children at a mission school founded by Wichernwould ask daily if Christmas had arrived. In 1839, he built a large wooden ring (made out of an old cartwheel) with19 small red and 4 large white candles. A small candle was lit successively every weekday during Advent. On Sundays, a large white candle was lit. The custom gained ground among Protestant churches in Germany and evolved into the smaller wreath with four or five candles known today. Roman Catholics in Germany began to adopt the custom in the 1920’s, and in the 1930’s it spread to North America[1]. In Medieval times advent was a fast during which people’s thoughts were directed to the expected second coming of Christ; but in modern times it has been seen as the lead up to Christmas, and in that context Advent Wreathserves as a reminder of the approach of the feast. More recently, some Eastern Orthodox families have adopted an Advent wreathwith six candles symbolizing the longer Advent season in Orthodox tradition.

For this out of the ordinary instance of East adopting a Western tradition,
see http://www.orthodoxytoday.org/articles6/ReardonAdvent.php

Those cursed with wanting to know more, in an appreciably more academic vein, may feel compelled to consult the folllowing:

The People’s Work: a Social History of the Liturgy. Frank C. Senn. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2006.
Irland Library BV178 .S46 2006

The Liturgical Year. Prosper Guéranger. Wesminster, Md: Newman Press, 1948-50. 15 volumes.
Ireland Library BT4207 .G7. Volume 1 (Advent)

Original French edition: L’Année liturgique (Paris, 1841-1901), completed by Lucien Fromage. T.1 L’Avent.