I was just in conversation with my American correspondent in the Diocese of Argyll about Liturgical Matters. It transpires that there is schism between us. It is my belief that the candles on an Advent Wreath should be red, with the possible addition of a white one in the middle at Midnight Mass. It is her belief that candles should be either all purple or three purple ones and a pink one.
My contention is that this purple and pink business is something which came to us from our colonial brethren not that many decades ago and that it is, like George Bush, something of which they should repent. My correspondent replied with the assertion that red candles on an Advent Wreath could never be, because “…red candles are common”.
This seems to confirm my view that although she may not be personally responsible for changing our candles from red to purple/pink, her co-countrypersons were. Anyone beg to differ?
If we could resolve differences such as this, we might be able to move to some kind of companion link with the Diocese of Argyll and the Isles one day, which would be quite exciting. We could go there for visits and exchanges, and maybe even share communion.
Can anyone offer any guidance about what to do with the Advent Wreath at Midnight Mass? It’s seems an awful lot of stuff to get through to process in, bless the crib, THEN light the Advent Wreath before we finally get around to beginning the Liturgy of the Word. Should the central candle (ours is white) be already burning, or should we just hide the wreath in the vestry and bring it out again on Christmas morning?
Dear Fr I – I’m sure that it cannot be good liturgical karma to whisk the wreath out of church for Midnight Mass and then back again for Christmas Day. No, my view is that the four candles that have been lit during the preceding four weeks of advent should be burning brightly before the service so that the faithful can see them as they come into church. The central one can then either be lit when the bambino arrives in the crib on the stroke of midnight, from wherever he has been hiding or alternatively the white central candle can be [added and] lit for the mysteries on Christmas Day.
I’ve known the bambino to have been hiding in the chalice in order that he did not get lost, but I don’t think that is compulsory in the Western Rite.
Wouldn’t fit ours in the chalice – but thanks.
We lit the white candle at the elevation — the server timed it beautifully so that elevation- lighting-genuflection happened in one fell swoop. (and at this point, the ‘bambino’ was tucked on the foot of the altar cross, behind the elements, waiting to be brought to the crib.)
In the land of Glasgow, the white candle was lit at the moment when the Bambino arrived, at midnight. He arrived whilst the words of the Benedictus were being sung.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Ah….. I wonder why you selected that specific time.
A case in point:
http://lovebloomsbright.wordpress.com/
The three purple candles, like purple vestments and altar trappings, represent penitence. The pink, or Gaudet, candle represents our hope in Christ.