A Liturgical Note On Advent.

In the 5th-Century A.D., the opening date of The Ecclesiastical Year was The Feast of The Annunciation which, originally, was kept in March, but was, later, transferred to December.

“Following what is the practice elsewhere,” says the Council 

of Toledo in 665 A.D., “The Annunciation will be kept throughout Spain on 18 December, since, at present, it 

often falls in Lent or at Easter”.

In the 10th-Century A.D., the Ecclesiastical Year began on 

the First Sunday of Advent, some weeks before Christmas.

As early as 380 A.D., a Council of Saragossa decreed an 

eight-days’ preparation for Christmas. At the Council of Tours in 563 A.D., Advent is referred to as a Liturgical period having its proper Rites and Forms.

In the Nestorian Liturgy (6th-Century A.D.), Advent lasted 

for four Sundays, called “Sundays of The Annunciation”, 

and, in the Ambrosian Liturgy and the Mozarabic Liturgy, 

six Sundays were reckoned.

In the Roman Liturgy, we find that, at first, Advent lasted for five weeks. At present [Editor: This Article is from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal, dated 1945], it includes four weeks: The First Sunday of Advent is always the Sunday next to Saint Andrew’s Feast Day, which is kept on 30 November.

The joy of beholding the speedy coming of Christ is 

one of the dominant notes of Advent; restrained, at first, 

but quickly taking free course and rising to the fervour 

of the Christmas Spirit.

At the same time, the thought of the purification of Souls, closely connected with that of the return of Christ, occurs at this time, on every page of Breviary and Missal.

Hymns, choice of Psalms, the Preaching of the Prophets and of the forerunner of Christ, the Collects of the four Sundays, the oft-repeated Versicle: “Rectas fácite sémitas ejus”, “Make straight His paths”; all these speak of the twofold coming. “Do Penance”, says Our Lord, “for The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand”. [Antiphon, Benediction. Monday, the Fourth Week].

In the Middle Ages, a Fast was prescribed during Advent, known as “the Christmas Lent”, when it was even the custom to veil images, as at Passiontide. In our time, Purple Vestments are still used as in Lent and the “Benedicamus Dómino” replaces the “Ite Missa Est”.

During Advent, the Antiphon “Alma Redemptoris” 

is sung with its accompanying Versicle “Angelus Domini”, while the Second Collect is the Collect of the “Mass De Beata”, chosen on account of the part played by Our Lady in the Mystery of The Incarnation, with which, for the time being, The Church is concerned.

For the present, we hear no more the “Gloria In Excelsis”, for that is the Angels’ song of the Nativity, and in this new Ecclesiastical Year, just beginning, it is at Christmas that it must be heard for the first time.