Season of Advent
Advent has a twofold character: as a time to prepare for the solemnity of Christmas when the Son of God’s first coming to us is remembered; as a season when that remembrance directs the mind and heart to await Christ’s Second Coming at the end of time. For these two reasons, the season of Advent is thus a period for devout and joyful expectation.
General Norms for the Liturgical Year and Calendar, #39
Documentation
- Summary sheet for Liturgy Preparation Groups [pdf]
- General Norms for the Liturgical Year & Calendar 39–42 [pdf]
- Introduction to the Lectionary [pdf]
- Directory on Popular Piety
1. Advent
a) Sundays
93. Each gospel reading has a distinctive theme: the Lord's coming at the end of time (First Sunday of Advent), John the Baptist (Second and Third Sunday), and the events that prepared immediately for the Lord's birth (Fourth Sunday).
The Old Testament readings are prophecies about the Messiah and the Messianic age, especially from the Isaiah.
The readings from an apostle serve as exhortations and as proclamations, in keeping with the different themes of Advent.
b) Weekdays
94. There are two series of readings: one to be used from the beginning of Advent until 16 December; the other from 17 to 24 December.
In the first part of Advent there are readings from Isaiah, distributed in accord with the sequence of the book itself and including salient texts that are also read on the Sundays. For the choice of the weekday gospel the first reading has been taken into consideration.
On Thursday of the second week the readings from the gospel concerning John the Baptist begin. The first reading is either a continuation of Isaiah or a text chosen in view of the Gospel.
In the last week before Christmas the events that immediately prepared for the Lord's birth are presented from Matthew (chapter 1) and Luke (chapter 1). The texts in the first reading, chosen in view of the Gospel reading, are from different Old Testament books and include important Messianic prophecies.
Calendar
Sundays of Advent
- First Sunday
- Second Sunday
- Third Sunday
- Fourth Sunday
Weekdays of Advent
- First Week
- Second Week
- Third Week
- 17–24 December
Solemnities
- Immaculate Conception of Blessed Virgin Mary (8 December)
Feasts
- St Andrew (30 November) can fall outside Advent
National Calendar for England
- St Andrew (30 November) can fall outside Advent
National Calendar for Wales
- St John Roberts (10 December)
| V1 | V2 | V3 | D1 | D2 | D3 | ||
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| V1 | V2 | V3 | D1 | D2 | D3 | ||
| 2. | Sundays in the season of Advent |  |
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| 4. | Solemnities not of precept (Immaculate Conception) | |
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| 9. | Weekdays in the season of Advent from 17 to 24 December |
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| 12. | Obligatory memorials | |
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| 13. | Weekdays in the season of Advent to 16 December |
V1 = Ritual Masses (General Instruction of the Roman Missal [hereafter, GIRM], no. 372).
Masses for various needs and occasions and votive Masses, in cases of serious need or pastoral advantage, at the direction of the local Ordinary or with his permission (GIRM, no. 374).
V2 = Masses for various needs and occasions and votive Masses, in cases of serious need or pastoral advantage, at the discretion of the rector of the church or the priest celebrant (GIRM, no. 376).
V3 = Masses for various needs and occasions and votive Masses chosen by the priest celebrant in favour of the devotion of the people (GIRM, no. 373, 375).
D1 = Funeral Mass (GIRM, no. 380).
D2 = Mass on the occasion of news of a death, final burial, or the first anniversary (GIRM, no. 381).
D3 = Daily Mass for the dead (GIRM, no. 381). When D1 and D2 are not permitted, neither is D3.
Resources
Cycle of Prayer
Advent – Christmas
- Openness to the Word of God
- especially on Bible Sunday (2nd Sunday of Advent)
- Migrants and Refugees
- especially on Migrant's Day (3 December)
- Expectant Mothers
- especially on 4th Sunday of Advent