Christian Seasons

The Christian calendar is made up of different seasons: Advent, Christmas, the Season after Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and the Season after Pentecost. Lent Lent is the period of 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter. The period of 40 days relates to the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness when He overcame the temptations of the devil. Jesus used this to prepare His work by fasting and praying. During the season of Lent, we as Christians are encouraged to re-examine our own lives, enter into a spirit repentance and self-discipline, make our personal and private confession, ask forgiveness and pardon for our sins and shortcomings, and prepare for the reaffirmation of our Christian faith at Easter.

Additional Page  Lenten Discipline and Prayer

The symbol of a lamb and cross are used during Lent to represent "The Pascal Mystery" of Jesus dying as a Pascal Lamb for our sins. The traditional color for Lent is purple or violet. Purple is considered a regal color, and violet denotes mourning and pestilence, and is also symbolic of humility, suffering, sympathy, and fasting. The Lenten season provides us with a period of time to strengthen our faith and to prepare for the Easter event of celebrating Christ's victory over death.

Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, emphasizes two important aspects of our faith: We confront our own mortality and we confess our sins before God within the community of faith. The name of the day is derived from the ancient Jewish and Christian custom of using ashes as a sign of mortality and penance.

Holy Week Holy Week celebrates the last week in Jesus’ life. It begins with Palm Sunday, continues through Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and ends with the celebration of Easter. Palm Sunday Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday is one of the most significant and intense periods of the Christian year when we recall and celebrate the passion and death of our Lord. It is also a day of contrasts, since we joyfully celebrate with palms Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem when the children and people preceded Him with palm branches, but we also know of His coming suffering and death.

Instructions to Make a Palm Cross Please Click Here

Maundy Thursday Maundy is an old word for a commandment. Maundy Thursday reflects on the Last Supper Jesus shared with His disciples, and the new commandment He gave them “to love one another as I have loved you.” Good Friday Good Friday occurs on the Friday before Easter. The Good Friday Worship Services reflect the final agony of Jesus and His death upon the cross. Worship elements include proclamation of the Word of God using the Passion according to John, prayers for the afflictions of the world, and the meditations at the cross. The altar is bare, there are no paraments and the cross is shrouded.

It is finished! John 19:30

Tenebrae Service The word “tenebrae” comes from the Latin meaning “darkness.” In this dramatic service on Good Friday, all of the lights and candles on the altar are gradually extinguished until the room is in complete darkness. At the moment of darkness, a loud noise occurs symbolizing the death of Jesus. Easter Easter morning is an occasion of great joy and renewal. We celebrate the risen Christ. This is a day of many rituals and customs including the Easter Gospel, special music, hymns, flowers, and special vestments. After the reflective, somber 40 days of Lent and the sorrow and pain of Passion Week, we joyfully celebrate that Jesus is alive! The seasonal colors are white and/or gold. White represents light, purity, glory, and perfection. The church is richly adorned, usually with lilies and flowers of bright colors in striking contrast to the somber hue of Lent and the emptiness of Good Friday. Appropriate symbols for the season include the open tomb, the Chi Rho, resurrection banner, glorified cross, phoenix, butterflies, peacocks, pomegranate, and a large paschal candle.

Pentecost Pentecost comes from the Greek word “pentecoste,” which means fiftieth day. Pentecost is the day on which the Christian church remembers the extraordinary event of the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles. It represents the beginning of the Christian church. Pentecost is celebrated on the fiftieth day after Easter

Additional Pages   Pentecost Prayer Send the Fire

Advent Advent is the beginning of the first season of the Christian year. Advent focuses on preparing for the coming of Christ. The word “advent” is derived from the Latin word “adventus,” meaning “to come.” The season or Advent includes the four Sundays before Christmas Day. Advent Wreath Candles The evergreen Advent wreath holds four purple candles, one for each week in Advent, and a larger white one in the middle as the Christ candle. The circled shaped wreath symbolizes the eternity of God. The lighting of the first candle symbolizes expectation, the second hope, the third joy, and the fourth symbolizes purity. The Christ candle is lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day to remind us that Jesus is the light of the world. Hanging of the Greens Many churches hold a service of preparation for Christ’s coming, which includes hanging greenery traditionally, associated with everlasting life. Greens such as cedar for royalty, fir and pine boughs for everlasting life, holly symbolizing Jesus’ death and ivy representing the resurrection are used. Chrismons Chrismons are ornaments made from Christian symbols. Many churches make their own chrismons to decorate their Christmas trees. The word “chrismons” is a combination of the words “Christ” and “monograms.” Epiphany Epiphany marks the end of the Christmas season on January 6th.

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