29/11/2025
HAPPY NEW LITURGICAL YEAR!
The new liturgical year for many Western Christian traditions, including the Catholic Church, began today, the First Sunday of Advent, November 30, 2025.
The Advent season is a time of hopeful and joyful preparation for the coming of Christ, both in the celebration of his birth at Christmas and his second coming at the end of time. It is seen as a new spiritual beginning, an opportunity for renewal, reflection, and a renewed commitment to faith.
Common traditions and themes for this season include:
Advent Wreath: The lighting of four candles (typically three purple and one pink, or all white) on a wreath each Sunday, symbolizing hope, faith, joy, and peace.
Lectionary Cycle: The start of a new three-year cycle of readings, with the current year (2025-2026) following Year C, which focuses on the Gospel of Luke.
Spiritual Renewal: A call to be alert, watchful, and to "put on the armor of light," leaving behind distractions to prepare one's heart for the Lord's arrival.
Penitential Focus: Like Lent, Advent has a penitential aspect, with the liturgical color of purple (or violet) encouraging preparation and discipline for the joy of Christmas.
Jubilee 2025: The start of this new liturgical year also coincides with the beginning of the Jubilee Year of Hope, declared by the Church, inviting the faithful to be "Pilgrims of Hope".