Published November 26, 2022, 9:43 AM
Roman Catholics will observe the First Sunday of Advent on Nov. 27 in preparation for the Birth of Jesus Christ on Dec. 25.
In all holy masses on Sunday, priests in purple vestments, the color of penitence and fasting, as well as of royalty, will bless Advent wreaths adorned with four candles: Three purple candles, which symbolize anticipation and hope, and one pink candle, which symbolizes joy, arranged in a circle of evergreen to symbolize eternal life.
Some Advent wreaths include a white candle, which symbolizes Christ and is usually lit during the Christmas Eve mass.
After the reading of a short devotional, one of the three purple candles will be lit to signal the joyous season of waiting for Christ’s birth as well as to signify that “Jesus is the light of the world.”
Advent comes from the Latin word “adventus,” which means coming or arrival. The season marks the beginning of the Church’s liturgical year, her new year.
Observed on the Sunday following the celebration of the Solemnity of Christ the King, Advent is historically known as “little Lent” as it is also a time of repentance, prayer, fasting, and confession.
Meanwhile, the Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas (Council of the Laity of the Philippines) urged manufacturers of Noche Buena food items to impose a ceiling on the prices of their products and to consider the purchasing power of the majority of Filipinos.
“We are requesting manufacturers of Noche Buena food items not to hike the prices of their commodities too much and to consider the plight of the poor who can no longer afford most of these food products,” said Jun Cruz, president of SLP, over Radio Veritas.
“We also pray that companies will be able to provide an ‘inflationary gratuity’ aside from the 13th-month pay and Christmas bonus to their workers to help make the coming Christmas celebration merrier for everyone,” he added.
The Department of Trade and Industry earlier announced that around 195 Noche Buena food products from 223 have imposed an increase in their prices due to the rising cost of raw materials.
