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In the heart of the year’s encroaching darkness, as the days grow shorter and a chill settles in the air, a quiet tradition begins in homes and churches around the world. It starts not with a thunderous announcement, but with a single, defiant flame. This is the lighting of the Candle of Hope, the first of four candles on the Advent wreath. It’s a simple act, yet it’s one of the most profound gestures in the Christian faith—a declaration that even in the deepest gloom, light is coming.
For many, the Advent wreath is a familiar piece of Christmas decor, a circle of evergreen holding four candles. But it’s far more than a festive centerpiece. It’s a clock, a calendar, and a catechism all in one. It’s a tool for spiritual formation, designed to pull us out of the holiday hustle and into a state of active, expectant waiting. And that journey always begins with hope.
But what is this hope? It’s not the flimsy, fingers-crossed optimism of a lottery ticket. It’s a deep, resilient, and defiant conviction. It’s the hope of prophets who spoke of a king in a time of chaos, the hope of a people waiting for generations for a promised rescuer. To understand this first candle is to understand the very foundation of the Christmas story: the long, patient, and sometimes painful wait for a promise to be fulfilled.
In this guide, we’ll explore the rich history and deep theological currents that feed this single flame. We’ll trace the origins of the Advent wreath from a 19th-century German mission to a global Christian symbol. We’ll break down the powerful meaning behind the Candle of Hope, also known as the Prophecy Candle, and uncover why this ancient tradition remains so potent in our modern world. This is the story of how a little bit of wax and a single wick can illuminate the most foundational of human virtues.
What Is Advent? More Than Just a Chocolate Calendar
Before we can appreciate the wreath, we first have to understand the season it serves. The word Advent comes from the Latin adventus, meaning “coming” or “arrival.” It marks the beginning of the liturgical year for Western Christian churches, a four-week season of preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas.
However, Advent isn’t just about preparing for a historical birthday party. It has a dual focus. First, it’s a time to prepare to celebrate the first coming of Christ—the vulnerable baby in the manger in Bethlehem. Second, and just as importantly, it’s a time to look forward with anticipation to the Second Coming of Christ, when he will return in glory.
Historically, Advent was a solemn, penitential season, much like a “little Lent.” It was a time for fasting and reflection, a spiritual cleansing to prepare one’s heart for the arrival of the King. While that somber tone has softened over the centuries, the core theme of preparation remains. Advent is a season that intentionally builds anticipation. It teaches us to wait, to watch, and to hope. It’s the spiritual antidote to a culture of instant gratification, reminding us that the most meaningful things in life are worth waiting for.
The Anatomy of Anticipation: Deconstructing the Advent Wreath
The most visible symbol of this watchful season is the Advent wreath. Its elements are simple, but each one is saturated with meaning, telling a piece of the story of salvation history.
A Circle of Light: The German Origins of a Beloved Tradition
While circles of light and evergreens have been used in winter rituals for centuries, the Advent wreath as we know it has a clear and heartwarming origin story. Its invention is credited to Johann Hinrich Wichern, a German pastor and theologian who ran a mission for impoverished children in Hamburg called the Rauhes Haus (the “Rough House”).
In the 1830s, Wichern was faced with a practical problem. During the weeks leading up to Christmas, the children would constantly ask him, “Is it Christmas yet?” To help them visualize the passing of time and build their anticipation in a constructive way, he created a brilliant teaching tool. In 1839, he took a large wooden cartwheel and placed candles on it. He used nineteen small red candles for the weekdays and four large white candles for the Sundays of Advent. Each day, the children would gather, and a new candle would be lit as they sang hymns and prayed.
This practice gave the children a tangible way to count down the days, transforming their impatient questions into a daily ritual of hopeful expectation. The tradition quickly caught on in German Lutheran churches, and from there, it spread across the world. Over time, the large cartwheel was simplified into the smaller, four-candle wreath common today, but its purpose remains the same: to be a beautiful, interactive calendar of hope.
Reading the Symbols: What Every Element Means
The modern Advent wreath is a masterclass in Christian symbolism.
- The Evergreen Circle: The wreath is made of evergreens, such as pine, fir, or laurel. The circular shape, with no beginning and no end, symbolizes God’s eternity and endless mercy. The green branches, which survive the harshness of winter, represent Christ’s gift of everlasting life and the enduring hope we find in him, even in times of spiritual darkness or death.
- The Four Candles: The four candles, one for each Sunday of Advent, represent the thousands of years of waiting—from the earliest prophets to the birth of Jesus. As a new candle is lit each week, the light grows, symbolizing the approaching arrival of Jesus, the “Light of the World” (John 8:12).
- The Colors: Traditionally, three of the candles are purple (or violet), and one is rose (or pink). Purple is the historic liturgical color for royalty and for penitence. It signifies the need for prayer and reflection as we prepare for the coming of our King. The rose candle, lit on the Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday), represents joy and a break in the solemnity as Christmas draws near.
- The Central Christ Candle (Optional): Many wreaths include a fifth, large white candle in the center. This is the Christ Candle. It is lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day to proclaim that the waiting is over and the Light of the World has finally arrived. Its white color symbolizes purity, victory, and the sinless nature of Christ.
The First Sunday: Lighting the Candle of Hope
With this symbolic language in mind, we can now turn to the first Sunday of Advent and the lighting of its profound first flame.
The Prophecy Candle: A Light Against the Darkness
The first candle of Advent is called the Candle of Hope. It is also frequently known as the Prophecy Candle. This dual naming is critical to its meaning. It represents the hope of the Jewish people, who had been waiting for centuries for a Messiah, a Savior promised to them by God through the prophets.
When this first candle is lit, it breaks the complete darkness of the unlit wreath. It’s a small light, but it’s powerful. It symbolizes the dawning of hope that came with the Old Testament prophecies of a coming king. It’s a tangible reminder of the promises God made to his people through figures like Abraham and David, and the specific, world-changing prophecies delivered by Isaiah, Micah, and others.
Lighting this candle is an act of remembrance. It connects us to that ancient story of waiting, placing us in solidarity with all who have hoped for redemption. It acknowledges the darkness of the world—both then and now—and makes a bold declaration: the darkness will not win. A light is coming.
The Color of Kings and Contemplation: Why Purple?
The Candle of Hope is purple. As mentioned, this color carries a double meaning. On one hand, it’s the color of royalty. Lighting a purple candle acknowledges that we are preparing for the arrival of a King—not an earthly king with armies and palaces, but a heavenly King who comes in humility.
On the other hand, purple is the color of penitence and preparation. It calls us to a period of self-examination. What in our lives needs to be put in order to welcome Christ? What darkness in our own hearts needs his light? The hope of Advent isn’t passive; it’s active. It calls us to prepare a way for the Lord, and the color purple reminds us that this preparation is a serious and sacred duty.
The Heart of the Matter: What Is Christian Hope?
To truly grasp the significance of the first Advent candle, we must move beyond a superficial understanding of “hope.” In modern English, hope is often used to mean wishful thinking. “I hope it doesn’t rain.” “I hope I get the job.” It’s a desire for a future outcome that is largely out of our control.
Biblical hope is something else entirely.
More Than Wishful Thinking: Hope as Confident Expectation
The New Testament word for hope is the Greek word elpis. For the writers of the Bible, elpis was not a flimsy wish. It was a confident expectation or a certain assurance based on the trustworthy character and promises of God. It’s the spiritual equivalent of a farmer planting a seed. The farmer doesn’t just “wish” for a harvest; he confidently expects it because he trusts in the predictable processes of sun, soil, and rain.
Christian hope is not about believing that bad things won’t happen. It’s about believing that God is sovereign and faithful even in the midst of bad things. It’s the anchor of the soul, as the author of Hebrews writes, that holds firm in the storms of life because it is tethered to the unshakable reality of God’s promises (Hebrews 6:19).
The Candle of Hope, therefore, doesn’t represent a wish for a Savior. It represents the confident, assured expectation that God would fulfill His promise to send one.
The Voices in the Wilderness: The Prophets of Hope
This confident expectation was nurtured for centuries by the words of the prophets. They spoke in times of war, exile, and political turmoil, reminding Israel that God had not abandoned them. Their words form the foundation of the Prophecy Candle.
Isaiah: The People in Darkness Have Seen a Great Light
Perhaps no prophet is more associated with Advent than Isaiah. Writing in the 8th century BC, during a time of immense threat from the Assyrian empire, Isaiah delivered some of the most stunningly beautiful prophecies of the coming Messiah.
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. … For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:2, 6)
This passage is the heart of the Candle of Hope. It acknowledges the reality of “deep darkness” but proclaims that a “great light” is the ultimate reality. The lighting of the first candle is a direct echo of this verse—a small light shining in the darkness, a promise of the Wonderful Counselor to come. Isaiah also gave the prophecy of the virgin birth: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14), which means “God with us.”
Jeremiah: Plans for a Future and a Hope
Jeremiah prophesied during one of the darkest periods in Israel’s history—the fall of Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile in the 6th century BC. His people were defeated, displaced, and despairing. In the midst of this, God gave him a message not of condemnation, but of enduring hope.
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
This promise, sent to the exiles in Babylon, is a cornerstone of Christian hope. It asserts that God’s plans are ultimately for our good, even when our present circumstances are bleak. The Candle of Hope reminds us that God is always working toward a future for us, one defined by His redemptive purpose.
Micah: From the Small Town of Bethlehem
The prophet Micah, a contemporary of Isaiah, gave a stunningly specific prophecy about the Messiah’s birthplace, which added a concrete, geographical dimension to Israel’s hope.
“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” (Micah 5:2)
This prophecy declared that the great King would come not from a place of power like Jerusalem, but from the humble, seemingly insignificant village of Bethlehem. This underscores a key aspect of Advent hope: God’s power is often revealed in the small, the overlooked, and the unexpected. The first candle’s small flame is a perfect symbol of this—a humble beginning that holds the promise of world-changing power.
The Patriarchs: A Legacy of Waiting
The hope represented by the first candle stretches back even further than the prophets. It is the hope of the Patriarchs. It’s the hope of Abraham, who was promised descendants as numerous as the stars and a land for his people, and who waited his entire life to see the beginning of its fulfillment. It’s the hope of Moses, who led his people out of slavery in Egypt toward a Promised Land he himself would never enter.
The Candle of Hope represents this entire lineage of faith—generations of people who lived and died trusting in a promise they had not yet received in full. Lighting it connects us to their story and reminds us that we, too, are part of a long legacy of waiting and hoping in God’s faithfulness.
Bringing the Tradition Home: Observing the First Week of Advent
The beauty of the Advent wreath is that it’s not meant to be a static decoration. It’s an interactive tradition for churches, families, and individuals. Here are some ways to observe the first week of Advent and bring the meaning of the Candle of Hope to life.
A Simple Liturgy: How to Light the Candle of Hope
Creating a small ritual around lighting the candle can make the tradition more meaningful. Gather your family around the wreath in the evening. You can use a script like this or adapt it to your own words.
(Begin with the wreath unlit.)
Leader: Today is the First Sunday of Advent. We begin our journey to Christmas by lighting the Candle of Hope. Reader: The first candle is also called the Prophecy Candle. It reminds us of the prophets who spoke of the coming of Christ and filled God’s people with hope for a Savior. A reading from Isaiah: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.”
(The first purple candle is lit.)
Leader: We light this candle as a symbol of our hope in Christ. All: Come, Lord Jesus. Leader: Let us pray. O God, as we light this first candle, awaken in us the hope of your salvation. Help us to be watchful and ready for the coming of your Son, Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. All: Amen.
Scripture Readings for a Week of Hope
Throughout the first week of Advent, you can continue to focus on the theme of hope with daily scripture readings.
- Monday: Romans 15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
- Tuesday: Isaiah 11:1-10 – The prophecy of the “shoot from the stump of Jesse.”
- Wednesday: Psalm 130 – “I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope.”
- Thursday: Hebrews 6:18-20 – Hope as an “anchor of the soul.”
- Friday: Jeremiah 33:14-16 – The promise of a “righteous Branch” from David’s line.
- Saturday: Luke 1:26-38 – The Annunciation, where Mary receives the promise of a Son.
Activities for All Ages: Cultivating Hope as a Family
- Create a “Hope Chain”: Cut strips of purple paper. On each strip, have family members write down something they are hoping for—for themselves, for others, or for the world. Link the strips together to create a paper chain to decorate the room.
- Discuss Hope: At dinner, ask questions like, “What’s the difference between wishing and hoping?” or “Who is someone who gives you hope?”
- Listen to Music: Play Advent hymns that focus on hope and longing, such as “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” Discuss the lyrics and what they mean.
- Serve Others: Hope is active. As a family, choose a way to bring hope to others during the first week of Advent, such as donating to a food bank or writing letters to the lonely. This connects the theological concept to practical action.
Hope in a Modern World: Why This Ancient Flame Still Matters
It might be easy to dismiss this tradition as a relic of a bygone era. But the need for hope is timeless. We live in a world filled with its own forms of darkness: anxiety, division, uncertainty, and personal struggle. The daily news cycle can feel like an overwhelming tide of bad news.
The Candle of Hope offers a powerful counter-narrative. It doesn’t deny the existence of darkness; it shines a light in the middle of it. It reminds us that our ultimate hope is not found in political leaders, economic trends, or our own strength. It is anchored in the character of a God who makes promises and keeps them.
To light the first Advent candle is to perform an act of quiet defiance. It’s to say that we believe a better world is not only possible, but promised. It’s to acknowledge our own longings for peace, justice, and redemption and to place them in the context of God’s larger story. It’s a practice that cultivates patience, fosters gratitude, and reminds us that waiting is not an empty activity, but a sacred space where our hearts can be prepared for the arrival of light.
The Enduring Promise: The Journey Continues
The first candle is only the beginning. Its solitary flame, flickering in the darkness, holds all the longing and anticipation of the ages. It is the hope of the prophets, the trust of the patriarchs, and the foundation of the Christian story.
As the weeks of Advent unfold, more candles will be lit. The light will grow brighter, and the themes will build upon one another—from hope to peace, from joy to love. But it all starts here, with this single flame. The Candle of Hope is our starting point, our anchor, and our promise that no matter how deep the winter or how dark the night, the Light of the World is coming.
