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1. O Sapientia: O Antiphon
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2. Ad te levavi: Introit for the 1st Sunday of Advent
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3. O Adonai: O Antiphon
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4. Lord, Come and Save Us: Responsory for Advent
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5. O Radix Jesse: O Antiphon
6. Populus Sion: Introit for the 2nd Sunday of Advent
7. O Clavis David: O Antiphon
8. Creator of the Stars of Night: Advent Vesper Hymn
9. O Oriens: O Antiphon
10. Jerusalem surge: Communion for the 2nd Sunday of Advent
11. O Rex gentium: O Antiphon
12. Gaudete in Domino: Introit for the 3rd Sunday of Advent
13. O Emmanuel: O Antiphon
14. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel: Medieval Advent Hymn
15. Proclamation of Christmas
16. Dominus dixit ad me: Introit for Christmas Midnight Mass
17. From East to West: Christmas Lauds Hymn
18. Christmas Lauds Antiphons
19. Reading for Vigils: Is 9:2-7
20. O Great Mystery: Responsory
21. O Christ Redeemer: Christmas Vesper Hymn
22. Puer natus est: Introit for Christmas Day
23. Today is Born: Responsory for Christmas Midnight Mass
24. Of the Father's Love Begotten: Medieval Christmas Hymn
25. This Day Was Born: Magnificat Antiphon for Christmas
26. Vidimus stellam: Communion for Epiphany
27. Alma Redemptoris Mater: Marian Antiphon for Advent and Christmas
Advent
Advent (from the Latin
adventus, meaning "coming") is the liturgical season that precedes and anticipates Christmas. It is a season of hope and of longing, of joyful expectation and of peaceful preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus. Christians believe that the season of Advent serves as a dual reminder of the original waiting that was done by the Hebrews for the birth of their Messiah as well as the waiting of Christians today for the second coming of Christ. With the view of directing the thoughts of Christians to the first coming of Jesus Christ as Savior, and to his second coming as Judge, special lessons are prescribed for each of the four Sundays in Advent.
Advent is the beginning of the Western liturgical year and begins on Advent Sunday, which in most traditions is the fourth Sunday before December 25; in other words, the Sunday between November 27 and December 3 inclusive. The Fourth Sunday of Advent could be as early as December 18, a full week before Christmas (as in 2005), or as late as December 24, making it the same day as Christmas Eve (as it was in 2006). Most Eastern Orthodox and other Eastern Christian Churches have a "Nativity Fast" (now often called "Advent Fast"), which usually lasts forty days before Christmas; it may begin on November 15 (for those Churches that celebrate Christmas on December 25), or in late November (for those Churches that celebrate Christmas on January 7 or 8).
Many symbols and traditions are associated with Advent, especially the Advent Wreath with its four colored candles (three purple and one pink), but also Advent calendars, special Advent music, food, processions, and other traditions that may vary from one culture or region to another. In the Roman Catholic Church, the official liturgical color for most of the Season of Advent is violet. Only on the Third Sunday of Advent (traditionally called
Gaudete Sunday from Latin, meaning "Rejoice!") is a rose (pink) colored candle lit, as a symbol of joy; the priest may also wear rose vestments on this Sunday. Many Anglicans and some Protestant Churches use blue instead of violet throughout Advent, although they may also use rose/pink on the Third Sunday. Other church decorations (altar cloths, banners, etc.) will often have combinations of violet, pink, and blue throughout the season.
St. Meinrad Archabbey: St. Meinrad, IndianaSt. Meinrad Archabbey is a Benedictine monastery located among the rolling hills of southern Indiana in a small town named St. Meinrad. It is the home to about 100 monks. Among their main works are a graduate school for Roman Catholic priesthood studies and lay ministry studies; Abbey Press, an international mail-order firm that markets inspirational gifts, cards, books and other publications; Abbey Caskets, which sells to the public simple wooden caskets similar to those used by the monks; and the Guest House and Retreat Center, which hosts retreats year round.
St. Meinrad was founded by monks from the Swiss Abbey of Einsiedeln in 1854.
