Why Advent Begins on a Sunday
On a Sunday near the end of November, a church may light one candle in a circle of evergreen branches. The next Sunday, a second candle is lit. Week by week, the growing light marks the approach of Christmas and a season called Advent.
Advent is a season of preparation observed by many Christians. Its name comes from a Latin word meaning “coming.” During Advent, Christians prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas. Many also reflect on their belief that Christ will come again. Customs differ among churches, families, and countries, and not all Christians observe Advent in the same way.
A date that moves
In many Western Christian calendars, Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day. Because Christmas always falls on December 25 but lands on a different day of the week from year to year, the first Sunday of Advent moves too. It can fall as early as November 27 or as late as December 3.
- preparation:
- The act of getting ready for something.
- observed:
- Practiced or celebrated in a particular way.
- reflect:
- To think carefully about something.
- represent:
- To stand for or be a sign of something.
- associated:
- Connected with something else.
- elaborate:
- Having many details or decorations.
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Main Idea
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Context Clues
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Summarize
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Why does the first Sunday of Advent fall on a different date in different years?
- 2Why can Advent have four Sundays but a different number of days each year?
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About this explanatory article passage for Upper Elementary
“Why Advent Begins on a Sunday” is a explanatory article reading passage about Advent, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 3 minutes to read (491 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.