[Catholic Caucus] The Season of Advent (Gueranger)

http://www.clutchingmyrosary.com/blog/?p=9203 ^ | 1868 | Dom Prosper Gueranger

[CMRosary]

THE HISTORY OF ADVENT

THE NAME Advent (from the Latin Adventus, which signifies a coming) is applied, in the Latin Church, to that period of the year, during which the Church requires the faithful to prepare for the celebration of the feast of Christmas, the anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ. The mystery of that great day had every right to the honor of being prepared for by prayer and works of penance; and, in fact, it is impossible to state, with any certainty, when this season of preparation (which had long been observed before receiving its present name of Advent) was first instituted. It would seem, however, that its observance first began in the west, since it is evident that Advent could not have been looked on as a preparation for the feast of Christmas, until that feast was definitively fixed to the twenty-fifth of December; which was done in the east only towards the close of the fourth century; whereas it is certain that the Church of Rome kept the feast on that day at a much earlier period.

We must look upon Advent in two different lights: first, as a time of preparation, properly so called, for the birth of our Savior, by works of penance; and secondly, as a series of ecclesiastical Offices drawn up for the same purpose.

[CMRosary]

This is a very lengthy article. Please continue to http://www.clutchingmyrosary.com/blog/?p=9203 to read the rest, including the Mystery of Advent, Practice During Advent, Prayers, and the Mass of the Season in its entirety (with commentary).