The word “advent” (the arrival of an important person or thing) is derived from the Latin word “adventus,” which means “coming.”
For Catholics, Advent is the four-week season leading up to Christmas.
During Advent we anticipate the coming of Jesus. It’s a time full of reflection, excitement, and hope.
The purple candles in particular symbolize the prayer, penance, and preparatory sacrifices and goods works undertaken at this time. The rose candle is lit on the third Sunday, Gaudete Sunday, when the priest also wears rose vestments at Mass; Gaudete Sunday is the Sunday of rejoicing, because the faithful have arrived at the midpoint of Advent, when their preparation is now half over and they are close to Christmas.