In Roman Catholic tradition, Advent Sunday signifies the beginning of an expectant waiting period before the Christmas holiday. Throughout the world, Christians turn their hearts toward Jerusalem at this time, remembering the Holy City in which Jesus walked. In Jerusalem itself, worshippers know themselves to be at the center of the whirlwind, in the place where it all began. In the monasteries, churches and convents that are scattered throughout the Holy City, the sacred preparations begin.
What is Advent Sunday?
Advent Sunday marks the start of the Christian liturgical year in the Western church. It is also the beginning of the Advent season, a period characterized by its expectant preparations for the Nativity of Jesus—the Christmas holiday.
In Jerusalem, the preparations are not just for the holiday itself but also for the thousands of visitors from overseas who will flood the Holy City at the end of December. While Christmas lights are virtually unknown in most parts of Jerusalem and Santa Claus is an unfamiliar figure to Jerusalem children, there is an air of palpable expectation in the Old City of Jerusalem.
