When Does Advent Start 2026? The 2026 Key Dates
When does Advent start 2026?
Advent starts on Sunday, November 29th, 2026.
Advent always starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. The exact date varies each year because it depends on which day of the week Christmas falls.
When is Advent over 2026?
Advent ends Wednesday, December 24th, 2026.
Advent always ends on Christmas Eve. After Advent, the Christmas season officially begins with Christmas Day on December 25th.
How long is the Advent season?
Advent lasts for approximately four weeks, ending on Christmas Eve (December 24). The number of days varies slightly each year, depending on which day of the week Christmas falls. In 2026, Christmas Eve is on a Thursday, making Advent 26 days, or almost four full weeks long.
How are the dates of Advent decided?
The dates of Advent are determined by the liturgical calendar and are based on the date of Christmas. Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, marking the start of the new liturgical year.
Advent Sundays in Order
When is the First Sunday of Advent 2026?
The first Sunday of Advent is November 29th, 2026.
The first Sunday of Advent is the fourth Sunday before Christmas. Advent begins on this day and continues for the next three Sundays, leading up to Christmas Eve on December 24th.
On the first Sunday of Advent, the first candle on the Advent wreath, often called the "Prophet’s Candle" or the "Candle of Hope," is lit. This candle symbolizes the hope of the people of Israel who waited for the Messiah and the hope of Christians today for Christ’s return.
When is the Second Sunday of Advent?
The second Sunday of Advent is December 6th, 2026.
On the second Sunday of Advent, the second candle on the Advent wreath, often called the "Bethlehem Candle" or the "Candle of Peace," is lit. This candle symbolizes the peace that Christ brings to the world, fulfilling the prophecy of peace found in Scripture.
When is the Third Sunday of Advent?
The third Sunday of Advent is December 13th, 2026.
This Sunday has a special name: Gaudete, Latin for "joy." The third Advent candle, the "Candle of Joy," is rose colored. The third Advent candle is also called the "Shepherd's Candle," representing the shepherds who were visited by angels on the night of Christ's birth. Coming in from the fields of Bethlehem, these ordinary people were the first to rejoice at the coming of the Savior. Priests can wear rose colored vestments when celebrating Mass on the third Sunday of Advent.
The theme of rejoicing and the change of liturgical color to rose offer a little reprieve to the solemn darkness of these weeks as we await the birth of Christ. We can rejoice, because the light of Christ is near.
When is the Fourth Sunday of Advent?
The fourth Sunday of Advent is on December 20th, 2026.
On the fourth Sunday of Advent, the fourth candle on the Advent wreath, known as the "Angel’s Candle" or the "Candle of Love," is lit. This candle symbolizes the love that God has for humanity and the love that Christians are called to share with others. This is the final Sunday of Advent, just a few days before Christmas, and it focuses on the theme of love and the preparation for the birth of Jesus Christ.
1 comment
What is the third Sunday of Advent? The candle of Joy is the Third Sunday of Advent isn’t it?