Christingle: An Advent Tradition
At first it seemed so unusual to me. I was intrigued by the name, and so I read on. In the end, I grew to appreciate its history, humble message and hope for the future.
Christingle is an Advent tradition unknown to me until this year yet has it origins in a simple ritual that is centuries old.
It’s believed the word Christingle itself might be from of old, an English version of Christkindl which means “little Christ child.” Another possibility is that the word came about as the result of combining the words 'Christmas' and 'ingle' which means “fire” in old Scots vocabulary. In this case, resulting in a word which means “Christ Light.”
It began in mid 18th century Germany. Moravian Bishop John de Watteville is credited with starting the ritual of Christingle when he gave children lit candles wrapped in a red ribbon, a symbol of Jesus the light of the world whose blood was shed for us in love. The last prayer of that first service read “Lord Jesus, kindle a flame in these children’s hearts, that theirs like Thine become". The tradition of Christingle was soon more formalized and the custom grew within the Moravian church and eventually spread. Moravian missionaries brought the tradition to England many years ago where the Christingle Service is usually held on the Sunday before Christmas or on its eve. In Moravian churches, a white ribbon is sometimes used in place of red as a symbol of purity.
Fast forward to 1968. John Pensom of the Children’s Society - known as Mr. Christingle- introduced the celebration within the Church of England and is credited with making the ritual popular to a more contemporary audience. On December 7th of that first year, only 300 people were expected to attend this new celebration, but as many as 1,500 attendees arrived. Today it’s one of the most widely celebrated services in the United Kingdom at Christmastime especially among the youth, and often associated with efforts to gather donations for children's charities. Over 600 Christingle celebrations are held annually, and last year alone, celebrated in 32 Cathedrals.
symbolism
Over many years the ritual has developed and the symbols of the Christingle service have changed and grown. Songs are sung, readings read and the Christingle orange created. Today, here is how the various elements can be understood:
the orange
The orange is round and sun like, representing the world and Christ.
the candle
The candle stands for Christ, who gives light in the darkness.
the red ribbon
The red ribbon is tied around the 'world' and is a symbol of the blood Jesus shed when he died to forgive our sins.
the four sticks
The four sticks are set in four directions and symbolize North, South, East and West as well as the four seasons.
sweets, nuts and fruit
The fruit, sweets and nuts represent the fruits of the earth, provided by God, nurtured by the sun.
This brief introduction to the fascinating and very popular celebration of Christingle during the Advent season serves to remind us of the light and love of Jesus. As a core ritual for over a half century in the UK, gatherings collect money for good causes and bring attention to the needs of children. To me Chrisitngle combines the spirit of Advent preparation with the fun associated with crafting a fanciful ginger bread house. It seems to merge the enjoyment of eating holiday treats with the mystery of lighting a vigil candle at midnight Mass. I can see how this simple and subtly magical celebration has continued to be celebrated for so long.
2018 marked the 50th anniversary of the celebration of Christingle in the Church of England. The year was highlighted by the release of Light a Candle, a new song written specifically for the anniversary. While the song’s message is positive and hope filled, I longed to see the words make reference to the Advent and Christmas message of God’s love in Christ which sparked the first Christingle gathering.
For more information on the song Light a Candle and information about Christingle, visit www.christingle.org/song
Nicholas Markell
Nicholas Markell is a liturgical artist who is dedicated to iconic imagery in glass, pigment and graphics. He believes liturgy and worship are among the most important of the Church's works, and a revival of iconic images is meant to lead to the renewal of hearts, minds and lives. Nicholas explores the mysteries of faith creating Christian art with great meaning and beauty.