PENSACOLA |  FORT WALTON |  PANAMA CITY |  TALLAHASSEE
Click the links above to view the 2020 Advent penance times in your area.
Please call your parish if days/ times are not listed. 

Beginning the Church's liturgical year, Advent (from, "ad-venire" in Latin or "to come to") is the season encompassing the four Sundays (and weekdays) leading up to the celebration of Christmas.

The Advent season is a time of preparation that directs our hearts and minds to Christ’s second coming at the end of time and also to the anniversary of the Lord’s birth on Christmas. The final days of Advent, focus particularly on our preparation for the celebrations of the Nativity of our Lord (Christmas).

Questions: What are the colors of Advent?

In the Roman Catholic Church, the official liturgical color for most of the Season of Advent is violet. It is used in both Advent and Lent to signify a time of preparation, prayer, penance and sacrifice. Only on the Third Sunday of Advent is a rose (pink) colored candle lit, as a symbol of joy; the priest may also wear rose vestments on this Sunday.

DEVOTIONS

Advent devotions including the Advent wreath, remind us of the meaning of the season. An advent wreath can be purchased or made as a family. The wreath is traditionally a circle of evergreens, symbolizing the eternal and never-ending life we have in Christ. In recent years, advent candles places in a row on a mantle have become more popular and are an acceptable form of a "wreath" to use in commemorating Advent.

Each of the four candles placed in the wreath has a special significance and deeper meaning:

• The 1st Sunday of Advent is observed with a violet candle, symbolizing hope, particularly hope in Christ's Second Coming.
• The 2nd Sunday of Advent is also marked by a violet candle, symbolizing faith, again in reference to Christ's Second Coming specifically.
• The 3rd Sunday of Advent is known as Gaudete (Rejoice) Sunday. This is the only Sunday in the season that is marked by a rose candle representing the virtue of joy - joy that the time of waiting is almost over and that Christmas is nearly here.
• The 4th Sunday of Advent is the final Sunday and is marked by a violet candle symbolizing peace, a virtue that Christ's Presence brings to us.  

A white candle can be added to the center of the wreath which is meant to symbolize Christ and is lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. This is an optional candle and is based on the desires of the family.

An ancient tradition revived in the mid-20th century as an Advent practice, the Jesse Tree represents the family of Jesse, father of King David. Out of this family line, God would take flesh and live among the people of earth. The Gospel of Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus (Mt 1:1-17) names a person from each generation before Jesus’ birth. Stories about these people are in the Old Testament. The Jesse Tree itself can be made from paper, cloth, branches or a tabletop Christmas tree. Make or add an ornament each day of Advent to represent the ancestors of Jesus.

Click here to download the 2020 Advent Calendar

Click here to dive into the season of Advent with these practical and inspirational resources for your family, parish, or school.

2020 Advent Penance Services

Pensacola Area

St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Pensacola
Saturday, December 5,  2:00 p.m.-3:45 p.m.

St. Rose of Lima, Milton
Thursday, December 10,  7:00 p.m.

St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Pensacola
Saturday, December 12, 2:00 p.m.-3:45 p.m.

Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Pensacola
Saturday, December 12, 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 13, 8:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.

St. Joseph, Pensacola
Saturday, December 12, 9:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Pensacola
Tuesday, December 15, 6:30 p.m.

Nativity of Our Lord, Pensacola
Tuesday, December 15, 6:00 p.m.

Little Flower Catholic Church, Pensacola
Wednesday, December 16, 6:00 p.m.

St. Sylvester Catholic Church, Gulf Breeze
Saturday, December 19,   9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Pensacola
Saturday, December 19, 2:00 p.m.-3:45 p.m.

St. Mary, Pensacola
Saturday extended confessions, 2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.

Holy Spirit, Perdido Key
Each Friday, 9:00 a.m.-10 a.m. and each Saturday, 4 p.m.-5 p.m.

Basilica of St. Michael, Pensacola
Monday-Wednesday and Friday, 11:00 a.m.-11:45 a.m.
Each Saturday, 10 a.m.-11 a.m. (Saturday confessions, please come to the parking area behind the Basilica for entrance. Facial covering required.

St. Stephen, Pensacola
By appointment

Fort Walton Area

Christ Our Redeemer, Niceville
Saturday, November 28, 3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.

Christ Our Redeemer, Niceville
Tuesday, December 1, 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.

Resurrection, Destin
Tuesday, December 1, 10:00-11:00 a.m.

Christ Our Redeemer, Niceville
Saturday, December 5, 3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.

Resurrection, Destin
Tuesday, December 8, 4:00-5:00 p.m.

Christ Our Redeemer, Niceville
Saturday, December 12, 3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.

Resurrection, Destin
Tuesday, December 15, 10:00-11:00 a.m.

Christ Our Redeemer, Niceville
Saturday, December 19, 3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.

Resurrection, Destin
Tuesday, December 22, 4:00-5:00 p.m.

Holy Name of Jesus, Niceville
Each Saturday 3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. & each Wednesdays 5:00 p.m.-5:45 p.m. or by appointment

Blessed Trinity, Bonifay
Confessions by appointment

St. Margaret of Scotland, Defuniak Springs
Confessions by appointment

Panama City area

St. Joseph the Worker, Chipley
Thursday, December 3, 5:30 p.m.

St. Dominic Catholic Church, Panama City
Monday, December 14, 6 p.m.

St. Theresa, Sunny Hills
Monday, December 14, 5:30-6:15 p.m.

St. Anne Parish, Marianna
Wednesday, December 16, 5:30 p.m.

St. Bernadette, Panama City
Wednesday, December 16, 6:00 p.m.

Our Lady of the Rosary, Panama City
Confessions by appointment

Our Lady Queen of Peace, Youngstown
Confessions by appointment

Tallahassee area

Immaculate Conception, Perry
Monday, December 7, 7:00 p.m.

St. Louis, Tallahassee
Wednesday, December 9, 6:00 p.m.

Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More, Tallahassee
Thursday, December 10, 7:00 p.m.

Good Shepherd, Tallahassee
Monday, December 14, 9:30-10:00 a.m. & 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Good Shepherd, Tallahassee
Tuesday, December 15, 9:30-10:00 a.m. & 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Good Shepherd, Tallahassee
Wednesday, December 16, 9:30-10:00 a.m. & 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Good Shepherd, Tallahassee
Thursday, December 17, 9:30-10:00 a.m. & 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Good Shepherd, Tallahassee
Friday, December 18, 9:30-10:00 a.m. & 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Good Shepherd, Tallahassee
Saturday, December 19, 10:00-11:00 a.m. & 3:00 -4:00 p.m.

St. Eugene Chapel, Tallahassee
Saturday, December 19, 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

Good Shepherd, Tallahassee
Monday, December 21, 9:30-10:00 a.m. & 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Good Shepherd, Tallahassee
Tuesday, December 22, 9:30-10:00 a.m. & 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Good Shepherd, Tallahassee
Wednesday, December 23, 9:30-10:00 a.m. & 4:30-5:30 p.m.

St. Vincent de Paul, Madison
Each Saturday, 3:00 p.m.

St. Margaret, Monticello
Each Wednesday, 5:00 p.m.

St. Eugene, Tallahassee
Each Sunday, 8:15 a.m.-8:45 a.m., 10:15-11 a.m. or by appointment