PENSACOLA |  FORT WALTON |  PANAMA CITY |  TALLAHASSEE
Click the links above to view the advent penance times in your area.

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.
 

2018 Advent Penance Services

Please call your parish if days/ times are not listed. 

Pensacola Area

Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Pensacola – hosted “Pre-Advent Penance Service” the week of November 12, 2018.

St. Ann Catholic Church, Bellview
Wednesday – November 28, 2018 – Time TBA

St. Michael the Archangel Basilica, Pensacola  –   Confessions in Conjunction with Veneration of the Relic of St. John Vianney
Monday – December 3, 2018 – confessions from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday – December 4, 2018 – confessions from 9:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.  & 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Little Flower Catholic School, Pensacola
Friday - December 7, 2018 – 9:30 a.m.

St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Pensacola
First Friday – December 7, 2018 – following 6 p.m. Vigil Mass for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception – Reconciliation from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and First Friday Adoration from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Milton
Tuesday - December 11, 2018 – First Reconciliation – 5:30 p.m. and Parish Advent Reconciliation – 7:00 p.m.

St. Ann Catholic Church, Gulf Breeze
Wednesday, December 12, 2018 – 6:30 p.m.
Come at 5:30 p.m. if you would like to eat.

St. Mary Catholic Church, Pensacola
Wednesday – December 12, 2018 – 7:00 p.m.

St. Paul Catholic Church, Pensacola
Wednesday – December 12, 2018 – 7:00 p.m.

Little Flower Catholic Church, Pensacola
Wednesday - December 12, 2018 – 6:00 p.m.

St. John the Evangelist - Pensacola
Thursday – December 13, 2018 – 7:00 p.m.

St. Jude Thaddeus, Cantonment
St. Jude – Friday – December 14, 2018 – 6:30 p.m.

Little Flower Catholic Church, Pensacola
Saturday – December 15, 2018 – First Reconciliation – 9:30 a.m.

St. John the Evangelist School, Pensacola
Tuesday – December 18, 2018 – 9:30 a.m.

Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Pensacola
Saturday – December 22, 2018 – 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

St. Jude Thaddeus, Cantonment
At St. Jude – Saturday – December 22, 2018 – 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
At St. Jude – Sunday – December 23, 2018 – 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
At St. Elizabeth – December 23, 2018 – 7:45 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

St. Joseph Catholic Church, Pensacola
Every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday – 4:30 p.m. to 5:20 p.m.
Every Saturday – 3:00 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.

Nativity of Our Lord, Pensacola
To be announced

St. Stephen Catholic Church/Our Lady of Fatima Shrine, Pensacola
To be announced

Fort Walton Area

Christ Our Redeemer, Niceville
Monday – December 3, 2018 – 6:30 p.m.

Our Lady of Victory, Crestview
Wednesday – December 5, 2018 – 6:00 p.m.

St. Mary School, Fort Walton Beach
Thursday – December 6, 2018 – 9:30 a.m.

St. Margaret of Scotland, Defuniak Springs
Thursday – December 6, 2018 – 6:30 p.m.

Eglin Airforce Base
Friday – December 7, 2018 – 6:00 p.m.

Holy Name of Jesus, Niceville
Saturday – December 8, 2018 –  First Reconciliation – 11:00 a.m.
Monday – December 10, 2018 – 7:00 p.m.

St. Peter, Mary Esther
Tuesday – December 11, 2018 – 6:30 p.m.

Resurrection, Miramar Beach
Thursday – December 13, 2018 – 6:30 p.m.

St. Mary, Fort Walton Beach
Thursday – December 13, 2018 – 6:30 p.m.

Our Lady of Victory, Crestview
Saturday – December 15, 2018 – First Reconciliation – 10:00 a.m.
 

Panama City area

St. Bernadette Catholic Church, Panama City
Thursday – December 6, 2018 – 6:00 p.m.

St. Theresa, Sunny Hills
Thursday – December 6, 2018 – 7:00 p.m.

St. John the Evangelist, Panama City
Tuesday – December 11, 2018 – 6:00 p.m.

St. Dominic, Panama City
Wednesday – December 12, 2018 – 5:30 p.m

Tallahassee area

Blessed Sacrament, Tallahassee
Tuesday – December 4, 2018 – 7:00 p.m.

Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More, Tallahassee
Thursday – December 13, 2018 – 7:00 p.m.

Good Shepherd, Tallahassee
Monday – December 17, 2018 – 7:00 p.m.

St. Louis, Tallahassee
Wednesday – December 19, 2018 – 7:00 p.m.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Crawford
Wednesday – December 19, 2018 – 7:00 p.m.

updated Nov. 30, 2018