The Advent wreath is made of various evergreens, signifying continuous,
everlasting life. The laurel signifies victory over persecution and
suffering; pine, holly, and yew: immortality; and cedar: strength and healing. Holly also has a special Christian symbolism: The prickly leaves remind us of the crown of thorns and the red berries, the blood of Our Saviour. The circle of the wreath, which has no beginning or end, symbolizes the eternity of God, the immortality of the soul and the everlasting life offered by Christ. Any pine cones, nuts or seedpods used to decorate the wreath also symbolize life and resurrection. All together, the wreath of evergreens depicts the immortality of our soul and new, everlasting life promised to us through Christ, the Eternal Word of the Father, who entered our world becoming true man and who was victorious over sin and death through His own passion, death, and Resurrection.
Togher Boys' National School 