Gaudete Sunday: 11th December 2016

5th Dec 2016

Families are invited and encouraged to bring their Infant Jesus ï¬gurines or small cribs to one of the weekend Masses so that they can be blessed.

‘Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice’.

The Third Sunday of Advent is also known as Gaudete Sunday and ‘gaudete’ means ‘rejoice’. The Priest wears rose coloured vestments on this day in contrast to the violet or purple coloured vestments he wears on all the other days of Advent. We rejoice on this Sunday because we know that the birth of Jesus, our Redeemer and Saviour, is near. Each year, on Gaudete Sunday, the children in Rome bring their ï¬gurines of the Infant Jesus to St. Peter’s Square to be blessed by the Pope.

At all the Vigil and Sunday Masses on Gaudete Sunday the Celebrant will bless your Infant Jesus ï¬gurines or small cribs.

The infant Jesus ï¬gurine is only placed in the family crib on his birthday, Christmas Day.

What a wonderful way to remind us that Jesus is, and should always be, at the centre of our lives.