Light one more candle each week
Advent Wreath Prayers
Here are the prayers from Advent at Home 2026: one for the first lighting, on Sunday, November 29, and one for each week of Advent.
First Sunday of Advent, Sunday, November 29, 2026
Prayer for the First Lighting
Parent: Come, Lord Jesus.
All: Come and be our light.
A child lights the first violet candle.
Parent: Loving Father, tonight we light the first candle and begin to wait for Jesus, your Son. Be with our family each time we gather here. As the light grows from week to week, make our hearts ready to welcome him at Christmas and on the day he comes again in glory.
All: Amen.
Original, written for this guide; the opening words “Come, Lord Jesus” are from Apocalypse 22:20 (Douay-Rheims). Not taken from the Book of Blessings.
A prayer for each week
Each Sunday brings a new prayer for the week’s evening lightings. These are ancient Roman prayers, the collects of the four Sundays of Advent in the Missal of 1962, given here in Latin with our own English translation. With small children, a parent may pray the words and everyone answers “Amen.”
Stir up your power
Week 1 · November 29 to December 5
Stir up your power, O Lord, we beseech you, and come: that we may be worthy to be rescued by your protection from the dangers that threaten us because of our sins, and to be saved by your deliverance. You live and reign with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Excita, quǽsumus, Dómine, poténtiam tuam, et veni: ut ab imminéntibus peccatórum nostrórum perículis, te mereámur protegénte éripi, te liberánte salvári: Qui vivis et regnas cum Deo Patre, in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus, per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.
Collect of the First Sunday of Advent, Missale Romanum (1962). Latin as transcribed by Divinum Officium (missa/Latin/Tempora/Adv1-0.txt, [Oratio]; conclusion “Qui vivis” from missa/Latin/Ordo/Prayers.txt). English translation by the house.
Stir up our hearts
Week 2 · December 6 to 12
Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to prepare the ways of your Only-begotten Son, so that through his coming we may be worthy to serve you with purified minds. He lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Excita, Dómine, corda nostra ad præparándas Unigéniti tui vias: ut, per ejus advéntum, purificátis tibi méntibus servíre mereámur: Qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti Deus per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.
Collect of the Second Sunday of Advent, Missale Romanum (1962). Latin as transcribed by Divinum Officium (missa/Latin/Tempora/Adv2-0.txt, [Oratio]; conclusion “Qui tecum” from missa/Latin/Ordo/Prayers.txt). English translation by the house.
Bend your ear to our prayers
Week 3 · December 13 to 19
Bend your ear to our prayers, O Lord, we beseech you, and lighten the darkness of our minds by the grace of your visitation. You live and reign with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Aurem tuam, quǽsumus, Dómine, précibus nostris accómmoda: et mentis nostræ ténebras, grátia tuæ visitatiónis illústra: Qui vivis et regnas cum Deo Patre, in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus, per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.
Collect of the Third Sunday of Advent, Missale Romanum (1962). Latin as transcribed by Divinum Officium (missa/Latin/Tempora/Adv3-0.txt, [Oratio]; conclusion “Qui vivis” from missa/Latin/Ordo/Prayers.txt). English translation by the house.
Come with great power
Week 4 · December 20 to 24
Stir up your power, O Lord, we beseech you, and come, and help us with your great strength, so that, by the aid of your grace, your merciful forgiveness may hasten what our sins hold back. You live and reign with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Excita, quǽsumus, Dómine, poténtiam tuam, et veni: et magna nobis virtúte succúrre; ut per auxílium grátiæ tuæ, quod nostra peccáta præpédiunt, indulgéntia tuæ propitiatiónis accéleret: Qui vivis et regnas cum Deo Patre, in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus, per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.
Collect of the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Missale Romanum (1962). Latin as transcribed by Divinum Officium (missa/Latin/Tempora/Adv4-0.txt, [Oratio]; conclusion “Qui vivis” from missa/Latin/Ordo/Prayers.txt). English translation by the house.