Fourth Sunday of Advent

This fourth Sunday in Advent we light the last of the four red candles on our Advent wreath, this time remembering Mary the Mother of Jesus - the candle represents Joy as we say Yes to God's challenge, accepting the pain and joy of an unknown future.
God as we wait for your promise, give light, give hope.

And we have built our nativity set under the altar and can see the shepherds with their sheep waiting for the Virgin Mary and Joseph who are completing their Posada journey around our parish. They will arrive on Christmas Eve in time for our special Children's Crib services.

Women of the Bible No. 11 Mary Queen of Heaven

Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia
For He whom you were worthy to bear, alleluia,
Has risen, as He said, alleluia,
Pray for us to God, alleluia.

Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia:
Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia,
Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia
Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.


This twelfth century prayer is substituted for the Angelus throughout the Easter season in the church calendar. The author is not known, but one legend is that Pope St Gregory 1, known as St Gregory the Great, heard angels chanting the first three lines while he was walking barefoot one Easter morning in religious procession, carrying an icon of the Virgin Mary. He was inspired to write the fourth line.
Jesus Christ is Risen Today, we sing in the Anglican Church on Easter Sunday, a hymn which has its origin in this prayer.