House of worship: In Shanghai, St. Ignatius Cathedral is modeled on Western-style architecture and was built in 1906. It was damaged during China’s Cultural Revolution, but it has since been restored. In Shanghai, it’s called Xujiahui Catholic Church (No.156 Puxi Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai 200000, China) About 86% of the people in this Balkan Peninsula country are Roman Catholic, and Advent is a big part of the religious life here. For some Croatians, preparations for Christmas actually begin before Advent on November 25, which is Sveta Kata (St. Catherine’s Day). The English version of the hymn we sing today has some variation from the original, but anyone visiting Austria who happens to catch a performance should immediately recognize the soothing sound. People also set up outdoor booths in village and city squares, decorated in themes of Christmas, where they will pass out candy, little gifts and cards.

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Prva adventska nedjelja (or Advent Sunday) is the fourth Sunday before Christmas, and the first of four candles in the Advent wreath is lit.House of worship: Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral is the largest cathedral in Latin America. Construction on it took more than two centuries, so it has a mix of architectural styles as a result. (Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral, Plaza de la Constitución, Centro, Mexico City, Mexico, +52 55 5510 0440)

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Families across Germany will set up an Advent wreath with four candles, one for each week of Advent. They may gather around the wreath each Sunday to sing carols and light another candle. The word can mean both a symbolic item and a service. You make Christingles from an orange, which you decorate with a candle, red tape and sweets.St Ignatius Cathedral reopened in December 2017 after a two-year renovation. Stringer/Imaginechina/AP Hungarians are a music-loving people, and various Christmas concerts are traditionally held around the capital of Budapest and other cities and towns. Chinese Christians light up their homes with colorful paper lanterns during Advent, and you might find red paper pagodas cut out and placed in windows. They follow many of the traditions that were brought by Western missionaries. Wreaths, candles and calendars. These are sure signs of Advent for many Christian groups around the world. But what is Advent exactly?

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For Orthodox churches that still follow the traditional ancient Julian Calendar, those dates are November 28 to January 6. House of worship: St. Stephen’s Basilica is the largest church in Budapest and a relative newcomer by European historical standards, consecrated in 1905 after decades of construction. In addition to the impressive neoclassical architecture, the views from the top are reportedly spectacular. (Szent Istvan ter 1, Pest, Budapest 1051, Hungary) China might not immediately come to mind when you think of Advent, but roughly 5.1% of the population of 1.41 billion is Christian. Krakow marks the first Sunday of Advent by decorating beautiful Rynek Square square with lights, boughs and garlands. An emerging Christmas tradition is the giving of apples, sometimes sold in stores wrapped in colored paper.The word Advent derives from the Latin adventus , which means an arrival or visit. Advent is the beginning of the spiritual year for these churches, and it’s observed the four Sundays before Christmas Day. Spiritually, it’s meant as a celebration of the Earthly birth of Jesus around 2,000 years ago but also a preparation and anticipation for the second coming of Christ.