60+ Advent Prayers and Blessings (2026)

Advent prayers and blessings are a simple way to slow down before Christmas and prepare your heart for the coming of Jesus. This collection brings together 60 original Advent prayers for every part of the season, from the first Sunday of Advent to Christmas Eve.

You will find prayers for each of the four weeks of Advent, prayers for lighting the Advent wreath, short blessings to share, prayers for families and children, prayers for church services and schools, daily prayers, and prayers for the second coming and for heavy hearts. Every prayer is original and written in plain, warm language, so you can pray it at home, in church, or with your family.

You will also enjoy Christmas Blessings and Prayers for Family & Friends; it pairs naturally with the prayers and blessings in this guide.

Advent Prayers and Blessings of Hope (Week 1)

The first week of Advent is about hope. We light the first purple candle and remember that God keeps His promises, even when the wait feels long. These prayers are for anyone holding on to hope in a dark season.

• Lord, light a small flame of hope in my heart this Advent, and help me trust that You are already at work.
• Father, when the news is heavy and my days feel uncertain, remind me that Your promises never fail.
• God of hope, give me patience to wait well, and eyes to see the good You are growing quietly around me.
• Jesus, You are the light that darkness could not overcome. Shine into the places of my life that feel dim today.
• Come, Lord Jesus, and fill our home with hope this week, so that everyone who enters feels welcome and safe.

Advent Prayers of Peace (Week 2)

The second week of Advent is about peace. The world gets louder as Christmas gets closer, but Advent invites us to be still. These prayers ask God to calm our hearts, our homes, and our hurried schedules.

• Prince of Peace, quiet my restless thoughts this week, and teach me to rest in You instead of rushing ahead.
• Father, bring peace to our home this Advent. Let kind words win over sharp ones, and forgiveness win over pride.
• Lord, when my calendar is full and my patience is thin, slow me down and show me what truly matters.
• God, bless the peacemakers in our family, our church, and our neighborhood, and make me one of them.
• Jesus, You came to a troubled world with peace. Let Your peace guard my heart and guide my choices this week.

Advent Prayers of Joy (Week 3)

The third week of Advent is about joy, and we light the rose candle, the candle of Gaudete Sunday. This joy is deeper than happiness. It is the gladness of knowing God is near, even before everything is fixed.

• Lord, give me a joy that does not depend on perfect plans, full wallets, or easy days.
• Father, help me notice small gifts today: warm bread, a kind message, a child’s laugh, a quiet morning.
• God of joy, lift the heaviness from my heart and teach me to sing again, even softly.
• Jesus, the angels sang good news of great joy at Your birth. Let that same joy reach my family this week.
• Come, Lord Jesus, and turn our waiting into celebration, so our home overflows with laughter and thanks.

Advent Prayers of Love (Week 4)

The fourth week of Advent is about love. We are almost at Christmas, and the story is almost here: God so loved the world that He came to live among us. These prayers are about receiving that love and passing it on.

• Father, thank You for loving us first, long before we had anything to offer You in return.
• Lord, teach me to love the people in front of me this week, especially the ones who are hard to love.
• God, let our home be a place where love is spoken kindly, shown daily, and never used as a bargain.
• Jesus, You were born into a poor family in a small town. Help me see Your face in every neighbor I meet.
• Come, Lord Jesus, and make our love real this Christmas, in gifts given quietly, apologies offered quickly, and time shared freely.

Advent Wreath and Candle Prayers

Lighting the Advent wreath is one of the oldest and simplest Advent traditions. Each Sunday, one more candle is lit, and the growing light reminds us that Jesus is coming. These prayers cover the blessing of the wreath and each of the four candles.

• Lord, bless this Advent wreath and everyone who gathers around it. As its light grows week by week, grow our faith the same way.
• Father, as we light the first candle, the candle of hope, we remember Your ancient promise that a Savior would come.
• God, as we light the second candle, the candle of peace, calm our home and prepare a straight path for the Lord.
• Lord, as we light the rose candle, the candle of joy, fill our hearts with gladness, because the Lord is near.
• Father, as we light the fourth candle, the candle of love, thank You for a love that came down to live among us.

Week	Candle	Color	Theme	Bible verse
Week 1	Prophecy candle	Purple	Hope	Isaiah 9:2
Week 2	Bethlehem candle	Purple	Peace	Luke 2:14
Week 3	Shepherd’s candle	Rose	Joy	Luke 2:10
Week 4	Angel’s candle	Purple	Love	John 3:16
Christmas Eve	Christ candle	White	Christ our light	John 1:9

Short Advent Blessings to Share

Some Advent blessings are meant to be sent, not just prayed alone. These short lines are ready for a card, a text message, a WhatsApp status, or a social media post. Copy one, send it, and brighten someone’s wait for Christmas.

• Happy Advent! May this season bring you hope, peace, joy, and love in equal measure.
• Praying your Advent is slow, bright, and full of God’s quiet surprises.
• May the light of the Advent candles chase every shadow out of your week.
• Blessed Advent! May your heart be ready, your home be warm, and your hope be strong.
• Wishing you an Advent full of small miracles and one very big Savior.

Advent Prayers for Families

Advent is a family season. Around the wreath, at the dinner table, and on the way to school, families can pray together in ways children remember for years. These prayers are written for the whole household, young and old together.

• Lord, bless our family this Advent. Help us wait for Christmas together, without hurry and without quarrels.
• Father, as we light our Advent candles each week, let our home grow warmer, kinder, and more honest.
• God, give our family one shared joy each day of Advent, something small we can thank You for together.
• Jesus, be the guest at our table this season. Bless our meals, our conversations, and our plans.
• Come, Lord Jesus, and make this Advent the year our family draws closer to You and to each other.

Advent Prayers for Children

Children experience Advent with wide eyes: the candles, the calendar doors, the songs, the story. These prayers use simple words a child can understand and repeat, perfect for bedtime, the breakfast table, or Sunday school.

• Dear Jesus, thank You for Advent. Help me wait happily for Your birthday, just like waiting for a best friend to visit.
• God, light my heart like an Advent candle, so I can shine kindness at home and at school.
• Lord Jesus, thank You for coming as a baby. Help me share my toys, my snacks, and my smiles this Christmas.
• Father, bless my family this Advent. Keep us safe, help us be kind, and teach us to say thank You every day.
• Come, Lord Jesus, into our home and into my heart. I am so glad You are coming, and I will wait with joy.

Advent Prayers for Church Services and Schools

Many churches and schools pray through Advent together, at Sunday worship, in morning assembly, or in a classroom prayer corner. This section gives you an opening prayer, prayers of the faithful, prayers of the people, a Catholic prayer, and a closing prayer, all in plain language anyone can lead.

• Opening prayer: Lord God, as we begin this Advent service, open our hearts to Your coming. Quiet our distractions, gather our thoughts, and help us worship You with hope and honesty. Amen.
• Advent prayers of the faithful: For the Church around the world, that it may wait for Christ with faith and preach His hope with courage, we pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer. For leaders and peacemakers, that they may work for justice and protect the vulnerable, we pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.
• Advent prayers of the people: For our families, our schools, and our neighbors, that this Advent may bring healing where there is hurt and welcome where there is loneliness, we pray. For all who are sick, grieving, or far from home this Christmas, that they may feel Your nearness, we pray. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
• Catholic prayer: Heavenly Father, in this holy season of Advent we join our voices with the whole Church. Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to prepare the way of Your only Son, so that by His coming we may be found worthy to serve You with pure minds. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
• Closing prayer: Go in peace, people of God. May the hope of Advent travel with you into your homes, your schools, and your work, and may the Lord bless you and keep you until we meet again. Amen.

Daily Advent Prayers

Advent is a daily season, not just a Sunday one. A short prayer in the morning and a quiet one at night can change the whole feel of December. These prayers cover the rhythm of an Advent day, from waking up to falling asleep.

• Lord, this Advent morning, I give You this day before it begins. Guide my words, guard my temper, and show me one person to encourage.
• Father, bless our Advent table and the hands that prepared this meal. May no one at this table feel forgotten this Christmas.
• God, this Advent evening, I hand You everything unfinished. Calm my mind, forgive my mistakes, and let me rest in Your care.
• Jesus, as night falls, thank You for walking with me today, even in the moments I forgot You. Watch over my sleep and wake me with hope.
• Come, Lord Jesus, into the ordinary hours of my Advent: the commute, the chores, the homework, the waiting rooms. Be present in all of it.

Advent Prayers for the Second Coming

Advent looks two ways at once: back to the manger, and forward to the day Christ comes again. The old Advent cry is Maranatha, which means Come, Lord. These prayers keep that second Advent in view, with hope instead of fear.

• Maranatha, come, Lord Jesus. We wait for the day when every tear is wiped away and every wrong is made right.
• Father, as we remember Your first coming in Bethlehem, prepare our hearts for Your second coming in glory.
• Lord, keep me watchful this Advent, not fearful. Help me live each day ready, honest, and kind.
• God, for a world tired of wars, disasters, and broken promises, come quickly and bring Your kingdom of peace.
• Jesus, You promised You would come again. Until that day, make me faithful in small things and hopeful in hard ones.

Advent Prayers for the Lonely and Grieving

For many people, Advent is the hardest season of the year. An empty chair at the table, a first Christmas without someone loved, or a quiet flat with no visitors can make the carols ache. These prayers are for heavy hearts, and for anyone praying for a friend who is struggling.

• Lord, for everyone spending Advent alone, sit close. Let them feel seen, remembered, and loved today.
• Father, comfort those grieving a loved one this Christmas. Hold their tears gently, and let happy memories arrive without guilt.
• God, when the lights and songs make loneliness sharper, give one real friend, one kind call, one warm meal.
• Jesus, You were born far from home, in a borrowed stable. You understand the outsider. Be near to all who feel outside this season.
• Come, Lord Jesus, into the homes where Advent hurts. Bring comfort that does not rush grief, and hope that does not deny pain.

The O Antiphons of Advent (December 17 to 23)

In the last seven days before Christmas, the Church has sung the same seven ancient cries for over a thousand years. Each one begins with “O” and calls on Christ by one of His titles, ending with the word “Come.” They are called the O Antiphons, and they make a beautiful short prayer focus for the final week of Advent.

Date	Antiphon	The cry
December 17	O Wisdom	Come and teach us
December 18	O Lord	Come and redeem us
December 19	O Root of Jesse	Come and save us
December 20	O Key of David	Come and free us
December 21	O Dayspring	Come and give us light
December 22	O King of Nations	Come and save us all
December 23	O Emmanuel	Come and live with us

Bible Verses for Advent

The prayers of Advent grow out of the Bible’s own promises. These verses are the ones churches read most through the season, and each one pairs well with the week it belongs to. Read one aloud before you light the wreath, or keep one in your pocket for the week.

• Isiah 9:2: The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.
• Isaiah 40:3: Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.
• Luke 2:10: I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
• Luke 2:14: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.
• John 3:16: For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son.
• John 1:9: The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
• Romans 15:13: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him.
• Revelation 22:20: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

How to Pray Through Advent ?

You do not need a perfect plan to pray through Advent. A small daily rhythm, kept honestly, will carry you further than a grand plan kept for two days. Here is one simple way to begin.

1. Choose one fixed moment each day, such as breakfast or bedtime, and keep it for prayer all through Advent.
2. Light a candle if you have one, or simply sit still for one quiet minute before you begin.
3. Read one short Bible verse for the week, then pray one prayer from this collection in your own words.
4. Name one person to pray for each day, especially someone lonely, sick, or far from home.
5. End by writing down one thing you are thankful for, so gratitude grows alongside your waiting.

Readers who loved this guide often read St. Andrew Christmas Novena: Powerful Prayer, Dates & How to Pray next, and it is easy to see why.

More Christmas Prayers & Blessings

• Thanksgiving Blessings, Prayers & Quotes to Share
• Christmas Eve Prayers and Blessings

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Advent start in 2026?

Advent 2026 starts on Sunday, November 29, 2026, and runs through Christmas Eve, December 24. It covers the four Sundays before Christmas.

What do the four Advent candles mean?

The four candles stand for hope, peace, joy, and love. Three are purple and the third week’s candle is rose, for Gaudete Sunday, and a white Christ candle is lit on Christmas Eve.

What is a good short Advent prayer for families?

Try this one around the wreath: “Lord, bless our family this Advent. Help us wait for Christmas together, without hurry and without quarrels.”

What are the O Antiphons?

The O Antiphons are seven ancient prayers sung from December 17 to 23, each calling on Christ by a title such as O Wisdom and O Emmanuel, and each ending with the word “Come.”

How do you pray the Advent wreath at home?

Light one more candle each Sunday, read a short Bible verse for that week, say a prayer together, and finish with a simple blessing before your meal or bedtime.

What is the difference between Advent prayers and Christmas prayers?

Advent prayers focus on waiting, preparation, and hope before Christ’s coming, while Christmas prayers celebrate His birth and give thanks for the gift of Jesus.

Final Thoughts

Advent is not a countdown to a shopping deadline. It is a gift of four slow weeks to remember what Christmas is really about: God keeping an ancient promise and coming to live among us. However you pray through it, alone or with family, in church or at the kitchen table, the waiting itself is holy.

So this year, light the candles one by one, pray one of these prayers each day, and let hope, peace, joy, and love grow quietly in your home. When Christmas morning finally arrives, you will meet it ready, and the celebration will mean all the more for the waiting.