As we arrive at the midpoint of Advent, our preparations for Christmas now half over, the Third Sunday of Advent is a time for joy! Known as “Gaudete Sunday” or “Rejoicing Sunday,” this is the day we light the rose candle and take part in the lovely custom of blessing the baby Jesus figures (“Bambinelli” in Italian) from our home Nativity scenes.
This Vatican tradition, begun by Pope Paul VI in 1969, continues each year as families gather in St. Peter’s Square for the pope’s Bambinelli blessing during the Angelus. Many parishes, including ours, have embraced this practice as a meaningful way to help all of us embrace the true spirit of the Advent and Christmas seasons.
Here at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, we invite every household in our parish and children of all ages to take out your Nativity scenes and bring the baby Jesus statue to church with you. At the end of each Mass on the Third Sunday of Advent, we will joyfully offer a special blessing for your Bambinelli.
