A holiday tradition continues at First Congregational Church in Wiscasset as the ”Hanging of the Greens” ceremony is held at 10 a.m. on Nov. 30 to mark the beginning of Advent.  

The special service features the presentation of greens in the shape of a star, heart, cross and circle to adorn the sanctuary.   

As each wreath is brought to the front of the church, a bible passage and a responsive reading highlight the meaning of the special greenery.   

The star of greens represents the Star of Bethlehem; the heart wreath symbolizes God’s love; the cross signifies the crucifixion and resurrection; and the circle wreath, eternal love, completing the ceremony.  

Hanging of the greens is a tradition rooted in ancient Druid, Celtic, Norse and Roman civilizations that celebrated the winter solstice around Dec. 21.  Because they believed the color green represented eternal life, plants that remained green throughout the year played an important role in their celebrations.   

As pagan cultures converted to Christianity, many of the traditional winter solstice activities continued, including the hanging of greens to decorate homes and churches at Christmas.

The First Congregational Church is at 28 High St., on the common, in Wiscasset. Visitors are welcome at all services. For further information, contact the church office at 882-7544.