Did you know that the very first Advent wreath, designed in Hamburg, had 24 candles (see picture of St. Michaelis Church below)?
To help children count down the days to Christmas, Johann Hinrich Wichern, the founder and operator of the Rough House, created a wreath with one small candle for each day of the week and four larger ones, which marked Sundays. Wichern was a Hamburg-born theologian who devoted his life to caring for, nurturing, and helping the sick, the weak, and the needy. He established an institution to house, educate, train, and support children and youths in need. It was in 1839 when the lights of the Advent wreath were lit for the first time.
People are gathering in the church for a Bach concert. Nowadays, unfortunately, the beautiful St. Michaelis Church in Hamburg, Germany, is only full of people during musical performances.
The Tiews in Germany 