Why do worshipers light a candle? Its flame has always been considered a symbol of prayerful burning before God, His Mother, and the holy saints. This is the believer’s participation in the divine light, his voluntary sacrifice to God and His temple. When you light a candle for someone, you do it with sincere love and goodwill towards him. Without such feelings, the sacrifice will be in vain. In the Orthodox religion there is a special tradition of lighting funeral candles for the repose. Many believers are only superficially familiar with it, so we will try to cover in the article all the most important issues relating to this tradition.
How are candles placed in the temple?
When lighting not only memorial candles, but also others, in God’s temple, believers usually observe the following:
- Candles are lit before the service begins. If you are late for the liturgy, wait until it ends to light a candle. This is done so as not to disrupt decorum during the service.
- How many candles you put is only your voluntary desire.
- First of all, they place a candle in front of the central lectern, then in front of a particularly revered icon of the temple. Then - in front of the relics of the saint (if there are any), the next line is for health, funeral candles for repose.
- A candle is usually lit from another burning candle. Lighters and matches are not used in the temple, and it is also not customary to light from a lamp. The candle is placed directly in an empty cell.
- If there are no more spaces in the cells, then you need to put the candle on the candlestick. It is wrong to put two in a cell or remove someone else’s to make room for your own.
Church candles for Christmas photo
A church candle is a type of candle used as a religious attribute in a number of Christian denominations (Catholicism, Orthodoxy, some areas of Protestantism).
Church candles carry several spiritual meanings: a sign of a person’s voluntary sacrifice to God and the temple; an expression of a person’s readiness to obey God, his desire for deification; evidence of faith, a person’s involvement in the Divine light.
A church candle is a type of candle used as a religious attribute in a number of Christian denominations Candles are a symbol of Jesus as the Light of the world Church Christmas candles are lit at home not only for Christmas, but also when solving important life problems
Sources:
- https://letopise.com/info/mozhno-li-zazhigat-tserkovnie-svechi-doma/
- https://www.cosmo.ru/lifestyle/stil-zhizni/rozhdestvo-do-kakoy-zvezdy-ne-est-chto-stavit-na-stol-i-zachem-zhech-svechi/
Where are funeral candles placed in the church?
You can light a candle for repose in any church on the eve. This is a rectangular table with a marble or metal board where cells for candles are located. It is also easy to find by the rectangular candlestick with the Crucifixion of Christ. Usually eve tables are placed on the left side of the church.
But if there is no icon with the Crucifixion in the church, then you can place a candle for the soul of the deceased at any icon. The main thing is not to do this automatically, detachedly, without bright thoughts about the deceased.
Which saint?
The question often arises: which saints should we place candles for? Without a doubt, this action is carried out with good thoughts towards the person for whom you are interceding before God. With love in your soul and good thoughts, you can turn to the images of Jesus Christ or the Virgin Mary. Kind wishes will definitely be heard.
If you want to make special requests, then you need to know which saint you can turn to.
- If your loved one is seriously ill and you wish him recovery, then light a fire in front of the icon of the Mother of God “Healer” and pray.
- If a person is sick with alcoholism, then pray at the “Inexhaustible Chalice” icon. All holy images are endowed with healing powers, therefore, knowing which of them you need to approach, you will definitely receive help.
- To save your children, protect them, or help your loved ones who find themselves in a difficult life situation, you can turn to their defender. Candles are often lit for the guardian angel. If you have icons with the names of guardian angels in your house, then also place a candle in front of them and say a prayer.
- To prevent your husband from leaving the family, to return prosperity to the family, kneel before the image of the Mother of God, pray to Saint Gurias, Saint Blessed Xenia of Petersburg or Samon and Aviv. Try to understand your guilt towards your husband, ask him for forgiveness, try to make peace.
The question is often asked: is it possible to light a candle in church about your health ? Certainly! Be sure to pray for your health, because a candle is a symbol of turning to God through prayer. Most prayers are pronounced in the first person.
See also on the blog: Which saint to pray to
How to light a candle for repose?
Let us light funeral candles according to the canon accepted from time immemorial:
- Approaching the icon with the Crucifixion, an Orthodox person crosses himself twice.
- From the burning candles he lights his own.
- The candle is placed in a free cell. Secure it with wax so that it does not fall or come into contact with others.
- While he lights the candle, the believer silently repeats a short prayer: “Rest, O Lord, the soul of Your departed servant (name of the deceased).”
- In conclusion, you should once again cross yourself in front of the icon and bow to it.
- If you light several funeral candles, then all steps must be repeated the required number of times.
What cannot be done at the Presentation of the Lord on February 15, 2022?
On Candlemas, any work other than those that serve people for the benefit is prohibited. Making money is considered a sinful activity. The exception is professions aimed at helping others.
There is no need to drink alcohol, which clouds the human mind and makes people dependent on bad habits.
There is a ban on household chores. Washing and cleaning should be done on weekdays. On church holidays, it is customary to devote time to the Lord and prayers to find the righteous path and cleanse the soul. This is also a time to do good deeds and communicate with loved ones.
You cannot swear or use swear words. Foul language is one of the deadly sins that destroys a person’s connection with the Higher powers and deprives him of protection and patronage.
In the old days, on church holidays there was a ban on washing, and all because the bathing process caused a lot of trouble and took a lot of time. It was necessary to chop wood, heat the bathhouse and carry water. And since hard work on holidays was not welcomed, they preferred to wash the day before in order to meet the bright day with a clean soul and body.
Candles for the repose of suicides
In Christianity, suicide is considered one of the grave sins, which is why you cannot pray for someone who has chosen this path or light candles for him in church. Funeral services for suicides are also prohibited. Previously, people who died voluntarily were not even allowed to be buried in a cemetery - their graves were outside the graveyard fence.
Today, however, there are no prohibitions for relatives and friends in choosing a burial place for someone who has chosen suicide. And in rare cases, funeral services are held for suicides, mostly when the deceased was mentally ill during his lifetime. But permission for this can only be issued by the bishop himself or his representative.
Only their immediate relatives can pray and light funeral candles at home for those who have voluntarily passed away.
Can a pregnant woman light a candle for her repose?
In the old days, they tried not to let the expectant mother into public places, including the temple - they were afraid that she might be jinxed. Now the mystical era has passed. A pregnant woman, if she wishes, can go to church and light funeral candles for the repose of her loved ones.
There are, however, small caveats: if a woman has a miscarriage, then it is better for her not to go to church for 40 days. As for critical days, opinions are divided here. Some people think that you shouldn’t go to church at this time, much less light funeral candles. Other believers object, not considering the physiological processes in our body to be sin. By the way, for this reason, for 40 days after childbirth, many do not advise young mothers to go to the House of God - until the bleeding completely stops.
Candles for the repose of the living
I really wonder why they put funeral flowers and candles on a living person? This is done solely out of a desire to harm him, damage him, or even bring him to the grave.
Usually this happens at the instigation of various sorcerers and magicians - they claim that if you light a candle for the repose of a living person, then he will stop enjoying life, he will be surrounded by troubles and illnesses, which will lead to a speedy death. And the very psychological factor of the fact that a candle has been lit for them makes many people worry and expect something terrible and inevitable.
In fact, the person they want to harm in this way is in absolutely no danger. God sees everything, and the only one who will suffer here is the one who wished harm to his neighbor.
When are candles lit for repose after the death of a person?
On social networks, there is a mournful tradition of publishing poems about a funeral candle as soon as it becomes known about the death of a loved one or acquaintance. Candles for the repose are lit both on the day of death and for 40 days after it. However, before the forty-day period has passed, they are lit for the newly deceased, and only then for the repose of his soul.
Many people are also interested in the frequency with which funeral candles are lit. Traditions do not provide any special instructions. In some houses, candles burn for 40 days without going out. However, most follow this tradition:
- Candles are lit on the day of death. They burn until the body is removed from the house.
- The candle lights glow throughout the funeral dinner.
- The next time the candles are lit is on the ninth day, and then only on the fortieth day.
Is it possible to light church candles at Christmas?
Church candles differ from household candles in their simple cylindrical or conical shape. The candle that a parishioner places in front of the icon is, in essence, a form of donation to the temple.
A candle bought in a church has special power. It is a gift that strengthens prayer and expresses love for God. Candles are placed in front of the icons in a small candlestick. They are also placed in a glass or mounted on a saucer.
Candles that are brought from a pilgrimage or monastery are used several times. They are extinguished a few minutes after the end of the prayer. Do not throw away the remains of the candle, but bury it in the ground or throw it into water.
In the Christian tradition, candles are a symbol of the victory of light over darkness, a symbol of Jesus Christ himself. Specialty Christmas candles are traditionally thicker and burn longer. It is believed that candles lit at Christmas bring grace into the house, illuminate the path, and make life clearer. In Rus' they were lit in the evening, they burned all night and throughout the holiday on January 7th.
In Rus' they were lit in the evening, they burned all night and throughout the holiday on January 7
In Germany and some other Western European countries, during Advent - the four preparatory weeks before Christmas - one of the four candles on a special Advent wreath is lit every Sunday. On the last Sunday, all four candles are lit, this symbolizes the anticipation of the holiday.
Important subtleties
In conclusion of the topic of the Orthodox tradition, we would like to remind you of several important subtleties:
- In the temple, candles for the repose, as you know, are placed on a rectangular eve table. For health - all round. If you are confused, there is nothing to worry about - God still sees your thoughts as they are.
- Candles for repose can be placed in front of any icon, if there is no eve with the Crucifixion of Christ.
- You can light several funeral candles for one person. Just like lighting one candle to remember several deceased ones. The main thing is not to forget to say a prayer for each of them.
- It makes no difference on which side you place the candle for the repose on the eve.
Which icon should you light a candle for repose of?
In Orthodox churches, there are kanuns for “funeral” candles, which look like candlesticks in the form of round or rectangular tables installed in front of the Crucifixion. At the same time, it is not forbidden to place such a candle in front of the icon of the Mother of God or any saint. At home, candles are lit in front of the icon, which is located in the home altar.
Saints do not have a special “specialization,” but people have a belief that each of them patronizes one area of life. The Church does not object to such views, because they do not harm Orthodoxy. Moreover, there are icons of the Mother of God to which certain requests are addressed: “The Inexhaustible Chalice”, “Seven Arrows”, “Burning Bush” and others. To commemorate the creation of a family, candles are placed in front of the image of Saints Peter and Fevronia. Pupils and students ask for help from the holy martyr Tatiana.
When looking for a good job, they turn to Saint Tryphon. When they want to sell or buy real estate at a profit, they light a candle and pray to St. Spyridon of Trimythous. You can place candles with any requests in front of the icons of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Seraphim of Sarov, and Matrona of Moscow.
Funeral candles in Judaism
The tradition of lighting candles in memory of the deceased is also alive in Judaism. Followers of this faith light candles and lamps both in the first week after the death of a loved one, and on every anniversary of this mournful day.
The features of the tradition here are as follows:
- The candle must burn in the house without going out for seven days after the person’s death.
- On the anniversary of death, a special candle is lit and burns for 24 hours.
- The candle is lit by a mourner close to the deceased. Usually this is a son or daughter.
- Tradition prescribes lighting a candle in the room or house where the deceased lived. If this is not possible, then where the mourners are.
- Both olive oil and wax candles are used. Sometimes they are even replaced with electric light.
Thus, the tradition of lighting funeral candles is alive not only in Orthodoxy. The main thing is to remember the deceased, offer a prayer for his soul, and perform the ritual with bright thoughts.
Church candles for Christmas at home
In addition to the widespread use of candles within the walls of the temple, it is permissible to save and light candles during home prayer. It is good to light church candles and at home in the red corner, in front of the icons.
Church Christmas candles are lit at home not only for Christmas, but also when solving important life problems (choosing a life partner, choosing a profession, getting a job, purchasing a house, car, etc.), when we are overcome by illness, grief, sadness, or with the obvious action of demonic forces on a person.
Fire is believed to drive out the forces of darkness and cold and signify the victory of light and can also bring wealth. Hence the tradition in Christianity that candles are a symbol of Jesus as the Light of the world. You also need to light a candle in honor of deceased relatives so that they will help in the new year and bring prosperity to the house.
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