The Savior of the Orthodox brought wax attributes to the sinful earth that emit their divine radiance in churches - candles. And for more than a century now, people who believe in God have been wondering how to place them correctly in order to comply with the traditions and norms of Orthodoxy. However, first you need to remember what the candle symbolizes and why it has become an integral attribute of almost every prayer to God. A symbol of complete repentance for one’s sins and actions contrary to the will of the Savior is not the candle itself, but the wax used to create it. A candle is considered a bridge attribute to understanding and accepting the will of the Lord.
What does a candle mean in an Orthodox church?
A candle is not just a material sacrifice to God, it has a spiritual meaning.
A candle is lit in front of the icon in addition to the prayer, making up for the lack of burning of our soul - as if as a sign of repentance for an insufficiently fiery prayer.
The wax from which candles have always been cast is a gift from nature, brought by bees, so when we buy a candle in a temple, we also bring a small sacrificial gift.
The candle also symbolizes a person who, being initially hard and cold, under the influence of the grace of Divine fire warms up, softens in soul and becomes pliable to God’s will.
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Superstitions about church candles
There are many superstitions associated with candles, and they are all meaningless. They are spread mainly by unchurched, religiously illiterate people.
You should not believe the talk that you should light a candle only with your right hand; that if it goes out, it means there will be misfortunes; that the lower end of the candle should not be scorched to ensure stability in the hole, and so on.
But what is definitely not allowed is purchasing church candles for some magical actions, divination, witchcraft. In itself, all this is a monstrous sin. And if you committed it, even foolishly, in childhood, not to mention conscious participation in these ungodly deeds, then confess as soon as possible and bring deep repentance. And let the candles that you light inform the sky only about your godly intentions.
Why do they light candles in churches?
A candle is placed next to an icon for a reason, but as a prayer to God and the saints. You cannot ask for obviously sinful things, for things that can bring trouble to other people, for everyday little things.
The candle is lit:
- simply in gratitude to God and the saints (a reasonable person, capable of comprehending his life, understands that there is always something to thank for);
- on church holidays to the festive icon;
- when they make a request to God, the Virgin Mary and the saints for health, a safe journey or solving everyday affairs;
- for the repose of the soul of the deceased.
Light a candle in the temple on the Svyatsy website online.
special instructions
The parishioner must observe the rules of decency, behave sedately and calmly.
- If you are standing with a burning candle, make sure that the wax does not drip down.
- Be careful not to set the person in front on fire.
- Before coming to church, try to learn the rules of behavior in a holy place.
- It is allowed to light candles and pray for an unbaptized person, but writing his name in the church book is prohibited.
- In case of a drug problem, it is advised to place candles in front of the icon of the Mother of God, which is called the “Inexhaustible Chalice,” in front of the images of Boniface the Martyr or John of Kronstadt.
- Wax in front of the image of St. Panteleimon helps reduce the negative consequences of the upcoming operation.
- Anyone who wants to gain prosperity from the Almighty and the saints must sincerely pray and live according to the commandments. Through the Holy Gospel, God draws everyone's attention to virtue, love and humility. However, people only ask, but cannot take an independent step towards improvement.
- It is allowed to light wax candles for health or repose on any day, but prayers for the dead are not performed on Easter. The process is transferred to Radonitsa.
- Try to make a donation for the temple. The desire for help must come from the depths of the heart. Donate your finances to the poor, who can be seen in large numbers near the monasteries.
- Goodwill brings more benefit than a large sum of money donated insincerely. The Lord pays attention to a person’s spirituality, and not to his pocket. He does not condemn poverty, but instructs people to get rid of greed.
About church candles:
- Why do ministers extinguish candles in church?
- Why did the candle fall or cry?
- About Jerusalem candles
The ritual of lighting candles for health or repose is the most important means of comprehending love for the Lord. The candle symbolizes many virtuous qualities and light on the path to His abode. The duties of a believer who comes to the procession include bows, gestures of the cross and sincere prayers. By lighting candles, a person asks for prosperity, health and business success, and also honors the deceased.
How to light candles in church and what to say when doing so
The rules of decorum do not approve of disorderly behavior in the temple. If you had to be late, you shouldn’t wander around the temple, push your way to the icons, or pass candles. You need to wait until the end of the service and then, without distracting others, light the candles and pray.
The order in which the candles are placed matters. First, the candle is lit at the festive icon in the center of the temple in front of the altar, then to the Lord Jesus Christ and the Most Holy Theotokos. There is only one Mother of God, there are only many images of her, so you can choose any icon.
Approaching the image, you need to bow twice with a bow from the waist, as if you wanted to reach the floor with your fingers. After this, go to the icon, say a prayer, kiss it and light your own candle from the one next to it - it is not customary to light it from a lamp. Before leaving, bow a third time.
But most importantly, you need to remember that the candle and prayer are addressed not to the icons, but to those who are depicted on them. At the same time, it is customary to address the Creator with the words “Lord, have mercy on me (us),” and to the Mother of God – “Most Holy Theotokos, save me (us).”
Rules for installing a wax attribute
Photo: Flickr.com
Whatever the rules of how to place candles correctly, the main condition is the sincere faith of the person praying. Candles themselves mean nothing if a person does not have real faith and understanding of the value of this action. Before visiting a temple, it is necessary to prepare your heart for repentance and your soul for communion. And these other things are obligatory actions of any worship service.
The action during which a believer lights a candle cannot be considered magical. This is not a shamanic ritual, as a result of which a person can receive whatever he asks for. And the number of candles does not affect the course of prayer and God’s answer. The cost and type of wax attribute also does not guarantee that the desire expressed to the Lord will definitely come true.
During the service, you need to light a candle, adhering to certain rules:
- It is important to light a candle with love for the person to whom it is placed. It shouldn't just be a formality. This action must be accompanied by sincere prayer, even a simple one, in your own words from the bottom of your heart.
- It must be lit from other candles; matches cannot be used for this.
- It is also prohibited to light a candle from a lamp, since the latter’s wax may cause it to go out.
- When the candle is in your hand, you need to make sure that its wax does not drip onto the floor, and that the flame does not burn the believer standing nearby.
The opinion that one cannot light a candle for a person who has not been baptized in the Orthodox Church is erroneous. Can. It will not be possible to just write his name in the church book.
How and where to light a candle for repose
Any person can tell you where to place a candle for repose in a church - the place is called “eve”.
It can be found on the left side, closer to the entrance.
This is a large table with a candlestick in front of the Crucifixion, at which memorial services are held.
They ask for repose both in their own words and in prayer: “Have mercy, O Lord, on your departed servant ___ (say the full name given at baptism), forgive all his sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant him the Kingdom of Heaven.” It must be remembered that candles are not lit in church and prayers are not offered for suicides and the unbaptized.
When to light candles
You can place candles on different candlesticks:
- For health. It is carried out for a variety of reasons: a successful purchase, thanksgiving, assistance in the implementation of any business.
- Funeral candles are placed on the kanun (specific table) to honor the memory of the deceased.
Priests recommend first placing candles at the central lectern (table) or at the holy icon. Then it is brought to the relics of God’s saints, and only then for health or for peace.
Important! If the fire suddenly goes out, then people talk about damage or a bad sign. Rational monks refer to low-quality wax or defective production technology. The same applies to crackling.
Church candles for health
This can be done anywhere in the monastery and in front of any image. It is most correct to address your own patron saint on the icon. The clergy notes that what is more important here is sincere prayers, of which there are a sufficient number.
Advice! Collections of petitions should be purchased at specialized church stores, because underground literature often contains false information.
Candles for health are often placed in front of the image of the Healer Panteleimon, Christ, the Mother of God, Matrona of Moscow and other saints. All these images have power in healing from fatal illnesses and in resolving difficult situations in life.
A couple who wants to give birth to a child places candles in the temple and offers prayers to the faces of Anna and Joachim, who are the parents of the Virgin Mary. Asking the Holy Mother of God also helps women expecting a newborn.
Place for candles for health
Church candles for the repose
In many churches, special tables called kanuns are installed for remembrance. Most often they are located on the left side of the church. The eve has a rectangular shape, and a Crucifix is installed on its surface.
Important! Church attributes are established before the start of the church service.
If there are no special tables, lit wax can be placed on any candlestick. The gifts brought should be placed in baskets that are located next to the eve. It is necessary to understand that a candle is a small gift for the Lord, and prayer is a major part of any request for help.
Special rules have been created for installing a candle for the repose:
- Approaching the eve, an Orthodox Christian must cross himself twice and bow.
- The candle is lit from those already burning on the pedestal. The use of matches or lighters is not recommended.
- The lit candle is placed in a special place and must stand straight.
- To distract the mind from worldly troubles and calm down, it is recommended to concentrate on fire for a short time.
- If you wish, you can read the funeral prayer in a whisper or mentally.
- You can reproduce in your memory the image of the one for whom the petition was made.
- You can move away from the eve after the final bow and the sign of the cross.
On a note! You should not be offended if church ministers blow out a candle. The prayer has already been heard by the Almighty, and the sacrifice has been made.
Place for candles for the repose - with the Crucifix.
How and where to light a candle for health in church
Everywhere, except on the eve, candles are lit for health.
In other words, you can pray for the living - for their well-being, physical and spiritual health and light candles at any icon, turning mentally to the one depicted on it.
Candles are placed in front of any images of the Savior and the Most Holy Theotokos, the patron saint after whom a person is named at baptism, Archangel Michael, as well as saints to whom one would like to turn in prayer at the moment.
How to handle church candles
There are certain features of using candles in church. You need to know them.
What to do if a candle falls in a church
Many may say that such a sign does not bring anything good. But before enduring a disappointing burn, it’s worth considering the reasons that could contribute to this. For example, you could have been pushed. Even if it just fell, then light it again and place it more securely to avoid a repetition of the awkward situation. The clergy say that every body is affected by the force of gravity and this should not be given much importance.
The best article for you, go to: How to bury suicides, suicides and suicidal people, how to behave at funerals
What will happen if a candle crackles and smokes?
Many people often ask why a candle cracks in a church? A large number of people may also say that this is an unfavorable sign. But the church has a different interpretation of this phenomenon. Their explanation is quite simple. It happens that during the production of candles, moisture or other impurities get into the wax. But when burned, they can cause cracking. They consider all other interpretations to be nothing more than superstitions.
You may also encounter this phenomenon when candles are smoked in a church. A fairly large number of superstitions are also associated with this phenomenon. Temple servants again explain all this by poor-quality production of candles.
Remember that the number of candles you put is not important. The important thing is with what emotions and feelings you did it. If you have any questions in the temple, you can clarify everything in the candle shop.
The Lord is always with you!
Which icon should I light a candle for health in front of?
Sometimes it is necessary to pray specifically for a person’s health, for which it is customary to turn to the icons of the Mother of God, which have a special history of healing from certain diseases.
The name will be suggested in the temple: for example, “Three-handed”, “All-Tsarina”, “Healer”.
They ask their Guardian Angel and saints who were doctors during their lifetime for health. This is the healer Panteleimon, St. Luke of Crimea, St. Agapit, holy unmercenary doctors Cosmas and Damian, Cyrus and John.
How to light a candle for the Guardian Angel
At birth, a person is given a Guardian Angel, who accompanies him during life and during the transition to another world. In the temple a candle is lit to the Holy Archangel Michael, the military leader of the angelic heavenly forces - all angelic ranks are honored in his person.
On the icon he is usually depicted in armor, with a shield and a fiery sword in his hands.
The saint in whose honor a person is given a name is considered his second Angel. There are usually no problems with finding an icon of a saint, but if the name is rare, then you can turn to it in front of the icon of All Saints.
What should you say? During prayer, it is customary to address saints and angels not as God, but as intercessors: “Holy Martyr Tatiana, pray to God for me,” “Holy Angel of God, my Guardian, pray to God for me.”
Where did the tradition of lighting candles come from?
Photo: Flickr.com
The first Christians were often persecuted, so they had to gather for prayers in hidden places, devoid of light. And the rule was that each person should bring a candle or oil lamp with him. When Constantine ascended the throne, the people willingly accepted the custom of offering candles into their culture, and the wax attribute became an obligatory part of service and prayer. Already from the 4th century, a candle was lit next to the body of the deceased and “saw off” him on his last journey. And a hundred years later it was no longer possible to imagine a single divine service without them.
What does a candle symbolize as an independent part of the Christian faith? Firstly, melting wax is associated with the human soul, ready for repentance and softening. Secondly, a person holding a candle in his hands shows his willingness to submit to the will of the Lord. The flame itself symbolizes the hope that a person never leaves when he comes to God in prayer. Also, a candle is a sign of a voluntary sacrifice to God and his Temple.
Which saint should I light a candle for work and success in business?
The saints, having pleased God, often asked Him to be given the right to help people in certain needs. But the prayer may remain unanswered - it depends on what you say in front of the icon. Perhaps fulfilling what a person wants will not be useful.
Before what images can you pray for well-being and success in business:
- Traditionally, in Rus' people most often ask for help from St. Nicholas the Wonderworker;
- Parents pray to St. for the prosperous life of their children. Mitrofan of Voronezh;
- John the New is asked for success in trade;
- people turn to the blessed Matrona of Moscow and Ksenia of St. Petersburg, the martyr Tryphon and other saints for help in various everyday issues.
Is it possible to light a candle for the repose of an unbaptized person?
The Church does not pray for the unbaptized. People who during their lifetime did not want to become part of a single church body remain outside it even after death.
Seeds can be thrown into the ground, watered and fertilized, and those that contained life will sprout, and those that were dead will remain in their previous state. So are the dead - if during their lifetime they strived for God, through the prayers of their loved ones they will be given a better fate. What if during earthly life they were already spiritually dead, rejecting the Church and God?
It is worth noting: it is allowed to pray for such people in home prayer.
Which saint should I light a candle for love?
In Orthodoxy, the concept of love between a man and a woman is applicable only to a married marriage. Anything else is considered a sin, so there is no need to light candles for good luck in love. Therefore, there are only two types of prayer - for finding a spouse, or for love and peace in the family.
For the acquisition of the second half they pray to the holy blessed Matrona of Moscow, Xenia of St. Petersburg, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Holy Great Martyr Catherine, Guardian Angel.
They ask for love in the family to the righteous princely couple Peter and Fevronia, the holy martyrs Tsar Nicholas and Tsarina Alexandra, who became models of loving and devoted spouses, and the holy martyrs Adrian and Natalia.
Which saint should I light a candle for studying?
If you don’t have enough strength to independently master new knowledge, pass an exam, or solve a difficult life problem, turn to the image of the Most Holy Theotokos “Adding the Mind.”
For help in mastering school disciplines they turn to St. Sergius of Radonezh, who had difficulty mastering literacy as a child, to the prophet Nahum and his Guardian Angel.
