Where candles are placed in church is a question that worries many people who come to church. There are many places in the church where you can put candles for a variety of occasions. In the church they light candles for saints as a sign of gratitude or when asking for help, with the help of candles they commemorate the dead, light candles for health, for friends and enemies. There is also a special place in the church where candles are placed, it is called a canon. Today we will talk in detail about where to correctly place candles in church. Read the next article on pages.
Where do they put candles in church?
There are no rules about where and how many candles should be placed. Those praying try to light candles to a festive icon, to the image of the Savior, the Mother of God or a revered saint for the health of loved ones, on the eve for the repose of the departed. All this is according to everyone’s personal spiritual disposition. If anyone is late for the service, let him wait until the end of the service, and then, if he has such a desire or need, light a candle without distracting others or disturbing decorum.
In every church you can see floor candlesticks; they serve so that parishioners can light a candle for health, pray for themselves and their loved ones, and also light a candle for the repose of the souls of the dead.
There are no rules where and how many candles should be placed
One should light a candle for health and turn to the Lord in prayer in front of the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. A candle for health is placed for the Savior, the holy great martyr, and healer Panteleimon in any candlestick except the eve.
Every church has a special place where candles are placed for repose; this place is called a canon. Nearby there is a cross and a special candlestick where you can put a candle for loved ones and relatives who are no longer alive. Requiem services are served in front of the canon; during the service you can place a candle in a special candlestick located nearby. You can put one candle or several, this is at the personal discretion of the person.
Sorokoust about health in 3 churches, how to do it
The Holy Fathers say about this: “The Church does not perform magical rites, rituals, it does not cleanse karma, aura, and does not punish malicious offenders. This is all invented by people for the sake of gaining self-interest for their loved one.”
No one forbids ordering services in churches, and the number of churches visited during the day can be completely different. If your soul requires it, go, because you cannot do without the help of the Almighty. Carry in your heart humble love for the Lord and your neighbor.
According to popular belief, services are ordered for one day in three churches. This action must be performed after the morning service and before the start of the evening service. At the temple shop they will ask you for your names and write down the period of the service.
Proofreading is ordered for yourself, your spouse, your family members, and your offenders. Remember, mental attitude, forgiveness, and a pure heart are important. After ordering the service, you need to pray to the holy saints, the Mother of God, and the Savior. You choose where your soul lies, to that icon and go. Also, candles are placed near the icons, but not the ones that were bought for home.
Be sure to buy a candle in every temple. You need to burn it at home for three days in a row. One candle for each day.
In church practice, proofreading in three churches is ordered for a very sick person. They also read those who want to free themselves from the magic, damage, and evil eye sent.
What is the name of the place where candles are placed in church?
Prayers in the temple are offered both for the living and for the dead. To commemorate the soul, it is customary to light them on a special table - it has a square shape, much lower than ordinary candlesticks. It usually stands near the crucifix. This table is called “eve”.
Church 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. When lighting a candle for good health, be sure to thank your guardian angel for your protection.
Priests recommend that you first place church attributes at the central lectern (table) or at the holy icon
There are two reasons why candles are lit in churches:
- for health: carried out for a variety of reasons: a successful purchase, thanksgiving, help in carrying out some business. The candle mold is usually round;
- funeral candles are placed on the eve (a specific table) to honor the memory of the deceased.
Priests recommend that you first place church attributes at the central lectern (table) or at the holy icon. Then the candle is brought to the relics of God's saints, and only then for health or peace.
History of tradition
The custom of lighting a fire during worship came to us from paganism. When Christianity first began to emerge, it adopted this tradition. However, at that time it was rather a necessary measure, because the followers of the teachings of Christ were hiding from persecution in underground caves.
The use of oil lamps was first mentioned by the martyr Cyprian. The Book of Genesis says that the Almighty ordered Moses to place seven candles in a golden candlestick during sermons as a sign that the light of God was breaking through sinful darkness. Later, when the Gospel appeared, the priests preceded the removal of the Holy Scriptures with a lit fire, symbolizing the enlightenment of worldly souls.
The custom of lighting a fire during worship came to us from paganism.
Officially, candles became an attribute of the church only with the advent of Emperor Constantine. In the 4th century they were used during funeral services for the deceased, and a hundred years later they began to be used everywhere. If we talk about symbolism, there are several interpretations:
- melting wax represents a soul melting from repentance;
- a lit candle is a sign of acceptance of God's will;
- the plasticity of the material from which it is made symbolizes the soul being reborn in Christ;
- a burning flame is a symbol of faith and hope in the Almighty.
Where is the right place to put candles in church?
Lighting candles in a church is a voluntary action that should not be considered a magical rite. It is recommended to purchase them in church shops. Any monetary donations for candles are used to pay utility bills, repairs and support the activities of social ministries.
There is the following procedure for lighting candles in church - when approaching a candlestick, a person needs to cross himself, bow and put the candle in an empty place. Candles are lit from other candles that are already burning. It is not recommended to use matches in monasteries and churches. Candles are not lit from a lamp, since wax can extinguish the fire of the latter.
The parishioner must observe the rules of decency, behave sedately and calmly. It is allowed to light candles and pray for an unbaptized person, but writing his name in the church book is prohibited. 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.
Lighting candles in a church is a voluntary action that should not be considered a magical rite.
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.
What is a church candle?
The burning of a church candle, like the candle itself, has many meanings, and all of them relate to the spiritual component of the connection between God and man. First of all, this symbolizes the believer’s prayerful fervor before the Lord, secondly, it is a voluntary and feasible sacrifice to God and his church, and also means a person’s involvement in the invisible divine light.
The lighting of candles, lamps, and lamps in Christian churches historically dates back to the times when believers had to hold services in caves. But even then, the light of a candle not only helped to illuminate the place of prayer, but was a symbol of Christ. A parishioner in a church must light a candle with fervent prayer and love; in the absence of religious feelings, the ritual takes on a pagan color.
Where to put candles in church for health
In the temple you need to go to the icon and cross yourself. Afterwards you can light a candle for good health and venerate the icon. And after retreating, bow again. It is advisable to light candles before the start of the service, so as not to disturb any of the believers later.
To begin with, it is good to place a candle in the center of the temple, where on the lectern lies the holiday icon or temple icon, as well as to the Lord Jesus and the Mother of God. Afterwards, you can light a candle for health in any part of the temple, except on the eve, where they pray for the repose of the souls of the dead. The latter has a rectangular shape, and all other places for candles are round.
Candles are lit for health or for some other request:
- Lord Jesus;
- Mother of God;
- Nicholas the Wonderworker;
- Matrona of Moscow;
- Spyridon of Trimifuntsky;
- Xenia of Petersburg;
- Saint Luke of Crimea;
- Great Martyr Panteleimon;
- to his patron.
You can also light candles for personal health. If you light candles for health at the image of all the saints, then you should turn your mind and gaze to all the saints and read a prayer, and then end with the words “All saints, pray to God for us.”
Why do they light candles?
During the persecution of Christians, they were forced to gather for prayer in secret rooms or catacombs underground. Meetings usually took place at night. The entire procession was illuminated with lamps and candles. The candle flame is a symbol of connection with the Lord, as Jesus called himself the Light. The fire directed upward helps to convey your prayers to God. Also, buying a candle helps the temple receive money for charitable purposes.
Where to put candles for the repose in church
Candles for the repose can only be placed in one place in the church. A special stand for such candles is called kanun and it always has a rectangular shape, lower in height than the others. Usually there is a crucifix near this place.
It is in front of the canon that a requiem service (a special funeral service) is served, during which you can light a candle and, together with everyone else, pray for your deceased relatives. There are no regulations on exactly how many candles to put. It all depends on how much money we can and want to donate to the Church. Each person decides this issue independently.
It is not necessary to light candles for the repose only after the funeral liturgy - you can do this at any time and day when your soul requests. If there is no free space on any of the candlesticks, leave the candle nearby unlit. When the other candles burn out, the church ministers will definitely light your candle.
Sources:
- https://ikonaonline.ru/blogs/blog/znaete-li-vy-kak-pravilno-stavit-svechi-o-zdravii-v-hrame
- https://zen.yandex.ru/media/holidayyes/kak-pravilno-stavit-svechi-za-zdravie-i-za-upokoi-v-cerkvi-5d955ff906cc4600b0fbbe4d
- https://molitva-info.ru/duhovnaya-zhizn/kak-stavit-svechi-v-cerkvi-za-upokoj-i-za-zdravie.html
- https://mycity.mk.ua/inform/inform-53/kak-ponyat-v-kakoy-podsvechnik-stavitsya-svecha-za-zdravie-i-upokoy
Superstitions
There are a lot of superstitions associated with church rituals. Orthodox Christians should avoid them. Some people light candles for the repose of a living person. This is a great sin that can harm the one who commits it. Such actions already belong to black magic; a believer should avoid such manipulations.
Infatuation with dreams also falls into the category of dangerous things. Numerous dream books give an answer to the question: why do you dream of lighting candles in a church? Interpretations are different, often directly opposite. If a person has visited a destroyed old church building, then this portends suffering. But if the temple was restored, then this foreshadows the assistance in business that close people will provide.
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It is considered a signal to improve your spiritual life if you go to a temple in a dream to pray. This means that in reality a person shows self-love. Attending a divine service means that you should expect respect from loved ones. Church singing suggests that wishes will be fulfilled. A lit candle in your hands portends a meeting with a spiritually rich person.
- The Holy Fathers warn that one should not treat dreams too carefully! Don't take them to heart. True spiritual revelations are very rare. Passion for dream books and fortune-telling can lead to great sins.
Saints who can give recovery
When a son or daughter is sick, parents need to know which icon to pray so that their words are heard. In such a situation, believers turn for help to the Virgin Mary, Nicholas the Wonderworker, Saint Luke and Matrona of Moscow. In addition to the faces of these saints, there should be an icon of Jesus Christ on the home iconostasis.
Holy Mother of God
The Virgin Mary is the patroness of all mothers. Orthodox women ask her to protect children of any age, including newborns and those in the womb. The prayer of the Mother of God will give a sick child strength to recover and relieve him of both mental and physical health problems.
After turning to Our Lady, children recover faster, their temperature normalizes, their appetite appears, and they begin to sleep better. The Virgin Mary also helps mothers, supporting them during this difficult period for them. After reading the prayer, it will become easier for a woman to overcome the difficulties associated with caring for a patient, she will be able to calm down and look at the situation differently.
Matrona of Moscow
People turn to the Moscow Blessed Elder Matrona to ask for the child’s recovery when doctors are powerless and medicines do not help. During her lifetime, the Orthodox saint was engaged in healing people, so requests for health sent to her will be heard and fulfilled. Prayer to Matrona will help the child’s body in the fight against the disease and strengthen the mother’s faith in the recovery of her child.
After turning to the saint, the patient should be given some holy water to drink. You can add it to tea or other drink. When a child is very sick, parents should go to the relics of Elder Matrona in the Pokrovsky Convent in Moscow. This will make their prayer much stronger.
Saint Luke
During his lifetime, Saint Luke possessed the gift of healing. Being a talented surgeon and priest, he treated people and also strengthened their faith in God. Orthodox Christians turn to him for help to ask for a quick recovery for their children. Prayers to him have the greatest effect when a child is about to undergo surgery. They help you endure surgery easier and recover faster after it.
Nicholas the Wonderworker
Believers are convinced that prayers addressed to St. Nicholas the Pleasant ease the course of illnesses and protect against complications. The saint helped people a lot, healing them from serious illnesses. You can turn to him for help when a child has a fever, abdominal pain and other unpleasant symptoms that cause him physical discomfort. Prayer will help him cope with poor health more easily and get better faster.
Mother's petition for children
The prayer said by the mother has the greatest power, since her love for the child is limitless, she knows him 9 months longer than anyone else. To ensure that everything goes well for the children, a woman is ready to sacrifice even her life. Words to God and the saints, supported by maternal love, have miraculous power and can help even in critical situations.
History knows many cases when a mother’s love, supported by faith, helped sick children recover when traditional medicine was powerless. But when turning to prayer for help, you should not ignore the advice of doctors, otherwise you can worsen the patient’s condition.
