How much does a church candle cost? This question interests many believers, especially those who go to church several times a year. A candle is an important attribute for people of many faiths, and especially for the Orthodox. The cost of a candle in a church depends on its size, length and material of manufacture. The last factor is not so noticeable, since most candles sold in churches are almost the same. Today we’ll talk about how much a church candle costs in a church and give current prices for 2022. Please note that prices are indicative and may vary by region.
What to choose for prayer
It does not matter to the Almighty where a person turns to Him from. What is important is the state of mind during this communication, the willingness to be honest. Prayer determines how much a layman’s heart belongs to the Almighty. It is better to buy candles for prayer in advance. It is recommended to call on the Lord according to the prayer book. The request will reach God faster.
Temples sell church wax candles of several types:
- Red ones are lit on the bright week of Easter. Emphasize the beauty and significance of the holiday. Blessed on Easter.
- Jerusalem ones are brought from Jerusalem. Used when reading most prayer books. The power of holy places is concentrated in consecrated wax.
- The Sretenskaya candle is used for reading household petitions. It received its name because of its consecration on the day of the Presentation of the Lord. Used to cleanse the home from negativity and the soul from the evil one.
- Magpie candles. They are lit on the altar 40 days before the completion of the first stage of the Proskomedia liturgy.
The types described are numbered from 10 to 140. For example, there are candles number 30, candles number 40, candles number 60. The number indicates the number of units obtained from a pound of melted beeswax.
Just because they have different numbers doesn't mean they can't be used at home. The purpose of the flame is to remind the person praying of the power of the word. A layman's appeal to God should be as hot as fire. A mindlessly lit flame has no meaning. Together with the prayer for lighting a candle, words become a guide.
Why do Christians light candles in church?
Why do Christians light candles in church?
Church cannot be imagined without church candles. They can be seen in any temple. The church life of many Christians is limited only to a candle, which they light for peace or health. But when and why did they appear in Christianity? What do they really mean?
Origins
The history of the church candle begins in ancient times. Candles have long been used as a source of light. But in religion they have become a votive subject.
A votive object is a votive offering to a deity or saint as a sign of gratitude, devotion, or petition. Votive objects are a simplified offering to a god. They have been known since the times of cavemen.
With the development of religion, candles began to perform not only a lighting function, but also a votive one, revealing a bouquet of different meanings. Church tradition traces the functional origins of the first candles to the period of the creation of the tabernacle, when the Jews built a mobile temple after liberation from Egyptian captivity. Lamps were used during sacrifices and other Jewish rituals.
Even then, a menorah appears - a golden seven-armed lamp, the main symbol of Judaism.
The pagan appearance of candles in Christianity
However, ritual candles appeared in Christianity quite late. Initially, ordinary oil lamps or candles were used to illuminate rooms in the evening. But the appearance of candles as ritual objects is associated with non-Christian beliefs.
The use of candles as votive objects has sometimes been ridiculed by Christians. At the beginning of the 4th century, the early Christian writer Lactantius writes:
“Can one really be considered sane who offers the flickering of candles and wax as an offering to the Creator and Giver of light?” - Divine Institutions, Book Six
Lactantius may have considered the use of candles as offerings a pagan practice, which was true for those times. The Romans were known to place lighted candles on home altars to their patron deities.
Reconstruction of an ancient Roman home altar
Christians adopted the pagan tradition at least in the 3rd century, because at the beginning of the 4th century a local Council of Elvira was held in Spain, the 34th rule of which prohibited lighting candles in cemeteries during the daytime. This suggests that the early church tried to use candles solely for lighting.
Lactantius's passage also conflicts with the position of Orthodox Christians. On the Orthodox website “Azbuka.ru” the following is said about the church candle:
“Buying a candle in a temple is a donation for the maintenance and functioning of the temple; it is a person’s voluntary sacrifice to God and His temple for himself and his neighbors.”
Church conflicts over candles in the 5th century
At the beginning of the 5th century, a dispute arose between the presbyter Vigilantius and the then church authority Jerome of Stridon over church candles. The first opposed them because he considered it paganism. The second defended church candles.
In the book “Against Vigilance” Jerome calls his opponent poorly educated and writes:
“And we light candles not in clear light, as you falsely slander, but in order to moderate the darkness of the night with this means and to stay awake until the light, so as not to sleep with you blind in the darkness.”
Jerome also continues that the candles offered to the martyrs and God are not needed by them at all, but they show the devotion of the believers, so they cannot be called pagans. Thus Jerome justifies the use of candles if they support faith in God and the holiness of the martyrs.
Hieronymus of Stridonsky
The meaning of candles
Thus, church candles were the object of controversy until the 5th century, because their origins can be traced not from the Old Testament, but from pagan practice. They served as an ordinary votive object, a small sacrifice that was offered to the saints and to God. This meaning remains to this day.
But over time, the meaning of church candles expanded. Saint Sophronius of Jerusalem wrote in the 7th century:
“Lamps and candles are an image of eternal Light, and also mean the light with which the righteous shine.”
Sophronius of Jerusalem
The light of candles began to mean divine light, purity of the soul and Christian faith. They also symbolically recall the burning bush that appeared to Moses. They serve as a symbol of the Holy Spirit, the light of the good news, etc. But behind all these euphonious words lies the true meaning of candles as votive objects that are used in most religions. Source: Trickster: The Science of Religion
Published December 09, 2022 | Reads 610
What you need to read prayer at home
A Christian believer turns to the Almighty with a good thought. The conversation with the Lord is different: they talk about failures, thank you for the day, ask for forgiveness. For words to be heard, you will need:
- Privacy. Share sincere thoughts alone or with family. The main thing is not to be distracted from the sacrament. Family prayer is said on holidays. It is stronger than individual.
- Attributes. The lamp and images will make the dialogue with the Lord similar to the real one. Communicating with the faces on the iconostasis is easier than delivering a monologue.
- Ritual. The conversion begins after the sign of the cross. Perform several waist or bows to the ground. They read slowly. Give meaning to every word. They conclude by thanking the Lord for the opportunity to communicate. Is it possible to extinguish a candle or how to extinguish a candle after prayer? The Gospel does not give specific instructions to the laity. The clergy allow all possible options: blow it out, extinguish it with your fingers, cover the flame.
Righteous lay people read prayers out loud or silently. The petition is said in front of the images of saints. It’s good if at home there is a red corner with icons, a lamp is burning.
How much does a large church candle cost?
The minimum cost of a candle offered for sale behind a church box cannot be less than its cost.
Nowadays, when most churches are illuminated by electricity, the candle has only symbolic and decorative functions. However, the practical significance of its sale is very important: income from the sale of candles helps parishes pay for electricity and other costs necessary for the functioning of the temple.
We recommend reading: Church Candle Factory
The candle itself has a cost. The temple purchases candles for various church needs. Accordingly, the minimum cost of a candle offered for sale behind a church box cannot be less than its cost. Let us remind you that the temple is maintained by donations from parishioners. A large church candle is considered number 20. Such a candle costs from 5 rubles and more.
Sources:
- https://ria.ru/20170729/1499369633.html
- https://www.kavicom.ru/pages-view-11730.html
- https://pikabu.ru/story/yekonomika_tserkovnyikh_svechey_6726642
Is it necessary to light a flame while praying?
The wax flame is a humble sacrifice to God. Expressed as material assistance to the temple. When praying at home, only church prayers are used. Temples sell kits for home use. Should I light a candle when praying at home? Definitely yes. By itself, it has no power, even if it was brought from the holy places of Jerusalem to the church shop of the online store in Moscow. The lit flame takes on meaning during the ritual.
How much does a church candle cost?
The cost of one candle is a trade secret of the manufacturer. It consists of the cost of raw materials and equipment depreciation. In addition, candle production is predominantly waste-free: the cinders are processed and private manufacturers buy them for about 20 rubles per kilogram. Another option: ten cinders are exchanged for one candle.
Prices for candles, as well as for all church utensils, are set by the rector of each specific church.
The cost of a candle is an order of magnitude less than a penny. And the average cost in the temple is from five to ten rubles. Prices for candles, as well as for all church utensils, are set by the rector of each specific church.
If we take Moscow, then in general the difference in price for small - and most popular - candles is insignificant: the cheapest in many churches costs ten rubles, and in some - even five. But the cost of large candles varies greatly. For example, in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior such a candle costs 300 rubles, and in lesser-known places it is half the price.
Is it possible to use a simple candle when praying?
Christianity endowed the term “light” with symbolism. Handle fire with caution. It warms and burns to the ground, gives safety in the darkness and burns due to neglect.
In the Gospel, Jesus calls himself the Light. In the Holy Scriptures, God appeared to Moses from a fireproof bush. Christ wore a snow-white, shining robe during his transfiguration before his disciples on Tabor. The phenomenon caused Christians to perceive the bright light as a visible sign of participation in the divine presence. After thousands of years, a candle when reading a prayer received the meaning that it has today: the form of a sacrifice to God.
Through the support of a church parish, monastery, community, people make sacrifices to the Lord. Buying from intermediaries who are not involved in the church means money for the entrepreneur. They are not considered an offering to the temple.
How much do church candles cost 1 piece?
One candle costs, depending on the number, size and material of manufacture, from 10 rubles to 400 rubles per piece.
Church candles have numbers. Since ancient, pre-revolutionary times, it has been customary that the candle number is the number of candles in one Russian pound (~ 409 g). Accordingly, there are ~2–5 times more of them per kilogram. Now let’s open the price list of any office selling candles wholesale and see that candles cost about 300 rubles per kilogram, regardless of the number.
Candles cost 10 rubles, the cheapest in the church. Such candles have N 140, that is, there are 350 of them in one kilogram! And the purchase price of one is less than a ruble! The gain here is more than 900%. A candle costs 100 rubles, which is usually taken by “parishioners” who come to the temple once a year for an occasion.
Its number is 30, so there are 75 of them in a kilogram. One thing costs 4 rubles, but they sell for 100 rubles. The fat is 2400%. One candle costs, depending on the number, size and material of manufacture, from 10 rubles to 400 rubles per piece.
What not to do
It is advisable not to bring candles to church that were purchased in another temple: it is believed that the candle for which you pay money should be a small donation to this particular temple.
Candles should be lit before the start of the church service. If you are late for the service, you must do so at the end of the service. You need to light a candle from another burning one. It is better not to light it from a lamp, as you can accidentally extinguish the latter. If there are no free cells, then it is better to put the candle on a candlestick. It is not allowed to put two candles in one cell or to remove someone else’s candle to put your own.
It is customary to stand with lit candles only at funeral services and during some special types of services. In all other cases they must be placed on a candlestick. If you are holding a burning candle in your hands, handle it carefully: make sure that the wax does not drip onto the floor and that the clothing of the person standing in front does not accidentally ignite.
Many people are interested in whether it is possible to light candles for the unbaptized. This is completely acceptable, as is praying for these people, but you cannot submit notes about them in church.
Is it possible to take church candles home? This question cannot be answered unambiguously. Sometimes blessed candles need to be lit in the house, for example, if you need to cleanse your home or someone is sick at home. You can take with you the candles left after the blessing of Easter cakes and eggs. They should be lit on holidays and during home prayer. But you can also place them in the temple in front of any icon.
Where to dispose of cinders
There is a rule that prohibits throwing away even the packaging of a candle that has burned out after prayer. Neither wax, nor ash, nor any other residues should be disposed of in the usual way. In this way, a person shows disrespect for the saint to whom he turned for help. His words may lose value along with the discarded remains.
The wax, wick and wrapper need to be buried in the ground. It is important to choose a site where no people or animals were buried.
There are also special boxes in churches where parishioners can bring cinders. There they are collected and melted down into new specimens.
Flood on the candle meaning
If everything is in order in a person’s life, the candle he placed burns with an even, high flame, without forming any swells. As soon as some mental problems arise, the candle begins to “cry”: flows run along it.
If a flow line runs along a newly placed candle from top to bottom, this means: a curse has fallen on the person. If there are two lines, there are two curses. If the flow lines go obliquely and intersect, this means that a person is in danger of dying from a serious illness, and he himself or the one who “made” him such a fate may be to blame for this.
If influxes form on his part, he himself is to blame for his illnesses. If it’s the opposite, it means the disease was “made” for him. If a “tear” rolls down the candle to the left or right, this is a sign that there is an energetic struggle between the patient and someone else. If the “tear” is black, it means that the person is in a state of negative energy. If the marks on the candle are the same color as itself, it means that the end of the melting is near.
Sagging on the candle when burning
A burning candle often reflects the state of a person's soul. Many healers, fortune tellers, etc. light it next to a person in order to understand his mood, physical or psychological state, and also to discern his emotional “field.”
If a candle burns with an even and high flame, then everything is good in a person’s life. Influxes begin to flow in case of problems or mental discomfort. If the candle was placed in a church or temple, then its behavior is almost identical to home use. Sometimes a candle, with its influxes, can show the facial features of a person who is sending a curse or other negative actions.
If you believe old superstitions, then a black drop slowly flowing down a candle is an echo of evil, which entails something bad. Such a drop shows that there is a struggle inside a person, and the dark side takes over the light.
Many people try to find out their fate by the swells on the candle
Many people try to find out their fate by the swells on a candle. If a candle burns out unnaturally quickly and various swells appear on it (possibly even darkened), this may mean the following - there has been contact with black magic; attempts to change fate (someone is trying to remake it); damage.
Also, if you place a candle in front of a person and do not touch it, sagging may appear from different sides. If the influx appears on the opposite side of a person, then the troubles were attracted by someone else; if on his side, it was himself.
With the help of influxes you can also determine the state of human health. If the candle burns evenly, burning and without creating a rush, then everything is fine in a person’s life. If she begins to shed “tears,” this may indicate adversity, curses, and serious illnesses.
What does the influx of a candle mean?
A church candle is often used by specialists who practice magic.
When everything is fine with a person and there are no difficulties, the candle lit by him burns with an even and smooth light. There are no influxes. If a person is experiencing mental troubles, the candle “tears” and there are influxes.
When the swells move diagonally and intersect with each other, this may indicate that a person should beware of the threat of death from a serious illness. It may be his fault or it may be the fault of the one who “ruined” the person’s fate.
When a swell appears on a newly lit candle, from top to bottom, this is a sign of a curse being imposed. If you run two lines, there are also two curses. There are almost never more than two lines.
The candle should always be with the same side facing the person being tested. If the influxes appear opposite it, the cause of the disease is in the person himself, and if on the other hand, then the cause is in the curse. When a “tear” flows along the right or left side, it shows that there is a strong struggle on the energy level between the person and someone else.
Swells on the candle
A candle cries if a lot of wax drips and flows from it. The wax behaves differently: it flows in a puddle, remains on the candle, forming bizarre sagging. It is believed that such signs cannot be ignored.
Swelling on the candle indicates a violation of natural protection and a weakening of energy. The human energy field is not able to protect him from adversity, which means it needs to be strengthened.
Swelling on the candle indicates a violation of natural protection and a weakening of energy
If a lit church candle immediately begins to “cry” and the wax flows down, this indicates the presence of a negative influence and very weak energy. A lot of influxes on a candle, which overlap each other, foreshadow the soon illness of the person who lit it.
A drop of wax flowing down a candle, like a tear, indicates problems with some person. It is possible that he wants to harm you. Domes on a church candle indicate various problems, and if there are many of them, then not everything is in order in life. It is worth visiting the church and praying, as well as confessing.
How to light a candle correctly
You can use a church candle at home during prayer. It is better to do this in the morning or before bed, when the mind is clear and full of good intentions.
You should light it with a match and then place it in front of the icon in the red corner of the room. In order for the home ceremony to proceed correctly, you need to read the prayer for lighting the candle:
“Lord, accept this sacrifice from my labors and reward me with Your grace. Warm my cold heart in prayer. Give me grief to ascend like the fire of a candle. Decorate me with faith, hope, love, meekness, like flowers, from which you collect this wax.”
On holidays, you can use a red candle for prayer at home. Its color is a symbol of the Resurrection of Christ.
Types of sagging on a candle
The church candle is often used by specialists who practice magic. A visiting visitor is always diagnosed with a church candle. This is how the magician checks the biofield of the person in need. If the candle seems to be crying with wax, then the visitor’s soul is hurting about something.
The sagging on the candles can be of different shapes - it warns that the visitor is uneasy in his soul. If there is an influx along the candle in the form of a furrow from top to bottom, it may signal that someone else’s negative program is present on the person being diagnosed.
If the wax drips from the candle and forms beads on the sides, then this indicates a spiritual struggle between the person in need and someone else. If the wax flows down the candle and forms black streaks, it means that the sick person is under the influence of an evil force.
If wax-colored smudges are noticeable on the candle, it means that the patient will soon experience final cleansing of extraneous energy. If the swells along the candle are formed in the form of a diagonal and intersect with each other, then a person should be very careful, since such swells warn against trouble.
We recommend reading: Candles of St. Matrona of Moscow
Sources:
- https://lechetrav.ru/naplyvy-na-sveche-znachenie-vs-o-magii-svechei/
- https://shaman-angarsk.ru/sonnik/kak-gorit-svecha.html
- https://kolobok.ua/magia/991400-primety-o-tserkovnykh-svechakh-pochemu-oni-koptyat-i-plachat
- https://ruogorod.ru/sadovodstvo/o-chem-govorit-svecha.html
- https://zen.yandex.ru/media/sovetka/magicheskaia-rol-cerkovnoi-svechi-v-izbavlenii-ot-negativa-5c7d3231eada0500b2d92155
