Altar Candles

[Phemie]

Well, it’s more than “some places” – church supply companies all sell them. And many churches buy them, in order to have ‘real’ candles…

Certainly we buy a 51% bees wax Paschal candle every year. The altar “candles”, OTOH, are acrylic tubes with wicked vials of liquid paraffin.

 

[schaeffer]

The use of oil lamps destroys the significant sign value of beeswax candles. Like freshly-cut flowers, wax candles are a sacrifice. They burn away to nothing and then they are gone. They are the product of the toil of God’s creatures, the bees. While candles themselves are something of a technology, they bring us close to nature. An oil lamp doesn’t give the same visceral closeness to nature as wax candles. And that is why the Church requires them.

I wonder if this isn’t a case of cultural sensibilities (which are of value) rather than quality of respect or meaning to God.

There are many references in the Gospels of the use of oil lamps, the brides maids getting oil for the lamps to be ready for the bridegroom, don’t hide your lamp under a basket etc.

Also the miracle that is remembered at Channukah.

There are regions of the world where candles are impractacle, heat can make a taper bend right over etc.

The act of conscientiously cleaning the lamp, trimming the wick, pouring in the oil etc can be as much a visceral and sacred act as putting out fresh candles, scraping wax etc.

In some cultures candles have a special significance and understandably incite a certain sort of reverence and feeling, but they aren’t inherently more respectful or worthy than an oil lamp.