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Mamba
Guest
Is it sinful to throw away altar candles? They aren’t blessed so I don’t know
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Bonnie
Guest
Are you referring to the stubs or to unused candles? I’m pretty sure they are blessed.
If they are the stubs, yes, they can be thrown away. They have served their purpose. It would be wasteful to throw away unused candles, unless they have been damaged somehow and can’t be used.
If they are the stubs, yes, they can be thrown away. They have served their purpose. It would be wasteful to throw away unused candles, unless they have been damaged somehow and can’t be used.
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Mamba
Guest
Well it is used, but it’s more than a stub. I was more wondering if it would be sacrilegious to throw it away.
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Ridgerunner
Guest
If they’re beeswax or even partly so, it’s a terrible waste to throw them away. Beeswax is terribly expensive. SURELY there is someone who remelts them and makes candles of them again. And if not candles, the makers of honey frames use old beeswax to make the wax base to ensure even combing in the hives.
At least in my parishes, the little candles used during Holy Week or at Christmas or in any procession, are just paraffin. But the ones on the altar are beeswax. Smell one of them. You can smell the honey. Bees make wax out of honey.
As to the sacrilege, I would ask a priest, but I doubt it is.
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Bonnie
Guest
Not sacrilegious, no. But if there is enough candle left to be used, perhaps you could take them home & use them. We like to light a candle during our prayer time.
Altar candles aren’t pure beeswax, but a mixture. They can be melted down to make other candles.
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newcalling
Guest
I didn’t know that there were parishes which still use real altar candles. All of the ones around here use candle shaped oil lamps. I don’t mind oil lamps, the temple of Jerusalem used them, but I love the smell of beeswax candles. Sorry I don’t have an answer to your inquiry. I agree that if they are beeswax you should see if they can be melted and reused.
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929dad
Guest
We keep them and return them to the company we buy the candles from. We get a credit per pound of stumps. It’s not a lot, but they melt them down for reuse and we get to help the bees and our budget.
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TruthSeeker319
Guest
Interesting, I don’t think I’ve ever visited a church that did not use candles.
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newcalling
Guest
At first I figured that my parish didn’t use them because of the historic artwork or something (I don’t know if oil lamps would be any better for that reason, but it is why we ask that people don’t use flash photography) but then I noticed the same thing at the two other parishes I have attended, which aren’t in historical buildings with old art. Only one of those two parishes has candles anywhere, at the prayer altar. My home parish has prayer altars, but they use push-button electric lights resembling candles.Interesting, I don’t think I’ve ever visited a church that did not use candles.
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Shirtless
Guest
I visited a Catholic church which had electric lights instead of candles. Put in money and get so much time, and then the light goes out. St. John Neuman Parish, Mulberry, Florida, if you want to check it out.Interesting, I don’t think I’ve ever visited a church that did not use candles.
Maybe they got a reduction on their fire insurance policy.
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newcalling
Guest
Yeah, that’s what our prayer candles are like at the two prayer altars. I think that when you push the button it goes for two hours, and there’s a little slot for donations. In most parishes it’s real candles and the donation is to replace the candles. In our case I think that they’re electric because we’re in a registered historical building. They probably didn’t want tourists handling fire in there. We get a lot of tourists.
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Gorgias
Guest
I’ve heard some suggest that they cannot have live candles lit while they’re unattended by someone… that it violates their insurance policy. Can’t say whether that’s true… just that some have asserted it.
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Bonnie
Guest
The Cathedral in Spokane has electric votive candles. Regular candles for Mass.Interesting, I don’t think I’ve ever visited a church that did not use candles.
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Shirtless
Guest
Having lighted candles in an unoccupied building increases the risk. That may cause the insurance company to increase the premium or simply refuse to insure. Thus, the price of having insurance might be an agreement not to permit live candles.I’ve heard some suggest that they cannot have live candles lit while they’re unattended by someone… that it violates their insurance policy. Can’t say whether that’s true… just that some have asserted it.
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UpUpAndAway
Guest
To answer the OP’s question, no, throwing away used altar candles is not sacrilege.
I do not know of any parish that blesses its altar candles. If they are blessed, however, the stubs can be burned to dispose of them. It would probably be preferable to find some other use for the stubs, though, whether or not they are blessed. My parish donates used candles and candle trimmings to an association that makes pine cone fire-starters to sell as a fund-raising item. I will also give away these items to anyone who asks for a good cause (making torches for the scouts, for example). We usually have more than enough to go around
Beeswax is very expensive and doesn’t hold up well in heat. Are there any parishes still using 100% beeswax altar candles? Ours doesn’t. We use a beeswax-paraffin blend (probably 51% beeswax, 49% paraffin). IIRC, the GIRM doesn’t specify what altar candles are to be made out of.
The Catholic Encyclopedia provides this explanation of the symbolism of altar candles and for the use of beeswax in their manufacture: “The pure wax extracted by bees from flowers symbolizes the pure flesh of Christ received from His Virgin Mother, the wick signifies the soul of Christ, and the flame represents His divinity. Although the two latter properties are found in all kinds of candles, the first is proper of beeswax candles only.” It goes on to say, however that it is “not necessary that they be made of beeswax without any admixture.”
Because the interior of the building is principally made out of bare wood, we are actually forbidden (by the fire department) to leave any candles burning in the church while there is no one there. Altar candles are okay because they only burn for the liturgy so by definition someone is present the entire time they are lit.
I do not know of any parish that blesses its altar candles. If they are blessed, however, the stubs can be burned to dispose of them. It would probably be preferable to find some other use for the stubs, though, whether or not they are blessed. My parish donates used candles and candle trimmings to an association that makes pine cone fire-starters to sell as a fund-raising item. I will also give away these items to anyone who asks for a good cause (making torches for the scouts, for example). We usually have more than enough to go around
Beeswax is very expensive and doesn’t hold up well in heat. Are there any parishes still using 100% beeswax altar candles? Ours doesn’t. We use a beeswax-paraffin blend (probably 51% beeswax, 49% paraffin). IIRC, the GIRM doesn’t specify what altar candles are to be made out of.
The Catholic Encyclopedia provides this explanation of the symbolism of altar candles and for the use of beeswax in their manufacture: “The pure wax extracted by bees from flowers symbolizes the pure flesh of Christ received from His Virgin Mother, the wick signifies the soul of Christ, and the flame represents His divinity. Although the two latter properties are found in all kinds of candles, the first is proper of beeswax candles only.” It goes on to say, however that it is “not necessary that they be made of beeswax without any admixture.”
Because the interior of the building is principally made out of bare wood, we are actually forbidden (by the fire department) to leave any candles burning in the church while there is no one there. Altar candles are okay because they only burn for the liturgy so by definition someone is present the entire time they are lit.
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sirach2v4
Guest
I’ve never heard of a problem with any kids getting burned by candles in church, but it makes me nervous to see younger servers and lit candles.
There’s the whole question of whether their server gowns are flame retardant, but I don’t see any flame blankets or fire extinguishers in any church that I’ve been in. I think long hair is also risky around lit candles.
Yes, I can see the symbolism of the candle – Christ, the light of the world.
Pope Benedict xvi had 7 large candles on the altar for his pontifical Mass. That was a throwback to the menorah in the Jewish Temple. And, what did that symbolize? Well, if you read the description in Exodus, it really represented the burning bush from which God’s voice was heard by Moses.
When I was young, I heard that the candles were a recollection of how the Church used to meet in the catacombs in Rome.
In the EWTN chapel on tv, the sacristan seems to cater to the whim of the presiding priest. One day you’ll see tall candles and the next day short candles. I think they play games with candles. It’s distracting to me.
That’s an idea – send your candles to EWTN. I’m sure they will use them.
There’s the whole question of whether their server gowns are flame retardant, but I don’t see any flame blankets or fire extinguishers in any church that I’ve been in. I think long hair is also risky around lit candles.
Yes, I can see the symbolism of the candle – Christ, the light of the world.
Pope Benedict xvi had 7 large candles on the altar for his pontifical Mass. That was a throwback to the menorah in the Jewish Temple. And, what did that symbolize? Well, if you read the description in Exodus, it really represented the burning bush from which God’s voice was heard by Moses.
When I was young, I heard that the candles were a recollection of how the Church used to meet in the catacombs in Rome.
In the EWTN chapel on tv, the sacristan seems to cater to the whim of the presiding priest. One day you’ll see tall candles and the next day short candles. I think they play games with candles. It’s distracting to me.
That’s an idea – send your candles to EWTN. I’m sure they will use them.
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Bonnie
Guest
Some years ago we almost had a fire in the church due to a crooked candle. At that time we had 2 candles on poles that the altar servers carried in and placed in stands. One morning the pole was placed crookedly in the holder and the plastic surrounding the candle caught on fire. Rather exciting start to Mass!
Another almost fire I didn’t witness was from the priest getting too enthusiastic with the thurible. Almost set himself on fire and scorched a section of carpet.
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