Candlelight Mass

  • Thread starter Thread starter JGMendes4049
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
J

JGMendes4049

Guest
This past week, my area (Western Massachusetts) has been going through the horrific aftermath of a terrible snowstorm. Most of the area has been out of power since Saturday (it’s Tuesday). The local gas station has run out of gas within hours of receiving each delivery of gas. In short, it’s a mess.

Anyway, today’s the Solemnity of All Saints. It’s a Holy Day of Obligation, so my parish has an evening Mass in addition to the usual morning Mass. This morning, there was daylight to say Mass by. This evening, however (7:00), there was no daylight. Every candle the church owns was used to light the nave and sanctuary for Mass. It was beautiful. Though there was no music except a hymn for the Entrance Chant and the Amen at the end of the Eucharistic Prayer, both a cappella, no incense, in the OF, one server, and only about fifteen people in attendance, it was with great solemnity. There was an eerie yet comforting feeling to being in a room lit by candles. I liked it.

This just goes to show you that if it’s not possible to celebrate Mass with smells, bells, traditional music, et cetera, Mass can still be done solemnly according to the means possible.

I’m not trying to spark any uncharitable comments, so please relegate such comments to private messages or another thread.
 
“This just goes to show you that if it’s not possible to celebrate Mass with smells, bells, traditional music, et cetera, Mass can still be done solemnly according to the means possible.”

Indeed, although we should certainly take to institute, observe, and respect the customs appropriate whenever possible, our inability (rather than our unwillingness) to perform things perfectly should not inhibit us from worship.

I seem to remember a quote from an old movie about Our lady of Lourdes that “prayer is good…wherever it is offered”

I think the late Pope JPII once offered mass on a camping trip for young Catholics when he was still in Poland - on top of a canoe…
 
I would love it if churches would occasionally celebrate mass by candlelight only.
 
Our church has started using electronic votives, which probably wouldn’t work in such a situation.

I love the OF as Daily Mass. There are periods of profound silence and reverence that are harder to come by on Sunday.
 
This happened at the parish I went to during my time in college. It was beautiful, and then, being in Williamsburg, VA, the music minister decided to use the harpsichord (a colonial pre-curser to the piano) for the music accompaniment. It was beautiful, and the parish was packed, as it was a Sunday evening mass. This is a very fond memory of mine.
 
Ive been to many Eastern liturgies and vespers with just candlelight
its really peaceful and mysterious and good for prayer and to connect with God

some of the eastern churches have alot of candles stands all around the church and it looks great all lit up in the dark
 
JGMendes4049 said:
This past week, my area (Western Massachusetts) has been going through the horrific aftermath of a terrible snowstorm. Most of the area has been out of power since Saturday (it’s Tuesday). The local gas station has run out of gas within hours of receiving each delivery of gas. In short, it’s a mess.

Anyway, today’s the Solemnity of All Saints. It’s a Holy Day of Obligation, so my parish has an evening Mass in addition to the usual morning Mass. This morning, there was daylight to say Mass by. This evening, however (7:00), there was no daylight. Every candle the church owns was used to light the nave and sanctuary for Mass. It was beautiful. Though there was no music except a hymn for the Entrance Chant and the Amen at the end of the Eucharistic Prayer, both a cappella, no incense, in the OF, one server, and only about fifteen people in attendance, it was with great solemnity. There was an eerie yet comforting feeling to being in a room lit by candles. I liked it.

This just goes to show you that if it’s not possible to celebrate Mass with smells, bells, traditional music, et cetera, Mass can still be done solemnly according to the means possible.

I’m not trying to spark any uncharitable comments, so please relegate such comments to private messages or another thread.
Click to expand...
This sounds so beautiful.

My priest offered a candlelight Mass one evening. I wanted to go so badly, but was not able to that night. He is now at a different parish. This is a great way to worship.
 
YoungTradCath said:
I would love it if churches would occasionally celebrate mass by candlelight only.
Click to expand...
You should try St. Elias in Brampton, Ontario. They are so Byzantine traditional, I’m not sure they are connected to the grid at all 😃 (I would guess they are). But if you look at videos, they do have services where they are lighted by candlelight only. A LOT of candles.
 
There’s something rather special about candlelight during religious celebrations. At the end of Mass on Maundy Thursday, my church has a procession to the altar of repose in the church hall lit entirely by candles. At the Easter Vigil service, the church is lit exclusively by candles for the singing of the exultet.

In the 1970s, the UK had regular power cuts because of strikes in the power industry. We regularly had Mass by candlelight - although the cost of candles was huge.

I suspect that our enjoyment of candlelight has much to do with its novelty value. I expect a similar thrill was felt when churches were first lit by oil lamps, then by gaslight and then by electricity.
 
jimrob said:
There’s something rather special about candlelight during religious celebrations. At the end of Mass on Maundy Thursday, my church has a procession to the altar of repose in the church hall lit entirely by candles. At the Easter Vigil service, the church is lit exclusively by candles for the singing of the exultet.

In the 1970s, the UK had regular power cuts because of strikes in the power industry. We regularly had Mass by candlelight - although the cost of candles was huge.

I suspect that our enjoyment of candlelight has much to do with its novelty value. I expect a similar thrill was felt when churches were first lit by oil lamps, then by gaslight and then by electricity.
Click to expand...
Your last point, that may be generally true. Yet I’d like to add, I always enjoy night in the chapel, night flights, night walks. There is something about the darkness that just makes me feel more like it’s just me and God.
 
You know there is the Low Mass of the Extraordinary Form without any of the “smells and bells” that many, many people find reverent?

Anyway, candlelit masses are beautiful. I served an EF Missa Cantata in the remains of an abbey that was abandoned during the reformation. It was in a space smaller than my bedroom and it was pitch black even with the door opened. The candles gave it a beautiful effect. The MC had to use a a torch so Father could sing the Gospel :D!
 
I agree. One of the most beautiful Masses I’ve ever attended was at my parish after hurricane Wilma. I went to my usual 7:30 AM Mass, so it was a combination of natural light and candlelight. The most striking part, though, was not the lighting. It was the quiet! South Florida is a very noisy place, generally. You never realize just how noisy electric signs, high voltage wires, AC units and other “stuff” can be until they are turned off. Even the people were just that much more quiet. Between the candle light, the quiet, and the very thankful attitude of the people, that Mass was an amazing experience. After not being able to attend Mass the 1st weekend after the storm (due to the danger of just going out with flooded roads and downed power lines and trees), it was quite a blessing to be able to attend Mass in such a joy filled parish.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top