Curious about candles

[Maccabee]

I am a Protestant and have become curious about what, I think, is a common Catholic practice. Many years ago, I was in Bogota, Colombia where (being the good tourist) I entered one of the larger Catholic churches. I noticed a man seated by the door selling various sizes of candles. I watched as people bought the candles and entered. I noticed that the people who were more poorly dressed and obviously from a low economic bracket bought very short candles, less than a quarter inch tall, which would probably burn up in a couple of minutes. The church was aglow with rows of candles and people were stopping to pray before them.

I was recently in the local Catholic church where I was tuning the piano and noticed in one corner of the large sanctury a rack filled with burning candles. It was a midweek morning and no one was around except me and the occasional person who would drop in for a few moments of prayer. I remembered what I had seen in Colombia and the question was raised in my mind.

What is the significance of the candles? Once in a while a Protestant church will have a candlelight service, but frankly, I think it’s because they’re pretty and no one has ever attached any great significance to them. I have the impression that the significance is somewhat more in the Catholic church, especially as the poor spend their meager resources to burn them. Can someone help me out here? As Alice in Wonderland, I’m growing curiouser and curiouser.

 

[AngelRose81]

I’m still a “new Catholic” but I’ll try to answer. A lot of times Catholics light candles when we are praying for someone. They continue burning until they burn out. Also, there is normally a donation box where the candles are as well. My RCIA director told us that that was to be able to buy new candles when needed.

You basically just say a prayer for the person and light a candle, from what I understand.

 

[Della]

Simply put, the lit candle stands in for the person who can’t be there to pray. It’s a biblical practice of offering up a burning candle or incense to God as a part of intercessory prayer and praise.

 

[BlestOne]

from the blog of a priest:
In the lighting of candles we remember and truly live the words of Our Lord: “I am the Light of the World.” In the lighting of candles we not only pray, but our prayers become smaller symbols of the One Light of Christ. In burning candles, our prayers rise up to Heaven day and night; prayers for the saint’s intercession are also common because of their friendship with God in Heaven. Saints are powerful intercessors. The lighting of candles has been observed since the early the time of the early martyrs.

 

[lizaanne]

We can’t keep our prayer in our mind constantly without ceasing, we have to think about other things such as caring for family, what road to turn on, how to fry an egg - you get my drift. The candle is a way of leaving our prayer there before God while we can’t be there in prayer. The smaller candles are simply what the person could afford, no difference in meaning or significance.

Welcome to the site, and keep those questions coming!!

~Liza

 

[Cavaille-Coll]

As a priest friend of mine often preached about, a candle is a beautiful symbol of the Christian life. You can do a lot of things with a candle, like use it for a paperweight or a doorstop. Candles make adequate paperweights and doorstops, but they were not designed for these purposes. Only when it is lit does it accomplish the purpose it was designed for. It gives light to the world, a light that didn’t come from itself. In the process of living the “life” its maker intended, it spends itself until there is nothing left. A candle used as a doorstop may last longer, but it will never accomplish what it was created to do.

 

[mercygate]

All those lit candles remind us that we are a community; we see those lights and add our prayers to the petitions of others. They are a witness.

But the OP is onto something: they’re pretty. Before electricity, in a dark church, you would be drawn to the light. Ya gotta love it!

 

[Seminarian_Matt]

from the blog of a priest:
In the lighting of candles we remember and truly live the words of Our Lord: “I am the Light of the World.” In the lighting of candles we not only pray, but our prayers become smaller symbols of the One Light of Christ. In burning candles, our prayers rise up to Heaven day and night; prayers for the saint’s intercession are also common because of their friendship with God in Heaven. Saints are powerful intercessors. The lighting of candles has been observed since the early the time of the early martyrs.

This is a direct statement from my website. Please include a link to the complete article:

acatholiclife.blogspot.com/2006/03/why-do-catholics-light-prayer-candles.html