Do parishes buy new Paschal Candles every year?

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Those look big and expensive. Do they buy new ones every year, or do they just replace the year and use the same candle over and over again?

Also, what if the paschal candle should run out before the next Easter (like, a parish might have a lot of funerals or something). When a parish buys a new one, does it have to go through the same Easter ritual to bless it, or is there a more simplified blessing?
 
Hi XPI
In our parish the outside of the easter candle is made of plastic and it is hollowed out so that an ordinary candle loaded on a spring, is placed so that as it burns the candle is still at the top. The outside is reused each year and the candle inside is replaced as needed. As far as I know there are no special blessings when the candle is replaced. I hope this helps you cheers may God bless geoff
 
At our parish, a new candle is bought each year and the remains of the old candle(s) are sent back to the candle company for credit. When the candle gets too small because of all of the funerals it is replaced with a new candle, but the new candle isn’t blessed.
 
Our parish used the same candle as last year. The ‘2008’ was changed to ‘2009’ with some clever paintwork. My priest said that the candles cost £300+. However, Paschales Soemnitatis does call for the candle to be ‘renewed’ each year. I don’t know if this includes the use searcher_geoff has given above (new smaller candle in the middle) or if it intends for a whole new candle.
 
This is the first year we haven’t replaced the Paschal candle; only the number 8 was replaced with a 9 from a strip of numbers sent to us with our purchase last year. The ritual of preparing the candle was still done at the Vigil.

The Paschal candle, as well as representing Christ the Light of the World, also marks the passage of time (like the Advent wreath candles). It only makes sense that you start the new liturgical season with a new candle, even if it costs $300+. That’s less than $6/week.
 
Is there a special way to start the fire that lights the Paschal Candle, or can it just be lit with a regular match or lighter?

Why is there the custom of tracing the year and the Alpha and Omega signs on the Paschal Candle? And what exactly is it that is used to do the tracing?
 
JesuXPIPassio said:
Those look big and expensive. Do they buy new ones every year, or do they just replace the year and use the same candle over and over again?

Also, what if the paschal candle should run out before the next Easter (like, a parish might have a lot of funerals or something). When a parish buys a new one, does it have to go through the same Easter ritual to bless it, or is there a more simplified blessing?
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I’ve never looked into the Paschal Candle requirements in detail. However I seem to have read that it is supposed to be an actual candle, not a fake one. A plastic candle seems to qualify as a fake one, even if it does have a spring loaded candle in the top. It is not supposed to be re-used from year to year. The old one is returned to the company, is melted and new candles made from the purified wax.
 
At my former parish (now closed), the pastor was golfing buddies with the local sales rep for those sorts of things. He got a leftover Easter candle from the year before for cheap, scraped off the year, and I think we used it for at least 4 years in a row. We were a small parish and not many funerals or baptisms.

Chris
 
Our candle is usually at least two thirds used up by the end of the year so we don’t have much choice but to replace it.
 
I don’t think there is any specific proscribed method for lighting the fire for the Easter Vigil. It seems to me that until the fire is blessed, it’s just a fire. I’ve seen it done with a taper, a match, or with one of those extra long lighters people use for grills and candles.

As far as the alpha and omega, it signifies that God is the beginning and the end – here for all time. The current year is traced to signify that God is present with us in our midst right now. The priest traces the alpha and omega and the year with a stylus, such that he cuts into the actual wax of the candle.

I hope this helps. You might try also:
usccb.org/liturgy/eastervigil.shtml

It’s not really complete, but I hope it helps.

Chris
 
The Paschal candle is expensive. Ours is $500 with shipping. We try to get a parishoner to donate it. We let it burn as far as it can go without replacing it. One year we had maybe 6" left, but I see it as representative of the parish as it is lit at all baptisms and funerals. It is a reminder of our new members and those who have died. Only once did we have to replace it and that is because a priest was moving it and dropped it and it cracked. So now we have a blank extra just in case.
 
The parish realy should start with a new pascal candle every year. I’m looking in a catalog right now, and the “cheapest” pascal candle (with a cross and alpha/omega applied) is $33. That’s for a size 1 1/2 " by 34" I administer a very small (and I mean tiny)mission where money is very tight. We’ve never been in a situation where we couldn’t afford $33 for a new pascal candle once a year. Each year we spend about $75 for a new candle, and I can say these candles do not look at all cheap–they’re very dignified and quite beautiful. In fact, I make it a point of choosing a new design every year so as to emphasize the fact that this is indeed NOT last year’s candle re-used.

There are some other very nice candles at very reasonable prices. A parish with a lot of monetary resources might decide that an expensive pascal candle is appropriate. Fine. But money (or lack of it) is realy no excuse for failing to start every Easter with a new candle–at least not in the places where most of the people reading these threads probably live.
 
At the Cathedral, our first rector bought a huuuuuuge candlestick for the Paschal Candle (close to 6ft), so the candle needed to be huuuuuge. We used to get the candle from Monterrey, Mexico. Since it is the Cathedral, it needed to be big and able to be seen from the back. The candle was about three feet high with a three-inch diameter. It also weighed about 50 pounds.

This time around, the new administration skimped on the quality. Things actually went downhill six years ago when the rector was re-assigned. The Cathedral has yet to return to its former beauty. I am hoping that the new administrator will soon see the light.
 
benedictgal said:
At the Cathedral, our first rector bought a huuuuuuge candlestick for the Paschal Candle (close to 6ft), so the candle needed to be huuuuuge. We used to get the candle from Monterrey, Mexico. Since it is the Cathedral, it needed to be big and able to be seen from the back. The candle was about three feet high with a three-inch diameter. It also weighed about 50 pounds.

This time around, the new administration skimped on the quality. Things actually went downhill six years ago when the rector was re-assigned. The Cathedral has yet to return to its former beauty. I am hoping that the new administrator will soon see the light.
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Just to put things into perspective, a 3" by 3’ pascal candle, with sculped wax multi-colored designs is less than $200. Not pocket change, of course, but also not anything to break the budget of a cathedral parish.
 
Our candle is 3 1/2 inches by 52 inches. We get them from Marklin candles. Expensive but very striking and beautiful.
 
FrDavid96 said:
The parish realy should start with a new pascal candle every year. I’m looking in a catalog right now, and the “cheapest” pascal candle (with a cross and alpha/omega applied) is $33. That’s for a size 1 1/2 " by 34" I administer a very small (and I mean tiny)mission where money is very tight. We’ve never been in a situation where we couldn’t afford $33 for a new pascal candle once a year. Each year we spend about $75 for a new candle, and I can say these candles do not look at all cheap–they’re very dignified and quite beautiful. In fact, I make it a point of choosing a new design every year so as to emphasize the fact that this is indeed NOT last year’s candle re-used.

There are some other very nice candles at very reasonable prices. A parish with a lot of monetary resources might decide that an expensive pascal candle is appropriate. Fine. But money (or lack of it) is realy no excuse for failing to start every Easter with a new candle–at least not in the places where most of the people reading these threads probably live.
Click to expand...
I was privileged to be given the remains of one of our Pascal Candles…My husband cut it into about 4 pieces so I can use them when I pray

This is such a wonderful feeling to know that I have this sacramental for my own use

I try to use it in a generous manner, and light it when I am praying for other people, rather than for myself…I think somehow this is a more Christlike thing to do , rather than to save it for personal intentions

I always feel I am given a bit of extra help when I burn this candle and I pray…I wonder if I should give something toward buying next years candle because I have been so blessed to be given this great gift?
 
benedictgal said:
At the Cathedral, our first rector bought a huuuuuuge candlestick for the Paschal Candle (close to 6ft), so the candle needed to be huuuuuge. We used to get the candle from Monterrey, Mexico. Since it is the Cathedral, it needed to be big and able to be seen from the back. The candle was about three feet high with a three-inch diameter. It also weighed about 50 pounds.

This time around, the new administration skimped on the quality. Things actually went downhill six years ago when the rector was re-assigned. The Cathedral has yet to return to its former beauty. I am hoping that the new administrator will soon see the light.
Click to expand...
Our candlestick’s socket fits a 3 1/2" candle so we usually buy a 3’ X 3 1/2" Paschal candle, except two year ago when the one the pastor picked out was only available in the 4’ size. The 4’ candle made it difficult for all but the tallest godfathers to light baptismal candles. It also meant I needed a chair to light it. 😉

Last year we went for a very plain candle with only the thin gold cross, alpha, omega and numbers. I think the plainer the better, let the light speak for itself.
 
Why isn’t the new candle blessed? The new one before the Easter Vigil.:confused:
 
The one before Easter vigil is the old candle…The new one gets blessed at the vigil when the new fire is lighted
 
benedictgal said:
At the Cathedral, our first rector bought a huuuuuuge candlestick for the Paschal Candle (close to 6ft), so the candle needed to be huuuuuge. We used to get the candle from Monterrey, Mexico. Since it is the Cathedral, it needed to be big and able to be seen from the back. The candle was about three feet high with a three-inch diameter. It also weighed about 50 pounds.

This time around, the new administration skimped on the quality. Things actually went downhill six years ago when the rector was re-assigned. The Cathedral has yet to return to its former beauty. I am hoping that the new administrator will soon see the light.
Click to expand...
I think that’s the size of ours (seems that tall). It always looks like it’s leaning the first few weeks…
 
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