Electric Candles

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angeltime

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Pax et Bonum! Regarding use of electric votive candles - I don’t see these as spiritual - it is not giving the true, real and spiritual element of “fire.” I know from my involvement, that electric candles are recommended for fire prevention and a reduction in insurance costs. Also, it is recommended to not have carpet in parishes to keep the insurance costs down and the fire risks down. At the same time, and I understand this is my opinion, although I have friends who are of the same mind, that we would feel more natural with no candle than an artificial/electric candle. I am interested to hear any comments…angeltime:highprayer:
 
I agree that real candles are more spiritual. I only know of one parish in my town that has electric ones.
 
Interestingly, unless the bulb is an light emitting gas, the electric pretty much burns tungsten or another element similarly to a flame candle. The only change is that the burn is controlled in an vacuum to limit exposure to outside interferences.
 
We have them in many churches here, Fire risk is all,

Which is understandable if a church is empty of staff and open to the public. Takes but a careless hand.

The cathedral has real candles which are carefully put out before they lock up at night. Sometimes when I have been in very early I have relit all the half burned ones

I try not to dislike them and after all I can light all I like at home …

Ah but reread the standard lease for the new rental and it says NO CANDLES!!! also says no gas appliances but there is a gas cooker in the kitchen…
 
Sacraments require certain matter in order to be valid, such as water, olive oil, wine, etc. Devotions are not sacraments and do not require any matter, so there is no objective necessity for a wick versus a circuit.

If it’s any consolation, Karl Keating shares your sentiments because he finds the electric less symbolic.
 
TK421 said:
Devotions are not sacraments and do not require any matter, so there is no objective necessity for a wick versus a circuit.
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Be that as it may; I hate the electric candles.
 
Unfortunately; due to fire codes; electric candles have now become the norm in most churches. I still light wax candles at my home shrine.
 
Electric candles are tacky.
We have only the large 7 day candles in our chapel, not in the church
I light one weekly.
 
At the church where I attended daily mass in NY, the candles were all electric. Not my preference, but it didn’t bother me. I still “lit” my candles at the St Jude statue!
 
Electric menorahs are also now common, not only in stores but in homes. However, this defeats the purpose of the holiday of Hanukkah, which is based on the miracle of the oil which lasted eight days instead of only one. Therefore, they are frowned upon by all Jewish denominations despite the reduced risk of fire.
 
meltzerboy said:
Electric menorahs are also now common, not only in stores but in homes. However, this defeats the purpose of the holiday of Hanukkah, which is based on the miracle of the oil which lasted eight days instead of only one. Therefore, they are frowned upon by all Jewish denominations despite the reduced risk of fire.
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👍
 
Tomdstone said:
Electric candles reduce the risk of fire.
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We reduce our risk by using the tall 7 day candles in heavy glass containers, and we have a fireproof material under the candle stand. Beeswax candles only, no junk additives.
It passes inspection by Catholic Mutual and the physical plant auditors just fine. We’ve never had a glass crack. My previous parish had the tiny ones crack and catch
fire MANY times. I’d have to leave the piano and run over there to smother flames. You’d be surprised how many people, parishioners, ushers, and altar servers alike will just sit there and stare at the fire. :eek:
 
pianistclare said:
We reduce our risk by using the tall 7 day candles in heavy glass containers, and we have a fireproof material under the candle stand. Beeswax candles only, no junk additives.
It passes inspection by Catholic Mutual and the physical plant auditors just fine. We’ve never had a glass crack. My previous parish had the tiny ones crack and catch
fire MANY times. I’d have to leave the piano and run over there to smother flames. You’d be surprised how many people, parishioners, ushers, and altar servers alike will just sit there and stare at the fire. :eek:
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There have been cases where a church has burned down because of candles.
 
Tomdstone said:
There have been cases where a church has burned down because of candles.
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Of course. And I’m guessing they were not properly cared for nor placed in a suitable place.
Everyone has to take precautions. One has to accept that some places are in a great state of disrepair or neglect.

We were very disappointed when the Catholic school was forbidden to use candles, not even for Advent. However, we did see the prudence in that decision, given the safety of the children, and the tendency for things to get knocked over. It was necessary. I don’t think it has to be necessary to ban candles in churches. That’s why we have inspections twice a year.
 
My first parish here in Colorado had no candles at all except for the votive candle next to the tabernacle.

The whole interior of the old stone church had been destroyed by fire in the early 1980s I think, and they were reluctant to introduce candles after that.

The fire, by the way, was caused by an arsonist – NOT by candles left lit in the church.
 
According to the NFPA, which is the body that sets the standards for every fire department in the United States (and Canada under a different name), candles cause 4% of fires in religious buildings, and that number is statistically equivalent to the number of fires caused by lightning strikes.

Electrical fires account for 10%

Heating 16%
Cooking equipment fires 30%

Note that the statistics include both religious properties as such (churches, synagogues, etc.) and funeral homes. The NFPA groups those two together in their statistics because from a fire-fighting perspective, the buildings are similar. Still, church fires were 96% to funeral homes 4%, so statistically, the inclusion of funeral homes has little effect on the overall picture.

**
So statistically, it is far more dangerous to have a spaghetti supper in the church hall than it is to have candles burning in the Sanctuary. **

Statistically, electricity causes far more church fires than candles.

Source: nfpa.org/news-and-research/fire-statistics-and-reports/fire-statistics/fires-by-property-type/assemblies/religious-and-funeral-properties

The bottom line is that the claims that candles in church are somehow inherently dangerous is nothing more than an urban legend. Of course, we need to be cautious with them, but real life experience tells us that when used responsibly they are not likely to cause fires in churches.
 
We don’t have candles that you can light in our church. There are large glass candles for a suggested donation of $2 each which the priest will bless for you. But you will use them at home. Two other churches have outdoor candle rooms where you can light a candle. Both of these are very nice but not in the church itself. The candles on the altar used at Mass are wax. We have used lanterns at the blessing of the graves on All Saints Day. On All Souls Day, a votive candle is lit by a member of the deceased and you can take the candle home in remembrance of your loved one. In burning candles, our prayers rise to heaven as long as the candle burns. Electronic candles are something to get used to. I’ve learned that not all things stay the same. Some changes we like and some changes we don’t like. God knows our hearts. He knows for whom we are praying and the intentions for which we are praying. Beside the subject…Safety: Never leave a candle unattended. Keep away from children and pets. A candle is an open flame that can ignite anything combustible around it. They are a cause of home fires and sometimes deaths. Use a snuffer or spoon to put out a candle. Blowing them out can send sparks and hot wax flying.
 
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