Lamps?

[SonofMonica]

Question regarding at least Eastern Orthodox if not Eastern Catholic churches… noticed this with the Church of the Nativity in Israel. What’s the deal with the lamps hanging from the ceiling with gold chains and stuff? Don’t see this in Latin Rite Catholic Churches, in my experience, not sure about Eastern Catholic churches. But in my mind I associate it with the Orthodox.

Thanks.

 

[BernadetteM]

In my old Anglo Catholic parish we had several lamps in the santurary. I believe that Our Lady of Atonement Anglican Use parish also has lamps.

Yours in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Bernadette

 

[Nine_Two]

Do you mean the lamps in front of the icons on the iconostasis? Those are really the only unique lamps I can think of that are in every Orthodox church.

I’ve never asked the question myself, or read anything, but (as much as I hate to cite it) Wikipedia says they are used to illustrate the “light of God” and considering that they are lit at the beginning of each service and extinguished after, this explanation makes sense.

No idea about whether Eastern Catholics use them, I’ve never seen the chapel of one.

 

[Aramis]

Our altar candle hangs from the ceiling in front of the iconostasis.

We have candles before each of the 4 major icons.

We have a candelabra above the Holy Table.

We have the candlestands before the Icons of Christ and the Theotokos; each candle is someone’s intention candle.

We have candles on the tetrapod.

 

[SonofMonica]

Sorry guys, here’s a picture of the lamps I’m talking about (this is the altar built over the top of the spot where it is believed Christ was crucified). There’s row after row of lamps hanging from the ceiling.

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/4249/picture3vx.png

And then more hanging over the spot where they think Jesus was born at the Church of the Nativity:

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/6262/picture3qp.png

Anybody know what these are for?

 

[Nine_Two]

Never seen lamps in those places before. Even at Holy Sites I’ve been to.

 

[Cluny]

1. They are pretty.
2. They didn’t have electric lights.

 

[wynd]

Do you mean the lamps in front of the icons on the iconostasis? Those are really the only unique lamps I can think of that are in every Orthodox church.

I’ve never asked the question myself, or read anything, but (as much as I hate to cite it) Wikipedia says they are used to illustrate the “light of God” and considering that they are lit at the beginning of each service and extinguished after, this explanation makes sense.

No idea about whether Eastern Catholics use them, I’ve never seen the chapel of one.

byzantinecatholic.com/photos/PhotoAlbum3/thumbnails/Byz12.jpg

 

[Nine_Two]

byzantinecatholic.com/photos/PhotoAlbum3/thumbnails/Byz12.jpg

Chandeliers aren’t limited to the East. Although that is a particularly nice example.

 

[Pani_Rose]

We have a huge one at St. George, with other small ones - well not small - they are four in number, but are electric. They are from Greece and are beautiful.
saintgeorgeonline.org/index-1.html

The candle stands beside the doors if I remember right, represent the ‘pillars of fire’ that went before the Jewish people when they escaped from Egypt.

God said, Let light shine out of darkness, Who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ (1 Cor. 4:6).

Here is a good article on the candles
vor.ru/English/Christian_Message/program.phtml?act=65

 

[JuanCarlos]

They’re found in some Latin Rite churches; a local church has one hanging from the ceiling in front of the High Altar, to signify the Real Presence