Lighting candles

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In all my 86 years, and except as an altar server, I have never lit a candle in church because I always thought -mistakenly, no doubt - that people lit candles instead of praying. Can someone ‘enlighten’ me?
 
Lighting a.candle.is a prayer. The aroma of the candle ascends up to Heaven in a sense.

Like blessing yourself is a prayer.
Like kissing a crucifix is a prayer.

The candle is blessed by a priest it is a sacramental. Even just lighting a candle for an intention is a prayer.
 
Simple, just light a candle and as you do so say a prayer. I’ve done this for years, even when I was an Anglican. Its a nice way to remember people you know in need especially when visiting a different church or a shrine.
 
I was taught to pray for the intentions of all those who have lit candles. When I light a candle and say a prayer, I assume that someone will be praying for me.

My husband and I light a candle when we say our evening prayers. It is a symbol of the light of Christ and helps us set apart our prayer time from the rest of the day.
 
I was taught that our Guardian Angel continues the prayer as long as the candle burns,
 
I have seen many people in my family, especially my grandfather, light a candle, hold it in hand, and pray in front of an icon of Christ. I believe its something about the warmth and light that reminds people of Christ’s love.
 
=Ewald Holzhaus;13438133]In all my 86 years, and except as an altar server, I have never lit a candle in church because I always thought -mistakenly, no doubt - that people lit candles instead of praying. Can someone ‘enlighten’ me?
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Sure: Thanks for asking.

The OT times it was common, even mandated to offer Sacrifices for this or that. Read the Book of Exodus and you’ll find plenty of evidence of the is practice.

Today’s candles have two purposes:

One: to offer a sacrifice to God with a specific intention in mind. or the saint we are seeking Intercession from.

This practice is making use of a “sacramental”; an object that can bring us closer to God.

God Bless you!

Patrick
 
I was taught to say a prayer when you light a votive candle - to pray for whomever or whatever the intention is in lighting the candle.
 
In the Middle Ages, the symbolism of the votive candles was elaborated.
St. Radegund described a practice whereby a person would light a candle or several candles which equaled his own height.
This was called “measuring to” such a saint.
 
I always say a prayer when i light one of the votive candles in church.
 
I posted the original thread.
I am all for atmosphere and hence I like a dinner by candle light. Also liturgy and tradition, candles on the altar and in processions. It sort off creates a good atmosphere, and, as long it is not done instead of prayer but only in addition to it, that is fine with me. Am I wrong or just different?

I finally looked it up in Wikimedia and read the following:-

“A votive deposit or votive offering is one or more objects displayed or deposited, without the intention of recovery or use, in a sacred place for broadly religious purposes. Such items are a feature of modern and ancient societies and are generally made in order to gain favor with supernatural forces. Some offerings have apparently been made in anticipation of the achievement of a particular wish, but in Western cultures from which documentary evidence survives it has been more typical to wait until the wish has been fulfilled before making the offering,[citation needed] for which the more specific term ex-voto may be used. Votive offerings have been described in historical Roman era and Greek sources, although similar acts continue into the present day, for example in traditional Catholic culture and, arguably, in the modern-day practice of tossing coins into a wishing well or fountain. The modern construction practice called topping out can be considered as an example of a votive practice that has very ancient roots”.
 
Ewald_Holzhaus said:
…I finally looked it up in Wikimedia and read the following:-

“A votive deposit or votive offering is one or more objects displayed or deposited, without the intention of recovery or use, in a sacred place for broadly religious purposes…”
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That is different from lighting candles and praying - at least I hope it is for Catholics! I’m a convert, so maybe I never got the memo, but lighting a candle is not for getting wishes (prayers) granted, but a symbol of the prayer. It is asking others to pray for your intentions. The money one gives when lighting a candle is to pay for the candle.
 
Ewald_Holzhaus said:
I finally looked it up in Wikimedia and read the following:-

“A votive deposit or votive offering is one or more objects displayed or deposited, without the intention of recovery or use, in a sacred place for broadly religious purposes. Such items are a feature of modern and ancient societies and are generally made in order to gain favor with supernatural forces. Some offerings have apparently been made in anticipation of the achievement of a particular wish, but in Western cultures from which documentary evidence survives it has been more typical to wait until the wish has been fulfilled before making the offering,[citation needed] for which the more specific term ex-voto may be used. Votive offerings have been described in historical Roman era and Greek sources, although similar acts continue into the present day, for example in traditional Catholic culture and, arguably, in the modern-day practice of tossing coins into a wishing well or fountain. The modern construction practice called topping out can be considered as an example of a votive practice that has very ancient roots”.
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This is not the Catholic practice.
The bit of money given is to cover the cost of the candles, It isnt lit to get a favor or a wish and i would hope no practicing Catholic would use in this way.
 
dee_burk said:
This is not the Catholic practice.
The bit of money given is to cover the cost of the candles, It isnt lit to get a favor or a wish and i would hope no practicing Catholic would use in this way.
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Another reason to be cautious with Wikipedia.
 
I think it’s kind of like a greeting card, but better. Like, if you send something nice to your children for the holidays, and they keep it, it’s like a reminder that you care for them. When you light a candle, maybe, it’s like that, but for your intention.
 
First of all, yes, votive offerings are a Catholic practice, and no, Wikipedia doesn’t give a good description of the practice, and no, it isn’t exactly the same thing as lighting a candle as part of prayer, although the two practices are right next door to each other.

Fr. Hardon’s dictionary defines a votive offering as:

"Any object offered to God or in honor of a saint as an act of appreciation for some favor received, [or] in petition for a favor asked for; and hence the name, in discharge of a vow (votum) or promise made.

“The votive offering may be a sum of money, a shrine, a sacred vessel, a jewel, a sculpture, or anything that reflects the sentiments of the donor as an act of sacrifice.”

It used to be very common for people to promise God/a saint (or to offer to God/a saint in advance) a wax candle, or several wax candles, or a pound of beeswax, or similar sorts of gifts to help keep the church or an altar lit and beautiful. It’s still very common at many places around the world to offer a tiny medal or picture of a body part that has been healed by God; this is usually called an “ex voto.”

Many churches ended up using the tiny squat candles in the candleholders standing near saint statues, which is why those little stubby candles are called “votive candles” in the candle store. 🙂

If you are just lighting a candle as a symbol of your prayer or as part of your prayer practice, most people don’t think of it as offering a candle; and of course many people light candles at home as part of prayer (particularly those big six-hour things in the big glass jars). But if you’re paying for a candle to use for prayer, you are offering the money and the candle to God also.

A candle is symbolic in certain ways of human life and of human prayer, because candles “live” while they are lit and “die” when they are totally burned away. As the deacon sings in uncut versions of the Exultet, beeswax and bees are also important symbols of Christian life and service to God.
 
Yes. Clearly votive candles are a profit center for parishes, as they usually charge more than the candles cost. So we are offering a monetary donation along with our prayers.

In my parish, one of the first things our pastor did was get rid of the ugly and stupid electric votives and install real candle racks. A nice elderly couple takes care of maintaining the candles and collecting the money. The suggested donation is $1 while the 3-hour votives probably cost $0.25 or less.
 
=Ewald Holzhaus;13438133]In all my 86 years, and except as an altar server, I have never lit a candle in church because I always thought -mistakenly, no doubt - that people lit candles instead of praying. Can someone ‘enlighten’ me?
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You dear friend were NEAR “the light of truth”

Candies do NOT replace pray BUT rather ADD to them.

The practice is based on Old Testament Sacrifices where the SMOKE from the burnt offerings ROSE to God.

Candles are what we term “SACRAMENTALS”; things which can amd ought to bring us closer to God:thumbsup:

God Bless you friend,
Patrick
 
Elizium23 said:
Yes. Clearly votive candles are a profit center for parishes, as they usually charge more than the candles cost. So we are offering a monetary donation along with our prayers.

In my parish, one of the first things our pastor did was get rid of the ugly and stupid electric votives and install real candle racks. A nice elderly couple takes care of maintaining the candles and collecting the money. The suggested donation is $1 while the 3-hour votives probably cost $0.25 or less.
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Yes, the button pushed fake candles are not as nice as real candles, with the little sand boxes with sticks.

On another note for the op-I was taught that the candle in front of the statues is a prayer vigil before the saint you prayed to when you lit the candle…The vigil of your prayer or prayers continue until the candle burns out.
 
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