May the Elevation Candle Still Be Used?

[bben15]

Hello. May an elevation candle be lit at the Elevation at Low Mass? Or is it no longer allowed?

What about the Ordinary Form? Can it be used in the OF?

God bless you for answering my question.

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

Never heard of this. Could someone also explain what an Elevation Candle is?

 

[bben15]

Never heard of this. Could someone also explain what an Elevation Candle is?

An Elevation Candle, is, as the name suggests, a candle lit at the Elevation of the Host and Chalice. If you have ever been to a High Mass, (occasionally a Sung Mass), two of them are lit. Before 1960, it was directed that one Elevation Candle be lit at the Elevation at Low Mass, but this had largely died out in most places, so the Holy See removed the requirement to use an Elevation Candle at Low Mass. Elevation Candles are still required at High Mass.

The original purpose of the Elevation Candle was so the people could see the Host and Chalice, but because of modern lighting, it now represents the Light of the Lord.

I just don’t know if the Elevation Candle can still be used at Low Mass, and if it can be used in the OF.

 

[L_Marshall]

My training in the Extraordinary Form is fairly recent (within the past year), and I was taught to have the Elevation Candle lit immediately after the Sanctus. We would do this for every type of Mass (Lecta, Cantata, Solemnis). We would extinguish the Elevation Candle immediately after the oblutions.

Although I don’t believe the use of an Elevation Candle is mentioned in the current Rubrics, I’ve employed one before at a Mass (in special circumstances). We were having Mass in the gymnasium of a Catholic university. The university also had a chapel, but since we were expecting a large turn-out, we opted to use the gymnasium. We had lit the Elevation Candle during the Agnus Dei, and placed the remaining Precious Body next to the candle after the Communion Rite. After the Mass had ended, we brought the remaining Eucharistic Species back to the chapel on campus, and placed them in the tabernacle.

 

[Mikeydell]

Can someone describe what this candle looks like/is housed in and where it’s placed when lit during Mass?

As an Altar Boy in the '60’s in the Latin Rite I don’t recall ever lighting any candles during Mass. I also served as the Master at High Mass on Christmas Eve and during Holy Week and at the Easter Vigil Rite and High Mass and I don’t recall lighting any candles while the Mass was under way.

Thanks for your patience!

Mike

 

[L_Marshall]

Can someone describe what this candle looks like/is housed in and where it’s placed when lit during Mass?

As an Altar Boy in the '60’s in the Latin Rite I don’t recall ever lighting any candles during Mass. I also served as the Master at High Mass on Christmas Eve and during Holy Week and at the Easter Vigil Rite and High Mass and I don’t recall lighting any candles while the Mass was under way.

Thanks for your patience!

Mike

Mike,
The candle is smaller than all the other candles, and placed on the plateau behind the altar (the same platform the tabernacle is usually placed on). It’s usually placed in a candle stick that matches the altar candles, but is smaller. It is always on the epistle side of the altar.

I’ve thrown together the following picture as an example, the church in question is Ss. Trinità dei Pellegrini, the FSSP church in Rome. In the picture, the candles highlighted in magenta are the candles used for the High Mass; in blue for the Low Mass; in green is the Elevation Candle:

 

[George_Stegmeir]

An Elevation Candle, is, as the name suggests, a candle lit at the Elevation of the Host and Chalice. If you have ever been to a High Mass, (occasionally a Sung Mass), two of them are lit. Before 1960, it was directed that one Elevation Candle be lit at the Elevation at Low Mass, but this had largely died out in most places, so the Holy See removed the requirement to use an Elevation Candle at Low Mass. Elevation Candles are still required at High Mass.

The original purpose of the Elevation Candle was so the people could see the Host and Chalice, but because of modern lighting, it now represents the Light of the Lord.

I just don’t know if the Elevation Candle can still be used at Low Mass, and if it can be used in the OF.

I am somewhat mystified. I was raised in a Jesuit parish, went to their Parochial school from Kindergarten through 9th Grade, was an Altar Boy from age 8 through 15 and had as part of my Altar Boy duties the lighting of the Altar candles for Mass and Benediction.
Until this thread, I never, ever have heard of an Elevation Candle. I also was a sailor for many years, starting in the early 1950’s and have attended Mass all over the World, and have never seen any such thing.
However, I am not a liturgical expert. There may have been such a thing, but I think it may have been some local custom. I just have never seen it…either before V II or after it.

 

[corsair]

bben15,
Would you be referring to the “Sanctus” candle? I’ve seen it used at Dominican Rite Masses.

It is lit just before the Consecration and extinguished after Communion. Normally only one smaller candlestick is lighted and it sit off to the Epistle side of the altar. I have seen two used but I think the Dominican rubrics call for one.

Somewhere I read that this is perfectly fine for the Roman Rite too but I wouldn’t lay any money on it.

 

[bben15]

bben15,
Would you be referring to the “Sanctus” candle? I’ve seen it used at Dominican Rite Masses.

It is lit just before the Consecration and extinguished after Communion. Normally only one smaller candlestick is lighted and it sit off to the Epistle side of the altar. I have seen two used but I think the Dominican rubrics call for one.

Somewhere I read that this is perfectly fine for the Roman Rite too but I wouldn’t lay any money on it.

Yes! That is another name for the Elevation Candle.

I can see why the rubrics disbanded the requirement of the Elevation Candle at Low Mass, since practically no priest followed the rubrics.

P.S., I found the answer to one of my questions: The Elevation Candle can still be used at Low Mass. It’s use is just optional. Though I still don’t know whether it can be used in the OF.

 

[corsair]

Just for general information; here is a Dominican web site that discusses the use of the Sanctus candle very briefly.
dominican-liturgy.blogspot.com/2010/08/st-alberts-conventual-low-mass-1957.html

Cheers

 

[johnmann]

The OF rubrics are silent about the Sanctus candle. It’s not contrary to any law or custom, so it’s permitted. But if it’s traditions you’re trying to restore, keep in mind that it was always customary to omit the candle. Torchbearers, on the other hand, I’m a fan of and think they should be used in the OF.