Paschal candle

[Cheresse]

Why do we now leave the Paschal candle burning throughout Mass until after Pentecost instead of extinguishing it after the Gospel on Ascension Thursday/ Sunday? I was taught that the candle symbolized Christ’s presence on earth from the Resurrection to the Ascension. Has this changed?

 

[Phemie]

Why do we now leave the Paschal candle burning throughout Mass until after Pentecost instead of extinguishing it after the Gospel on Ascension Thursday/ Sunday? I was taught that the candle symbolized Christ’s presence on earth from the Resurrection to the Ascension. Has this changed?

It burns during the entire liturgical season of Easter which ends with Pentecost. Then it is retired to the baptistry to be lit for baptisms & funerals.

 

[chicago]

Yes, but the question is WHY the change from the traditional practice of extinguishing (was it following the Gospel) the candle on Ascension Thursday to what we have now with leaving it lit through Pentecost?

 

[Chatter163]

This was done with the 1970 missal to emphasize that the Easter season ends with the fulfillment of Easter, which is the arrival of the Holy Ghost on Pentecost. Our Lord told His disciples to remain in Jerusalem after the Ascension until the Holy Ghost descended on them.

 

[SenorSalsa]

My priest(who sadly just got reassigned) mentioned this exact point during a wonderful homily on Asenscion Thursday Sunday. He said that it is because even though Jesus ascended into Heaven, He promised to continue to be with us always. So even though He ascended, the candle stays lit, and continues to be used throughout the year as a sign of his continuing presence.

 

[Cheresse]

I see your pastor’s point; but if that is the symbolism, then the candle should remain lit for all Masses throughout the year, shouldn’t it? In my old St.Joseph Missal, the wording is “The Paschal candle, a figure of the Risen Christ, is extinguished after the Gospel.” Although Christ is indeed with us always, He is not on earth in the same way as He was from Easter morning to the Ascension.

 

[SenorSalsa]

I see your pastor’s point; but if that is the symbolism, then the candle should remain lit for all Masses throughout the year, shouldn’t it? In my old St.Joseph Missal, the wording is “The Paschal candle, a figure of the Risen Christ, is extinguished after the Gospel.” Although Christ is indeed with us always, He is not on earth in the same way as He was from Easter morning to the Ascension.

Well, theres always the candle above the Tabernacle. After all, the Paschal candle will eventually run out of wick(i assume, i dont think i have ever seen one with any sort of dent in its height. )

 

[frommi]

The ‘extinguishing’ of the candle crept into the mass during the middle ages…it was removed after the reforms of Vatican II to avoid confusion of what the Ascension was all about.

For many, the candle being extinguished was symbolic of Jesus ‘being gone’, into another place and away from us, when in reality we know the opposite to be true.

 

[Joannm]

Well, theres always the candle above the Tabernacle. After all, the Paschal candle will eventually run out of wick(i assume, i dont think i have ever seen one with any sort of dent in its height. )

Ours, by the time the Triddum rolls around, has only about 6 inches left to it. It began as a 48" candle. Somone asked me why I don’t order a new one as it gets smaller. I like when it gets smaller because it sort of symbolizes all the baptisms and funerals we had in the parish during the year…the new people being born into Christ and those who have gone home to Him.

 

[mrsed]

I’m learning how to search the threads and I was happy to find one on the ‘Paschal Candle’. By reading the posts, all of my questions were answered. Thanks to all of you … and this goes back a few years!