red candle?

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Sheeniac

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My friend said that he was taught (in Catholic school) that the one way to know that you’re in a Catholic Church is from the red candle near the alter.

After discussing this, we checked our parish and saw no red candle.

Any (name removed by moderator)ut as to whether the Sister was correct many years back, and what changed?

Thanks, Juli
 
Sheeniac said:
My friend said that he was taught (in Catholic school) that the one way to know that you’re in a Catholic Church is from the red candle near the alter.

After discussing this, we checked our parish and saw no red candle.

Any (name removed by moderator)ut as to whether the Sister was correct many years back, and what changed?
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While it was surely the usual experience in my recollection, I cannot say whether or not there ever was a rule (at least not as specified).

The current custom is spelled out in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal:
  1. In accordance with traditional custom, near the tabernacle a special lamp, fueled by oil or wax, should be kept alight to indicate and honor the presence of Christ.
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NB that if the tabernacle is not in the main body of the church, there is no necessity of having a lamp in the main body.

NB too that color is non-specific (though my experience continues to be either red or white 99% of the time).

NB finally, that try though she might, the Catholic Church has little control over the furnishing of protestant buildings. Nothing prevents a protestant community from placing a red candle within its building.

tee
 
You’ll have to search around the church and find where they stashed the tabernacle, check side chapels, hallways and closets. When you find the tabernacle, there should be a lit santuary light (the red candle) near it.
 
Interesting. I swear I have seen blue, green and clear sanctuary lamps. Anyone know if it does have to be red?
 
decn2b said:
Interesting. I swear I have seen blue, green and clear sanctuary lamps. Anyone know if it does have to be red?
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No, it does not have to be red. There is no color specified. See my post [post=1618591]above[/post].

tee
 
decn2b said:
Interesting. I swear I have seen blue, green and clear sanctuary lamps. Anyone know if it does have to be red?
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As was already mentioned there is no color specified but there are colors that are more appopriate then others. Most of the time you will either see white or red.

Blue probably wouldn’t really be appropriate for a sanctuary candle due to the fact that most blue lights are associated with Marian observances.
 
Sheeniac said:
My friend said that he was taught (in Catholic school) that the one way to know that you’re in a Catholic Church is from the red candle near the alter.

After discussing this, we checked our parish and saw no red candle.

Any (name removed by moderator)ut as to whether the Sister was correct many years back, and what changed?

Thanks, Juli
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There is always a single light burning by the Tabernacle to show the real presence of Jesus (Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity) in the Eucharist. This light also represents our watchfulness before Christ, the Light of the World. The candle is almost always white but the glass (whatever color) provides the variances.
 
Sheeniac said:
My friend said that he was taught (in Catholic school) that the one way to know that you’re in a Catholic Church is from the red candle near the alter.

After discussing this, we checked our parish and saw no red candle.

Any (name removed by moderator)ut as to whether the Sister was correct many years back, and what changed?

Thanks, Juli
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Today it is usually RED, however it can be WHITE(clear) and it’s near the tabernacle. (which used to be on the altar, in the center)
 
My parish is very fortunate to still have the Tabernacle on the altar. 😃 The red candle is to the left of the Tabernacle.
 
originally posted by Leahlnancsi
My parish is very fortunate to still have the Tabernacle on the altar. 😃 The red candle is to the left of the Tabernacle.
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Mine also, except the light is on the right.
 
I’ve seen white candles as well as red, and blue in our Cathedral (which is called St Marys and dedicated to Our Lady Help of Christians, which explains other oddities such as the blue altar cloths.)

I’ve also seen a thread on here referring to the fact that some Protestant churches will also have a red lamp burning somewhere near the altar.
 
gelsbern said:
You’ll have to search around the church and find where they stashed the tabernacle, check side chapels, hallways and closets. When you find the tabernacle, there should be a lit santuary light (the red candle) near it.
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“WHEN you find the tabernacle???” … that is just plain pathetic … Is Jesus in hiding?

Statements like this just speak wrong wrong wrong to me - what bothers me is (besides the obvious) - why does it not scream to everyone?
 
Rara_Avis said:
“WHEN you find the tabernacle???” … that is just plain pathetic … Is Jesus in hiding?

Statements like this just speak wrong wrong wrong to me - what bothers me is (besides the obvious) - why does it not scream to everyone?
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I said when and not if, because all the churches have one, but sometimes they are difficult to locate.
 
gelsbern said:
I said when and not if, because all the churches have one, but sometimes they are difficult to locate.
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I understood that … my point was - do you think Christ should be hidden? or not in plain sight???

The fact that He is - is just wrong on sooooooooo many levels.
 
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Our Sanctuary lamp, and you cannot get more traditional than this, is clear and hangs from the ceiling in the middle of the Sanctuary.

As per Fortescue and O’Connel - ‘The Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Described’, it states the following:

“Before the Tabernacle where the Sanctissimum is reserved, at least one lamp must always burn. There ought to be - at least in greater churches- several lamps, uneaven in number.”

The footnote to that says: “The glass of the lamp should be white but colored glass is tolerated.”

So “traditionally” the Sanctuary Lamp should be in clear glass however colored glass is “tolerated”. A Sanctuary Lamp IS ALWAYS REQUIRED wherever the Blessed Sacrament is reserved…

Ken
 
Sheeniac said:
My friend said that he was taught (in Catholic school) that the one way to know that you’re in a Catholic Church is from the red candle near the alter.

After discussing this, we checked our parish and saw no red candle.

Any (name removed by moderator)ut as to whether the Sister was correct many years back, and what changed?

Thanks, Juli
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Altar - not “alter”.

Ken
 
Sheeniac said:
My friend said that he was taught (in Catholic school) that the one way to know that you’re in a Catholic Church is from the red candle near the alter.

After discussing this, we checked our parish and saw no red candle.

Any (name removed by moderator)ut as to whether the Sister was correct many years back, and what changed?

Thanks, Juli
Click to expand...
Well it is probably like a new parish here in our Diocese. They claim they have built their “parish center” first instead of the Church and they do not reserve the Blessed Sacrament due to this fact. Then again they have two priests there and have two communion services every week in place of daily Mass.

Pray for the Church…most especially Benedict XVI. He has A LOT of errors to correct since the liberals have wreckovated the Church!

Ken
 
Good post, Ken. And let’s not forget another forgotten tradition, the tabernacle veil. We are fortunate to still have them to use at our Indult Mass where I am in charge of the altar boys.
 
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