Six Candles

[mwscott]

The Tridentine Mass specifically calls for six candles on the altar and many traditional churches still use six candles on the front of the altar. Also, when I recently traveled to the Vatican, all of the altars had six candles. Does anyone know the significance of this?

 

[japhy]

The Tridentine Mass specifically calls for six candles on the altar and many traditional churches still use six candles on the front of the altar. Also, when I recently traveled to the Vatican, all of the altars had six candles. Does anyone know the significance of this?

The Ordinary Form of the Mass calls for the use of at least two candles, but also recommends using four or six (to denote greater solemnity), and a seventh when a bishop celebrates in his diocese:
The altar is to be covered with at least one white cloth. In addition, on or next to the altar are to be placed candlesticks with lighted candles: at least two in any celebration, or even four or six, especially for a Sunday Mass or a holy day of obligation. If the Diocesan Bishop celebrates, then seven candles should be used. (GIRM 117)
The use of six candles represents the degree of solemnity, then… or, at the very least, a sign of continuity with the Extraordinary Form.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

In the days before the revision Low mass had two candles usually on the altar or the first rise in the altar. For a sung mass one also lit the “six high” which were on the highest rise at the back of the altar, were quite large and in tall holders. [A real challenge for for an adult to light and especially for a nine year old altar boy. One just waved the flame above them until something lit up.] That would give eight candles in all as I recall.