Votive Candles

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Someone will no doubt ask, “what is a votive or vigil candle”?

I am referring to those stands which have small banks of candles which people can light (usually within small glass containers, colored or not, and often called “vigil lights”). Often you can find them near a statue or icon of Mary. These are called votive candles and indicate that someone is praying about something particular, either for themselves or on behalf of someone else. The word “votive” can also refer to a promise to pray for someone, as well as a wish or desire for a certain outcome on behalf of someone, such as recovery of health.

I don’t see them in a lot of churches any longer. In a few I have seen them but you don’t really light a candle, you make your donation and then turn on an electric candle - and electric candle is like the N.O. Mass to me, progressive and modern but the flicker of candle light, like the TLM, seems to have a little more mystery associated with it:)
 
Our parish has used electric candles ever since a nearby church was burned to the ground by their votive candles. :eek:

Switching to electric may have been overly reactionary, but they look fine to me.

(Yes, the electric candles are UL listed.)
 
Our candles are located in the grotto next to the church. No way of buring down the stones they are sitting on.

I love seeing all the candles lit up. Just to feel this sense of connection between you and those people that lit the candles for prayer. It’s just awesome that our God is so big and as a church we are so connected to each other. 🙂
 
Ours are electric as well, to tell the truth I would rather see no candle than an electric one.
 
We still use real candles in the Eastern Churches. I have been to some churches were the electric votive lights “flicker” to give the appearance of a flame. I hate that! Its so fake. Yes, even my Protestant friends light candles when they are in a Catholic church and like the idea. It brings comfort to some.
 
I’d like to have a dollar for everytime a Protestant or fallen away Catholic has said, Light a candle for me or for my deceased relative or for some intention 😉
 
We have two containers of candles. One in front of our Mary statue and one in front of St. Joseph. They get lit every once in a while, but not as often as I have seen candles lit in other churches.
 
It seems that every thread on these boards always comes around to digs against VII and the N.O Mass.

In many localities the issue of candles has been complicated by the implications of national and local fire codes. In order to permit candles, some churches have been faced with significant costs for fire protection changes to comply with codes and local ordinances. In some cases the decision to do away with votive candles has been driven by insurance costs.

The move to electric candles has nothing to do with VII or the N.O. Mass. It has everything to do with insurance premiums and fire code compliance. Blame the government if you want.

Personally I hate electric candles and would rather see no candles at all if that is the only option available to a church.

Fortunately it is not yet an issue in our church and we still have our votives, although the new local fire ordinance prohibits open flames in buildings over a certain occupancy. So far they have chosen not to enforce that ordinance in the case of churches. But that could change in the future. 😦
 
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deogratias:
and electric candle is like the N.O. Mass to me, progressive and modern but the flicker of candle light, like the TLM, seems to have a little more mystery associated with it:)
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It seems that every thread on these boards always comes around to comparisons between the N.O. and TLM. 😉

Actually, in many localities the issue of candles has been complicated by the implications of national and local fire codes. In order to permit candles, some churches have been faced with significant costs for fire protection changes to comply with codes and local ordinances. In some cases the decision to do away with votive candles has been driven by insurance costs.

The move to electric candles has nothing to do with modenism, VII or the N.O. Mass. It has everything to do with insurance premiums and fire code compliance. Your tax dollars at work. Blame the government if you want (although I suppose the folks in the church that burned down don’t miss their votives).

Personally I hate electric candles and would rather see no candles at all if that is the only option available to a church.

Fortunately it is not yet an issue in our church and we still have our votives, although the new local fire ordinance prohibits open flames in buildings over a certain occupancy. So far they have chosen not to enforce that ordinance in the case of churches. But that could change in the future. 😦

Blessings.
 
We’ve been in our newly remodeled church for a year. The votive candle stands were being specially made and we only just got them a few weeks ago. Last weekend at Mass I noticed two candles in one of the holders. I wonder if we’ll get more. Hope so.

Cathy
 
It seems that every thread on these boards always comes around to comparisons between the N.O. and TLM. 😉
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Hummmmmmmmmmm I wonder why that is 😃
 
I always liked the candles throughout the year, especially when we change the color of the glass containers to reflect the season of the Church.

Red, Gold, Blue, etc.
Really beautiful when the church is dark.

go with God!
Edwin
 
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OhioBob:
It seems that every thread on these boards always comes around to comparisons between the N.O. and TLM. 😉

Blessings.
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I think that is because some of us want to a Mass at which Protestants feel uncomfortable with.[Like me]
 
Electric candles!! No way! Are they on a timer or what? I do recall a small retreat house that used a red electric candle in place of the tabernacle lamp. It bothered me no end, it’s artificially flickering “flame” going through predictable motions. Finally they got rid of it.

In our own parish we have votive candles–real ones–in the adoration chapel. I love to light a long lasting one and pray to God to let this candle be a reminder of all my prayer intentions. Of course, He doesn’t need a reminder, but I like it anyway.

JimG
 
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OhioBob:
It seems that every thread on these boards always comes around to comparisons between the N.O. and TLM. 😉

.
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You can call me an alien (well, I am - and as such, not sure I belong in these forums :confused: ) but I have constantly been astonished at the amount of dislike of the N.O. in a month’s trawling through tons of threads.
I have to assume it’s partly because there’s a high level of liturgical abuse in the U.S.??? Not that we in N.Z. don’t have a few annoying features in some parishes (like the choice of music), but I’ve very rarely been to a Mass where the celebration of the N.O.is really off-beam, or would drive me off to the T.L.M. (in fact, the latter is hardly available except on Sunday in “big” cities, so I guess there’s just not the demand, or anything like the level of disatisfaction).
And yes, we have votive candles (real) and many other “traditional” Catholic practices.

Please feel free to tell me to shut up and butt out 😉
A Te numquam separari permittas - never let me be separated from You.
 
Please feel free to tell me to shut up and butt out 😉

That would not be in the spirit of the forum and it would not serve the purpose of one either now would it LOL:)
 
Our parish uses real candles, and we have three separate banks of them. One is under the statue of Jesus, one is under the statue of Mary, and one is under the statue of St. Joseph holding the Christ Child. Our parish is built almost entirely of brick, though very modern (sigh), and the candles sit in metal holders above a brick floor next to a brick wall, yards from anything flammable. Most of the time, most of the candles are burning. We have learned to purchase our own candle to bring when we want to light one for any reason.

At the Cathedral downtown, you can hardly stand to go into the candle room, because it is always fully lit up and the heat is amazing!
 
Well I must say I am pleasantly surprised to see that so many churches are still using votive candles. I was starting to believe that was another tradition (with a small t) that we could kiss goodbye.😉
 
At my church, we also have the three stands of candles: one before a statue of the Blessed Virgin, another before a statue of St. Joseph with the Christ child, and another before a statue of St. Anthony carrying the Christ child.

Our church is entirely stone and brick inside, save for the large curved exposed wooden beams in the high ceiling. It gives the feeling of having stepped into a medieval monastery to walk inside this church. There is nothing that the candles could burn down, I think. I enjoy the flicker of the candle lights, and the simple reverence of the prayers they represent.
 
My church does…infact their are even some in the basment near the capel…altogether there are about 400 (50 to a rack) candles…200 or so lit at any given time.

My parents’ church uses the electric version
 
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