Funeral candle: features, traditions and interesting facts

When we come to church, we go to the church shop to buy candles and then put them in front of the icons. What for? Such a tradition, they will say, is accepted as such.

And it is not surprising that many people come to church just to “light a candle.” Not for worship, not for prayer. And by lighting a candle in church we mean some kind of magical act, which in itself brings happiness. A kind of consumer, basically pagan, form of communication with “higher” forces, like a deal: I give you a candle - you give me “so that everything will be fine for me.”

And such people come to church only on great holidays, or because of a major everyday need. They put a candle, as if a tick in an imaginary “book of good” deeds,” and, confident that they did everything in a Christian way, with a clear conscience they forget about this very Christianity until the next candle.

There are also those who understand something about Orthodoxy, go to church more often, and can even stand for an hour, listening to the singing and looking at the icons. Such Christians prefer, once they have reached the temple, to go around all the icons as much as possible, at least the most beautiful and largest ones, and light a candle in front of each one, asking for themselves and their loved ones. Some kind of icon will help - they reason practically - the main thing is to put candles everywhere, so that for sure... And they leave the temple, satisfied with the work done and quite pleased with themselves: “Oh, yes, I asked for so much, it should work! Plus the benefit - I saved on buying candles.”

Yes, practical people come to church with their own bunch of candles, purchased cheaply somewhere at a funeral agency or other retail outlet. And they don’t even think that, in essence, they are making Cain’s sacrifice. Yes, fat, abundant, but insincere, selfish, greedy.

This is our humble material offering to God. You need to understand that a candle bought outside the walls of the temple and then brought into the temple is not a sacrifice, but an attempt to pay off. And you can’t put such candles near icons. Asking the Omniscient Creator for something for yourself and being cunning at the same time is the same as playing fools with yourself. Such a game is not worth the candle.

It’s better to buy only two candles in the temple for twenty rubles than to come with a dozen bought for the same amount outside the temple. Buying candles is a small sacrifice to God and his temple , let it not be burdensome, most importantly, voluntary.

The number of candles cannot “appease” the saints. You can ask for spiritual help by bringing your own only from a pure heart.

A pure heart is the best sacrifice to God. With a pure heart, light a candle in front of the image, even if it is small, but pleasing to God. A burning candle is a visible sign of the warm, bright burning of the human heart, ardent love for God, the Mother of God, and the saint to whom the candle is placed. But if all this is missing, then the candles have no meaning, the sacrifice is empty.

Lighting a candle formally, with a cold heart, is a sin . When lighting a candle, you need to pray, at least in your own words, but carefully, reverently, with faith. Turning all your thoughts and feelings to God.

There are many superstitions associated with candles, and they are all meaningless. They are spread mainly by unchurched, religiously illiterate people.

You shouldn't believe the talk about

that the candle should be lit only with the right hand;
that if it goes out, it means there will be misfortunes;
that the lower end of the candle should not be scorched to ensure stability in the hole, and so on.

But what is definitely not allowed is purchasing church candles for some magical actions, divination, witchcraft. In itself, all this is a monstrous sin. And if you committed it, even foolishly, in childhood, not to mention conscious participation in these ungodly deeds, then confess as soon as possible and bring deep repentance. And let the candles that you light inform the sky only about your godly intentions.

If the candlestick is filled with sand, then placing a candle is very simple.

If it is metal, then the bottom of the candle should be heated from any already burning wick. The candles are lit one from the other, burning, and placed in the socket of the candlestick. The candle should stand straight. This can be done not only before the service, but also during it. You just need to not interfere with other parishioners’ prayers.

You should not use matches or lighters in the temple if there are already burning candles in the candlesticks. You should not light a candle from a lamp, so as not to drip wax into the oil or accidentally extinguish the lamp.

It happens, especially on patronal feasts, that all the candlesticks are occupied. How to light candles in church in this case? Under no circumstances should you worry about this, much less get angry.

Those who put two candles in one cell or remove someone else's candle to put their own do it wrong.

The candle should simply be placed on the edge of the candlestick or close to it. It will definitely be installed by other believers or ministers as soon as the place becomes available.
All that remains is to be glad that there are so many parishioners in the church, and their faith is so strong. Having placed a candle in front of the saint of God you have chosen, mentally say: “Holy Servant of God (name), pray to God for me, a sinner (or the name for whom you are asking for).”
Then you need to come up and venerate the icon.

There are no mandatory rules about how many candles to put and to whom. Their purchase is a voluntary sacrifice to God.

First of all, it is good to light a candle to the “holiday” (central analogue) or to a revered temple icon, then to the relics of a saint (if they are in the church), and only then to health (to any icon) or to repose (on the eve of – square or rectangular table with a Crucifix).

Do they light candles for the repose?

Archpriest Sergius Vasin, rector of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the village. Bobyakovo, Novousmansky district, Voronezh region

Yes, we light candles both for the health of people and for dead people, for the repose of their souls. A candle is a symbol of our coming before God, the burning of our prayer to God or to the saints of God. Also, a candle is a sacrifice to God for the Church.

Candles can be placed in the temple in any place where there is a candlestick, but, as a rule, there is a special place in the temple - a canon, with a cross and a special candlestick, where candles for repose are placed. You can ask where exactly it is located. It is in front of the canon that a requiem service (a special funeral service) is served, during which you can light a candle and, together with everyone else, pray for your deceased relatives.

There are no regulations on exactly how many candles to put. It all depends on how much money we can and want to donate to the Church. Each person decides this issue independently.

Church traditions

In the modern world, the church has begun to treat people who do not often visit the temples of the Lord more loyally than several hundred years ago. Girls can come to church with makeup, bare heads and trousers. Of course, some may reprimand them, but, nevertheless, people have become more tolerant than before.

However, there are still certain traditions that are better to observe. Therefore, before you light a candle, take note of these simple rules.

If there is a service going on, it is better to wait for it to end and light the candles after. Especially if there are a lot of people in the temple, and in order to get to the icon, you have to disturb other believers.
If it is difficult for you to get to the icon because of the crowd, then you should not ask strangers to light the candles for you. It is better to choose a time when there will be no liturgy and you can easily approach any face of the saint.
If this is your first time in church and you don’t know where to put a candle, then it’s better to check with the church employees or other parishioners, otherwise you risk reading a prayer for health in front of the table of remembrance of the dead.
You should not use a lighter or matches to light a candle if other candles are already burning nearby - light yours from them.
You can put as many candles as your heart desires. There are no restrictions in this regard in the church canons.
If you don’t know which saint to place a candle for health in front of, then you can place the first candle near the main altar.
If there are relics in the temple, then you can light a second candle for the holy remains.
When you approach the desired icon, before placing the candle, bow three times and cross yourself. Do it slowly and not rushed.
Try to place the candle in the middle of the candlestick so that it does not fall out and overwhelm the other candles. If you don't succeed the first time, don't be discouraged and try again.
You should not light a candle from a lamp, otherwise drops of wax may get into the oil and put out the fire.
If there are no free cells nearby in the candlestick, then you can simply put your candle next to it or choose another icon.
You shouldn’t stand for a long time with a lit candle, put it in a candlestick and you can pray next to the face of the saint or near the memorial table.
After you have read the prayer, turned to the saint and stood as long as you need, slowly bow and cross yourself, and you can leave.
If your candle was extinguished, removed or rearranged by church ministers, then you should not be offended by them, sort things out or get angry. Higher powers will still hear your prayer, and with your candle you have already expressed your respect.
Under no circumstances light a candle for the repose of people who are still alive, even if they are your enemies and ruin your life. Such an act is very sinful.

We advise you to study Psalm of David 8

Why do they light candles for the repose?

Photo by Sergei Milov
Hieromonk Dimitri (Pershin), deputy chairman of the Brotherhood of Orthodox Pathfinders, editor-in-chief of the television, cleric of the Krutitsky Patriarchal Metochion, Moscow

The candle symbolizes the human soul, which strives for God and shines for others. In addition, this is a small contribution to the maintenance of the temple.

By lighting candles for the repose of the soul of the deceased, we express our attitude towards the departed person.

When we light candles and pray, we ask God to rest a person in the heavenly abodes.

There are no special rules on how to place and light candles. The only thing required of us is reverence.

Priest Alexey Zabelin, teacher at the Moscow Theological Academy, Russian Orthodox University, Sretensky Theological Seminary, cleric of the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Fedosin, Moscow

What is a candle? This is a sacrifice to God. And candles were burned before so that there would be light in the temple - not holiness, but light! Lamp oil serves the same purpose. For example, in Greece there is still a tradition of baking prosphora in an ordinary bakery, not in a special prosphora at the temple. They are bought and brought to church by parishioners and given to the priest. The same way it was done in the first centuries of Christianity. Same with candles.

Now the candle also has a psychological meaning. It sets a person up for prayer. This moving light is calming, it is forever alive. By focusing on it, it is somehow easier to pray and turn to God. There is something natural about it. Therefore, it is good when people hold candles in their hands during a funeral service - it distracts them from sadness, from the misfortune that happened in their lives.

It is important to understand that the candle does not carry any mysticism. The candle itself does not “beg” a person. The most powerful prayers are our words to God, addressed directly from the heart. And the candle simply sets us up for this state of turning to God.

Questions and answers

At the end of the article, we answer questions that seem completely unthinkable. But since they are asked, it means people need answers.

The candle cracks due to artificial impurities in the composition. At the moment, due to high demand, even wax candles sometimes add a few other components.

It is a sin to believe in omens; in addition, the candle can go out due to a draft.

In the modern world, despite all its technology, there are still many superstitions that are even difficult to adequately answer. Superstitions are born from ignorance or lack of knowledge. Both can be “fighted” with education. Read the history of the Church, Orthodox spiritual books, talk with priests, and a number of questions will disappear by themselves.

Fortune telling in the Orthodox Church is considered sinful, and even more so, doing it with church candles. No one knows the future. The Lord teaches us unconditional love, trust in Him and hope in Him. We must live here and now, and live with dignity, understanding that at any moment we can leave this world. Therefore, we should not guess about relationships, but pray. Ask the Lord for a like-minded person, and then build a loving relationship with him throughout your life.

Tatyana Strakhova

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Why do they light candles for the repose?

Priest Nikolai Petrov, cleric of the Church of the Holy Blessed Tsarevich Demetrius at the First City Hospital of Moscow, teacher of the St. Demetrius School of Sisters of Mercy and St. Demetrius Secondary School, Moscow

A candle is always an image of prayer associated with sacrifice. When a person leaves a donation to a temple, it is assumed that he can ask the priests and temple workers to pray for the deceased. And, of course, he prays himself. There is a special place in the temple where candles are placed for repose, it is called a canon. We light candles for all the dead, because this is an expression of our prayer, not related to what the deceased himself was like. This is our church commemoration. If we ourselves are church people, believers, then we have the right to light a candle for our deceased relative or simply any person.

Where do they place candles for the repose?

Priest John Zakharov, rector of the Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Russian Children's Clinical Hospital, Moscow

Usually candles for the repose are placed on a special candlestick called a canon (or eve). It looks like a rectangular table with lots of slots for candles and a small image of a crucifix. But for repose, you can also put candles at the icon in front of which you would like to pray.

You can come to the temple at any time to light candles and pray, not necessarily for a service.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO HOLD A BURNING CANDLE IN YOUR HAND AND STAND WITH IT?

It is customary to stand with lit candles at a memorial service during the service of Great Heel Matins . Candles are also lit on polyeleos, but this tradition is mainly preserved only for clergy. A burning candle must be handled carefully: make sure that the wax does not drip onto the floor, and that the clothes of the person standing in front do not accidentally ignite. The rest of the time, it is more correct to place the candle on a candlestick , which is specially designed for this. In the temple one must follow the established order, and not do as one pleases.

How do they light candles in church for the repose?

There are special places in the church where candles are lit for the repose. In a special place is the so-called canon (or eve), that is, a square candlestick with many holes for candles. When we light a candle for the repose, we usually cross ourselves and pray for our deceased loved ones.

But in fact, this is a kind of human convention to divide: where for the living, and where for the dead. God has no dead - everyone is alive. We divide, but God does not divide into the living and the dead.

Where can you light candles for repose?

Photo by Sergei Milov
Hieromonk Dimitri (Pershin), deputy chairman of the Brotherhood of Orthodox Pathfinders, editor-in-chief of the television, cleric of the Krutitsky Patriarchal Metochion, Moscow

The candles that we place on the canon (a special place for prayer for repose) are no different from other candles. Neither the size of the candles nor the quantity is important.

The judgment that the Lord will execute on a person’s soul during the first days (by our earthly standards) after his death does not depend on the size or quality of the candles.

Only our fervent prayers for the newly deceased can change something, if possible.

Priest John Zakharov, rector of the Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Russian Children's Clinical Hospital, Moscow

The number and size of candles depends on the sacrifice we want to make in memory of our deceased. There is no difference whether we light a candle for 10 rubles or 100. Will he really be warmer there if I light a bigger candle? If I don’t have money for a big candle, will my deceased be worse off in the next world than someone who has a rich relative? Of course not! At the same time, if there is a large candle, one of the parishioners will pay attention and remember that so-and-so’s father or mother died, and will silently pray for them.

The candle is a sacrifice. There is even such a concept, which is not very close to me, but understandable, - fundraising “for a common candle,” when a person does not personally light a candle, but transfers money for it.

In many churches, in our hospital in particular, in the children's hospital, all candles are the same size and without a price. Children come to the temple and light candles, and someone else comes and donates money - that’s how we live.

It is quite obvious that lighting a candle for the repose of a loved one, praying for him, doing a good deed is very important and necessary for us, the living. And we will certainly find out how much these actions are needed by our deceased, but not now.

To which icon do they place candles for repose?

Priest Nikolai Petrov, cleric of the Church of the Holy Blessed Tsarevich Demetrius at the First City Hospital in Moscow, teacher at the St. Dimitrievsky School of Sisters of Mercy and the St. Dimitrievsky Secondary School in Moscow

In the absence of a canon (a special place in the temple where we put candles, praying for the repose of the soul), the candle can be placed on any candlestick. It is probably logical to place the Savior in front of the icon, because they still pray to the Lord for the repose of a person. You can ask the Mother of God and the saints of God to pray for this person before God. But the fate of the deceased is in any case in the hands of God, so our prayer should be addressed primarily to God.

During all funeral services - funeral services, memorial services, litias - it is customary to hold candles in the hand, and place the remaining part of the candle on the canon or funeral table.

WHOM SHOULD I LIGHT A CANDLE ABOUT WELFARE IN BUSINESS?

Anyone who wants to receive anything from the Lord or from the saints must not only pray to them, but also build his life according to the commandments. Through the Gospel, God appeals to everyone with a request to be kind, loving, humble, etc., but people often do not want to listen to this, but themselves ask Him to help them in business. For prayers to be successful, you must pray with words coming from the heart, with faith and hope for God’s help. And it should be remembered that not everything that a person asks from the Lord is useful for him. The Lord is not a machine that fulfills all desires, you just have to press the right button, that everything He sends is aimed at the benefit and salvation of the soul, although sometimes people think this is unfair.

Do people light candles for repose at Easter?

Archpriest Roman Batsman, rector of the Churches of the Life-Giving Trinity and the Resurrection of Christ at the Research Institute named after. Sklifosovsky, the house church of St. Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky) Scientific Center for Cardiovascular Surgery named after. A. N. Bakuleva, Moscow

A candle is a symbol of prayer. We pray constantly for people. Both at home prayer and in church you can pray silently to yourself.

Of course, Easter is a time of victory over death, when funeral services, church and public, are not performed. But you can always pray silently. God has no dead, He has everyone alive. And if someone puts a candle on the funeral table and silently prays, of course, thereby he will also affirm victory over death, remembering his relatives, who also celebrate Easter even now, beyond the grave. And church commemoration, of course, is possible on Radonitsa - during the first funeral service after Easter.

Three candles in three churches

You can often hear the expression 3 candles in 3 churches. What does it mean? Many people connect the number 3 with the Creator Lord. Basically, it is advised to light candles and order Sorokoust in 3 churches to improve well-being, heal from serious illnesses, for long-term illnesses or frequent energy attacks.

If any person makes intrigues to spite you or carries negativity, then you can also light candles in three temples and order Sorokoust. They say that if such a ritual is performed, the offenders will receive double, or even triple, returns.

They say the same thing if you light 7 candles in 7 churches. They say that such a ritual carries even more energy power and will help overcome even the most difficult situations. There is an opinion that if you light seven candles in a church a day, this can help get rid of damage.

There are all sorts of situations in life when we turn to the Lord. Many people believe that the number of candles and churches do not matter. The main thing is our sincere prayer and faith. And to listen to various rituals or not is only your choice. But before committing anything, it would be a good idea to consult with a priest.

The Lord is always with you!

Interesting things in Orthodoxy
Everyone needs to know this

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When can you light candles for the repose?

Archpriest Andrei Romashko, cleric of the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, head of the Orthodox teenage club "Ark", father of 8 children, Krasnoobsk, Novosibirsk region

First of all, I want to remind you: a candle is only a symbol of prayer, a sign of our respect for God, a small donation, by bringing which we ask for something from the Almighty. This request, our prayer, is the main component in the relationship with God, and the candle is only an insignificant background that accompanies the prayer and decorates it. Therefore, in any place: in a church, in a cemetery, in a farewell hall, at a memorial dinner, at home - wherever a prayer is raised to God for the departed, a candle is also appropriate, you just need to remember: the candle is not the main thing, the main thing is prayer!

But life, as we know, makes adjustments to our plans. For example, in the farewell hall you may be prohibited from open fire for fire reasons. A candle maker in a temple may put out the candles to make her job easier since she has to scrape drops of wax from the floor. A priest who is demanding in fulfilling the liturgical regulations may not give his blessing to light candles for the repose while there is no funeral service; in some churches they even remove funeral candlesticks on Easter days...

Praying for the dead is our right and sacred duty, which we can exercise at any time. Lighting candles during prayer is a beautiful custom, but we must always remember that our spiritual need to light a candle may run counter to the existing order in a particular temple or the interests of other people. Sometimes the truth will be on our side, other times we may find ourselves in the position of “taking our charter to someone else’s monastery” and we will be wrong.

In any case, we should not strive to light a candle at any cost, even through a conflict, even if it is fair on our part. This will no longer benefit either us or the deceased. But no one can forbid us to pray, God hears us everywhere and always, even when the temple is closed and all the candles are extinguished, or, conversely, on a big holiday, when there is no place on the candlestick. The main thing is to say a prayer, and when there is an opportunity, you can light the candle.

And one more thing: there is no “magic” in a candle. It does not act on its own, does not foreshadow anything, does not prophesy anything, and if your candle falls, goes out, bends, or the wick crackles, you should not look for any revelations or omens in this. And if you light a candle at the wrong time, in the wrong place, or for the repose of a living person (by mistake or out of anger), nothing bad will happen to him, God is stronger than our mistakes and above our anger and superstitions.

What do you say when you light a candle for the repose of someone?

Archpriest Gennady Ursov, rector of the Church of the Archangel Michael. Shiringushi of the Krasnoslobodsk diocese of the Mordovian Metropolis

Usually, when we light a candle for repose, we pray in our own words to ourselves or say a short prayer: “Rest, O Lord, the soul of your departed servant (we call the name).” You can pray as much as your soul requires, trying not to be distracted.

After the death of a loved one, we feel the need and importance of prayer for him more than ever. At this time, we can become closer to God, we can understand spiritual laws and the depth of life in the Church. If we managed to find time to come to the temple, then it would be good to find a priest there and ask him personally all the questions that concern us. Direct, live communication and clarification of all confusion is much more effective than searching for answers on the Internet. Here, on the global Internet, it is impossible to find everything that the soul of a person who has lost a loved one needs.

Is it possible to light candles for the repose of an unbaptized person?

Priest Andrey Missyura, cleric of the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, New Sinai Monastery, Sunzha, Republic of Ingushetia, Makhachkala and Grozny diocese

If we are talking about the possibility of lighting candles for an unbaptized person in a church, then we need to start with the fact that entrance to the church is available to any person, regardless of belonging to any denomination. Subject to a reverent attitude towards the place where he is located and compliance with the rules of behavior. It is also necessary to take into account the special time when the sacraments of the Church are performed, during which only its members are present in the temple, who become such when leaving the font of Holy Baptism.

The form of prayer should also not violate the internal structure and order of the Christian church. The candle is an expression of our prayer addressed to God, symbolizing the warmth of our heart. In addition, the candle represents our sacrificial participation in the life of a particular temple, its community, as well as all those who turn to the church for help.

As for the question of whether it is possible to pray in church for an unbaptized person, in this case for his repose, then you can personally turn to God for mercy for such a person, but to a greater extent leaving his fate to the will of the Creator.

Thus, private prayer performed by an unbaptized person in church or for an unbaptized person with the possibility of lighting candles is completely acceptable, provided that the motive for such a prayer is correct from the point of view of Christianity.

The task of the clergy or parish catechists in such a situation, of course, is to pay attention to such a person, help, answer questions if there are any, support, explain something, suggest something, but participation should not be intrusive.

Confession before communion, why it is necessary

Christianity cannot exist without confession, because all people are not perfect, who among us is without sin?

However, it is important that we understand how to properly confess before communion and why this is necessary

Confession is a sacrament where a Christian repents of his sins before the Lord, in the face of a clergyman. And he forgives the believer in the name of the Savior. Confiding one's sins is not a forceful pulling of one's conscience out of darkness, not just curiosity, not a judgment on a sinned parishioner. Confession before communion is not a simple conversation about shortcomings and doubts. Moreover, it is not necessary to report to your confessor on the topic of sin or just custom.

Confession before communion is sincere repentance coming from the heart. Also the need for spiritual cleansing, death in sins and resurrection in holiness. Confession is the great Mystery of Jesus Christ’s love for his children. Why does a man wash away the dirt from his body? Just as a Christian cares about the purity of the flesh, so he must preserve spiritual purity with even greater zeal. After all, the body is perishable, but the soul is eternal.

Spiritual dirt is a sin that can only be “washed away” by confession before communion. Sins settle like soot on the soul; if they are not prayed away, they weigh down a person. The parishioner finds no peace and feels empty inside. Under the burden of sin, a person gets irritated for no reason, bears insults to his loved ones, losing inner confidence. He cannot understand what is happening himself, but it is a matter of unconfessed sins. Repentance restores purity to the soul, which has been denigrated by unseemly actions.

Confession before communion is God's mercy to a fallen person, weak in his faith. This is available to every believer seeking a way to save the soul from sins. Sincere repentance gives parishioners not only remission of sins, but also replenishes spiritual well-being: the worldview is renewed, lightness and goodness sets in, and unacceptable passions go away. The sacrament of confession returns to the purity received from Baptism.

How many candles should I light for the repose?

Archpriest Gennady Ursov, rector of the Church of the Archangel Michael. Shiringushi of the Krasnoslobodsk diocese of the Mordovian Metropolis

A candle is, first of all, our sacrifice for the temple, a symbol of our prayer to God for the deceased. At the same time, all of us, living and modern, have our own circumstances and opportunities. Therefore, in the Church there are no strict rules about how many and what kind of candles to light for the repose of the soul. Some people light several candles for the soul of the newly deceased, others light one candle for the souls of all their deceased relatives. The most important thing in this case is our prayer.

Nowadays, many people, unfortunately, think that they can find answers to all questions on the Internet. But the Church is not a set of regulations about what is “possible or not”; it does not come down to a candle box on which approximate amounts of donations are indicated. . The Church is a living organism, headed by Christ. Therefore, with all the perplexities and questions, it is worth coming to the nearest church if you live in a rural area, like ours, and ask the priest about everything that interests you. In big cities there are many different temples and monasteries, and you can even choose the one that is closer to you and that you like best.

Our time is not similar to the one in which the generations of our ancestors lived, we have the opportunity to find information on the Internet, move quickly and easily by transport, churches are open, and for visiting them people are not deprived of their jobs, are not imprisoned or shot, like it was quite recently. Come and ask about everything that interests you. I think you have many more questions about the soul of your deceased relative, and they do not boil down to how many candles to light for the repose.

How to handle church candles

There are certain features of using candles in church. You need to know them.

What to do if a candle falls in a church

Many may say that such a sign does not bring anything good. But before enduring a disappointing burn, it’s worth considering the reasons that could contribute to this. For example, you could have been pushed. Even if it just fell, then light it again and place it more securely to avoid a repetition of the awkward situation. The clergy say that every body is affected by the force of gravity and this should not be given much importance.

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What will happen if a candle crackles and smokes?

Many people often ask why a candle cracks in a church? A large number of people may also say that this is an unfavorable sign. But the church has a different interpretation of this phenomenon. Their explanation is quite simple. It happens that during the production of candles, moisture or other impurities get into the wax. But when burned, they can cause cracking. They consider all other interpretations to be nothing more than superstitions.

You may also encounter this phenomenon when candles are smoked in a church. A fairly large number of superstitions are also associated with this phenomenon. Temple servants again explain all this by poor-quality production of candles.

Remember that the number of candles you put is not important. The important thing is with what emotions and feelings you did it

If you have any questions in the temple, you can clarify everything in the candle shop.

The Lord is always with you!

Do people light candles for repose on Radonitsa?

Priest Andrey Missyura, cleric of the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, New Sinai Monastery, Sunzha, Republic of Ingushetia, Makhachkala and Grozny diocese

Radonitsa is a special day of remembrance of the dead, which falls on Tuesday of the week following Easter. Accordingly, on this day, statutory services are held in the churches of the Russian Orthodox Church, which include, among other things, funeral lithiums and memorial services. In each temple there is a funeral table (canon, tetrapods in Greek), with cells located on it for funeral candles. According to pious tradition, on days of special commemoration of the dead (Radonitsa is one of these), it is placed in the center in the vestibule or closer to the vestibule in the middle part of the temple, just so that worshipers light candles on it when praying for the departed. Also on Radonitsa we visit cemeteries where our relatives and friends are buried. At the graves of the deceased, a funeral service or lithium is performed, and those present can take lighted candles in their hands or place them in front of the crucifix. According to the explanation of Simeon of Thessalonica, the lit candles represent the unceasing Divine light with which a Christian is enlightened in Baptism (“New Tablet”), and also represent a prototype of the future non-evening light.

Candles at the dawn of the Christian era

The first Christians held services secretly and often at night. To do this, parishioners retired to caves, where, of course, there was no natural light. To illuminate their gathering place, people used oil lamps. However, they had more than just utilitarian meaning. The light of the lamps was considered the light of God, as indicated by various passages from the Gospel. What does the candle symbolize?

The light of candles is equated to the light of a lamp, therefore it is also considered the embodiment of divine light. The lighting of candles in churches began several centuries later than lamps. And it is worth noting that only natural materials were used for their manufacture. At first these were tubes with a wick filled with animal fat. Later, church candles began to be made from bleached beeswax.

Christians believed that wax is a symbol of a soul cleansed of sins. And the light on the wick, in their opinion, was not only a reflection of the light of the Lord. The fire dispersed the darkness in the hearts and souls of believers, and was also a kind of sacrifice to God. In addition, the ritual of lighting candles disciplined and taught humility. The tradition of leaving candles near icons came to Rus' with the adoption of Christianity. Modern Orthodox people light candles, observing special rituals and rules.

Is it possible to light candles for the repose of the living?

Priest Mikhail Senin, rector of the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Polivanovo, Podolsk deanery of the Moscow diocese

Church candles should not be used for magical or superstitious purposes. If someone decides to light candles for the repose of the living, then the question arises: why? What goal does a person pursue by committing such an act? Let me start with the fact that a candle is a symbol of the prayer of a believer. Saint Nicholas of Serbia reminds us that our faith itself is light: “I am the light of the world,” says the Savior. That is why we call the saints sons of light. “So let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father who is in heaven,” says the Savior in the Gospel.”

When we light candles in the temple, we thereby make a modest sacrifice to God, who gave Himself as a sacrifice for us, our minimal sign of love and gratitude. Let us remember that evil loves darkness and fears light. The light of a candle, according to St. Nicholas of Serbia, calls for selflessness: “just as oil and wax burns, submitting to our will, so our soul should burn with love for the Savior, submitting to Him at all turns of fate.”

Now let’s think about whether a Christian who believes in God will light candles for the repose of the living?

How did the custom of lighting candles and lamps arise?

The custom of lighting candles in churches came to Russia from Greece, from which our ancestors received the Orthodox faith under the Holy Prince Vladimir. But this custom did not originate in Greek churches. Candles and lamps with oil were used in churches in ancient times. The command to build a lamp of pure gold with seven lamps is one of the first given to Moses by the Lord (Ex. 25:31-37). In the Old Testament tabernacle of Moses, the lamps constituted a necessary accessory to the sacred service and were lit in the evening before the Lord (Ex. 30:8). In the Temple of Jerusalem, simultaneously with the daily morning sacrifice performed in the courtyard of the temple, in the sanctuary the high priest silently and reverently prepared the lamps for the evening lighting, and in the evening, after the evening sacrifice, he lit the lamps for the whole night. Burning lamps and lamps served as a symbol of God's guidance. “You, Lord, are my lamp,” exclaims King David (II Sam. XXII, 29). “Your word is a lamp to my feet,” he says in another place (Ps. CXVIII, 105). The use of lamps at Saturday and other holiday suppers, especially at Easter, passed from the temple into the homes of Old Testament believers. Since the Lord Jesus Christ “in the night, betraying Himself, and even more so betraying Himself for the worldly life and salvation,” also celebrated Easter, it can be assumed that in the Upper Room of Zion, which is the prototype of Orthodox churches, at the first celebration of the Holy Eucharist, lamps were also burning.

Both the holy apostles and the first followers of Christ lit candles when they gathered at night to preach the word of God, pray and break bread. This is directly stated in the book of the Acts of the Holy Apostles: “In the upper room where we had gathered there were plenty of lamps” (Acts XX, 8).

In the first centuries of Christianity, candles were always lit during divine services.

On the one hand, there was a need for this: Christians, persecuted by pagans, retired to dungeons and catacombs for worship, and besides, worship services were most often performed at night, and it was impossible to do without lamps. But for another, and main reason, lighting had a spiritual significance. “We never perform divine services without lamps,” said the teacher of the Church Tertullian, “but we do not use them only to disperse the darkness of the night - our liturgy is celebrated in daylight; but in order to depict through this Christ - the uncreated light, without which we would wander in darkness even at midday.” At the end of the second century in the Church of Jerusalem, God created a miracle: when on Easter there was no oil for the lamps in the temple, Bishop Narkis ordered well water to be poured into the lamps - and they burned throughout Easter, as if they had been filled with the best oil. When the persecution of the Church of Christ stopped. and peace came, the custom of lighting lamps and candles remained. Not a single divine service, not a single sacred act was performed, as it is not performed now, without lamps. In Old Testament times, an unquenchable lamp burned before the book of the Law of Moses, signifying that the Law of God is a lamp for man in his life. And since in New Testament times the Law of God is contained in the Gospel, the Jerusalem Church adopted the rule before carrying out the Gospel to carry a burning candle, and while reading the Gospel to light all the candles, signifying that the light of the Gospel enlightens every person. This custom passed on to other local Churches. Subsequently, they began to light candles and light lamps not only in front of the Gospel, but also in front of other sacred objects, in front of the tombs of martyrs, in front of icons of saints, to commemorate their favor towards the shrine. Jerome, in his letter against Vigilantius, testifies: “in all the Churches of the East, when the Gospel is read, candles are lit in the sunshine, truly not to drive away darkness, but as a sign of joy, in order to show this light under the image of sensual light... Others do this in honor martyrs."

“Lamps and candles are an image of eternal Light, and also mean the light with which the righteous shine,” says Saint Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem (VII century). The Holy Fathers of the VII Ecumenical Council determine that in the Orthodox Church, holy icons and relics, the Cross of Christ, and the Holy Gospel are honored by burning incense and lighting candles. Blessed Simeon of Thessaloniki (XV century) writes that “candles are also lit before the icons of saints, for the sake of their good deeds in the world...”

Is it possible to light candles for repose at home?

Priest Andrey Missyura, cleric of the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, New Sinai Monastery, Sunzha, Republic of Ingushetia, Makhachkala and Grozny diocese

During home prayer, we remember the living and the departed at morning and/or evening prayers. According to pious tradition, in the homes of Orthodox Christians, a so-called “red corner” with icons is set up, usually facing the east, following the example of the altars of churches that face this side of the world. In the red corner, in addition to the icons, it is customary to place a lamp and a candlestick for a candle, which are lit during prayer. In Orthodox prayer books (for example, in morning prayers), we find, among others, prayers for the repose of deceased relatives, friends, and benefactors. There are also other funeral prayers for the laity, for example, lithiums in the secular rite, which can be used during home prayer. Accordingly, the candles that we light during prayer, including for the dead, are present in the homes of Orthodox Christians.

What prayer should you read when you light candles for the repose?

Priest Boris Osipov, cleric of the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity at the Research Institute of Emergency Medicine named after. N.V. Sklifosovsky, Moscow

“Rest, O Lord, the soul of your departed servant.

Forgive him for all his sins, voluntary and involuntary.

And grant him the Kingdom of God!”

When we light a candle in a church, we pray for the repose of the soul of the deceased, so that God will forgive this soul’s sins, voluntary and involuntary, so that it may rest in the villages of the righteous. The number of candles does not matter. The candle is important because it is our sacrifice for the temple. Therefore, when we buy candles, they are usually inexpensive. But we need to understand that this is our sacrifice for the temple.

The candle symbolizes our standing and burning before God; our soul should also burn with prayer. You can pray without candles. This will not be any sin and will not violate church order.

Production and sale of brass candlesticks

We not only produce custom candlesticks, our company’s assortment includes various models of this church utensil of compact and large sizes. Customers can purchase simple candlesticks or richly decorated ornate ones, ranging in height from 50 to 520 mm, designed to hold a variety of candles. Many of them are the development of our craftsmen, who in the manufacturing process were guided by the best examples of church utensils from the most famous Orthodox churches. We offer candlesticks made of brass and bronze, materials that are most suitable for this type of church utensil. Some models have decorative elements made of colored glass

Which saints do they light candles for their repose?

Archpriest Alexy Spassky, cleric of the Church of the Holy Blessed Tsarevich Demetrius, responsible for the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Merciful” at the Morozov Children’s Hospital in Moscow

Traditionally, in church, candles for the repose are placed on a separate table called a canon. Candles are usually not lit for the repose of certain saints. Of course, you can pray to the saint whose name the person bears. And if there is an icon of him in the temple, ask a loved one for the deceased.

It is customary to pray to the Holy Martyr Huar for those who died unbaptized. We light candles during prayer.

Is it possible to light candles for the repose of an unbaptized person?

Source

Priest Fyodor Lukyanov, cleric of the Church of All Saints on the Filevskaya floodplain, Moscow

A candle is a symbol of the sacrifice that a person makes. Therefore, for those who have not been baptized, or about whom we do not know for sure whether they have been baptized, we give alms. So it is here: a candle can be lit in the church, a prayer can be made for those who were not members of the Church, but their names are not mentioned in the notes and at the Liturgy. Prayer from the heart, including in church, is always accepted by God.

If a child died unbaptized, then you can and should also pray for him. This year in Yekaterinburg, the Holy Synod adopted an important document for the entire Church - “Sequence on infants who died unbaptized.” This is precisely the text of prayers for unbaptized dead infants, both born and those who died in the womb (as a result of miscarriage or abortion). From a theological, spiritual point of view, there is no difference between these children, no matter how long the child lives in the womb, no matter how long the pregnancy lasts, his soul is alive, for the Church, unlike earthly laws, it is a person.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO LIGHT A CANDLE FOR AN UNBAPTIZED NEWBORN CHILD WHO IS SICK?

You can pray for the unbaptized with your personal prayer and light candles for them, you just cannot write their names in church notes, since the Church does not pray for the unbaptized. A sick child should be baptized as soon as possible. If the child is seriously ill, you can call the priest home or to the maternity hospital. In the Sacrament of Baptism, the child will receive a special grace that will help him. If a child dies unbaptized, the parents will bear the sin. And a baptized child can be given communion, order magpies, prayers for health - this is first aid in illness.

Is it possible to light candles for the repose of a suicide?

We don’t pray for suicides in church and don’t light candles. You can pray at home. During prayer at home (no matter what kind of prayer, about what or for whom), we light candles. This is not called “lighting candles for someone,” we actually light candles during prayer. For those who died voluntarily, we pray in our own words. You can pray for suicides like this: “Lord, if possible, save and have mercy on your servant so-and-so, who committed suicide without permission, but may your holy will be done!”

If there is any evidence that the suicide suffered from some kind of mental illness, then you can contact the diocesan administration with a request to allow a funeral service. In this case, prayer in church for the deceased is possible. In this case, the funeral service is usually performed in absentia with the blessing of the local bishop. Relatives perform the same actions if there are doubts about how consciously a person died, or whether suicide actually occurred. If the bishop blesses the funeral service, then after it a church commemoration of the deceased can be performed.

Which icons are prayed to on certain occasions?

There are many reasons to turn to God with gratitude and a request for salvation. A candle “for health” is lit:

asking for the recovery of a loved one;
before a long journey or the start of a serious business;
with gratitude for the salvation of the soul.

Everyone has their own life circumstances when God's help is simply necessary. There are icons that are capable of fulfilling special sincere appeals of the supplicant:

For recovery from a serious illness, oneself or loved ones ask the icon of the healer Great Martyr Panteleimon, the Holy Matrona of Moscow or the Mother of God “Healer”.
The “Inexhaustible Chalice” icon helps in the fight against alcoholism.
In resolving a difficult life situation, prayer is addressed to the faces of guardian angels by the name of the one for whom the prayer is being said. Prayers are also offered to the protector angel for children.
To preserve your family, bow your heads before the images of Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg, the Mother of God, St. Gurias, Samon and Aviv.
With prayer for the birth of a child they turn to the righteous Saints Joachim and Anna.

How many candles are lit for the repose?

Archpriest Alexander Chikirov, rector of the Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the village of Mordovian Pimbur, Zubovo-Polyansky district, Republic of Mordovia

Each person decides for himself how many candles to light for the repose. It depends on his desire and financial capabilities. There are no strict requirements or instructions on this topic in the church. When we buy and light a candle in a temple, we donate for its maintenance; this is our material offering to the temple of God. Today, when churches are illuminated by electricity, the meaning of candles has become symbolic; there is no need to illuminate the room with their help. For many, a candle helps to focus on prayer, but you should not attach special, let alone magical, meaning to it.

Candles “for the repose” are usually placed in the church on a special memorial table - a canon. At the same time, we can pray to ourselves: “Remember, Lord, the soul of Your departed servant (name) and forgive him his sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Popular prejudices

There are a large number of superstitions associated with church candles. Sorcerers claim that by observing the fire of a candle, one can determine damage and the evil eye, but any true Christian should not engage in such things. There are also prejudices regarding candles in the temple:

a fallen candle placed for health supposedly foreshadows an imminent illness;
crackling and soot are taken by many as harbingers of trouble;
if you put 12 pieces at the same time, it will have a greater effect than any other quantity.

We advise you to study Prayers for a bank loan

Church officials have repeatedly stated that the number of candles placed does not matter to the Lord. God himself decides whom to have mercy on and it is impossible to “bribe” him. A crackling sound when burning occurs due to the fact that the wicks are made of a material with the addition of synthetics or were exposed to high humidity during manufacture.

Soot occurs due to the presence of foreign impurities and artificial materials in the candle. From the point of view of the official Russian Orthodox Church, there are no signs associated with soot and the crackling of burning candles. If a candle lit for health goes out, it is just an accident, unworthy of the attention of a believer.