There is an opinion that a church candle symbolizes a sacrifice given of one’s own free will to the Lord and his House, a testimony of one’s faith and sincere love for him. In the fifteenth century, one of the liturgists testified that a lit candle in a holy place is nothing more than a confirmation of the purity of the person who lit it.
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The wax that flows down the candle seems to indicate that the person agrees to follow the commandments of God, fulfilling them unquestioningly. This symbolizes that a person repents to the world for his actions. A candle is a guide towards God’s consciousness.
Before lighting candles for the repose, you should figure out how to do it correctly. It is important to understand the sequence of actions and who is allowed to address them.
How to properly light candles in a church - the history of the ritual
The Old Testament custom of lighting candles in the Church during services remains with us in the New Testament. The Menorah, or the Seven-Candlestick, as a sign of Divine fruitfulness and the increase in the goodness of the Holy Spirit, which a person purified in the spiritual Sanctuary receives.
The Lord commanded Moses to perform services, placing candles in the church in the Seven-Candlestick of pure gold, honoring the Law of God as a saving light in the darkness of a sinful life.
With the coming of Christ, in the New Testament, the word of God brings the Gospel. The church servants began to carry out the Gospel, preceded by a burning candle. During the reading, Roman priests began to light candles as a sign of enlightening parishioners by reading the Holy Scriptures.
Over time, the custom of lighting candles spread to all churches; the sequential lighting of candles in front of all shrines in churches became one of the important attributes. They are placed in front of the images of saints and the tombs of martyrs.
Consecration of the apartment
There is nothing wrong with the desire to have a consecrated home, but the methods that uninformed people sometimes want to resort to sometimes conflict with the foundations of the Orthodox faith.
Let's start with the fact that the apartment or house should be blessed by a priest whom you can invite to your place. The priest will serve a moleben with special prayers, worship, sprinkle and bless all those who live here.
As a rule, if people try to live, if not entirely piously, then at least with human decency, and no terrible incidents occur in the apartment, there is no need to consecrate it a second time. But there are situations when unkind people may be in the house, or drunken neighbors will set up such a hangout that the feeling of uncleanness will reach you. What to do then? How to light an apartment with a church candle and holy water at home?
The questions are very relevant and there are answers to them. You can sprinkle your home with holy water at least every day. But this must be done with prayer.
The prayers “May God rise again and be wasted against Him” and Psalm 90 “Alive in help…” protect from evil spirits. Both of them are in every Orthodox prayer book.
You can perform a small incense with “nuns” incense candles, sprinkle with holy water, or walk throughout the house with a lit Jerusalem candle and sing the prayer “Christ is Risen from the Dead.”
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If you are not at all calm, talk to the priest - he will advise what to do. In any case, you should not resort to dubious rituals, they may turn out to be magical, after which your home may become much worse, and then it will have to be consecrated again with a full consecration performed by a priest.
The custom of lighting a candle in Church. What does it mean?
The symbolic meaning of a candle, a living fire at Church services, is Christ as the Truth that enlightens us. For many centuries, communities of people wandered in darkness without the Lord, awaiting his coming. The Coming of the Lord appeared to them as that Light, without which our life would have continued in darkness to this day.
By lighting a candle in church, we acknowledge that we serve the Lord as the only Lamp and teacher of our life.
A candle in a church is also a voluntary donation to God, the Temple. By buying it, we make a sacrifice to Christ.
Making church candles from pure wax symbolizes repentance for sins, readiness to consistently live with the Lord in the soul. The softness of the wax means that we soften our hearts with prayer. But only true love will bring our prayer and sacrifice to the Lord. Without a humble heart, a candle placed in a church ceases to serve its true purpose, as a donation to the Savior and a participant in Divine truth.
Today, all Orthodox services in the Church are consistently conducted with burning lamps and candles. In the Holy of Holies - the altar, the main Seven-Candlestick stands on the throne, on the altar there is a candlestick with a candle placed.
The high place is illuminated by a lamp. Next to the icons, lamps are also lit in the altar; in the main hall of the Church, several large candlesticks are placed with many cells for candles and a lamp in the center. In the center, on the eastern side of the Church, a lamp is placed, where the main icon of the day lies. Near the entrance to the Church on the “eve”, a lamp is lit near the crucifix, and it is also correct to place candles “for the repose” there.
Why is this being done?
The use of candles during services is first mentioned in the life of the holy martyr Cyprian. But they became truly traditional under Emperor Constantine, and became firmly established in Christian rituals from the 5th century.
A candle is a voluntary bloodless sacrifice to the Lord.
Symbolically:
- melting wax means the repentant, “melting,” pliable soul of the righteous;
- light - hope in Christ, warm service to the Heavenly Father;
- a burning candle speaks of the rebirth of a person in the service of the Almighty.
By the way! Where does the money paid at the church store go? They are considered not a payment, but a donation, and are used for repairs, heating of the temple, services (say, the purchase of a Cahors).
How to light candles in church and for what reason
Simply coming and lighting a candle in Church is not correct and simply makes no sense. All actions in Orthodoxy have their own meaning. Candles also need to be placed according to the rules.
How to prepare for Unction in church during Lent
Before you light a candle in Church, pray, or in your own words ask for what is tormenting you, what problem you want to solve.
It is customary in the Church to light candles sequentially in thanksgiving to our Lord and the Most Holy Theotokos, or for different occasions.
Thanksgiving candles to Christ and the Mother of God are placed in front of any of their images in the Temple, accompanied by words of gratitude.
They pray to the Mother of God for the health of the sick person, after reading a prayer for his recovery; It is right to ask the Intercessor for God’s mercy for children.
In addition to the Most Holy Theotokos, many Saints, who were healers during their lifetime, will help your sick and infirm at the request.
It is good to light a candle in church to your Guardian Angel, whose name you bear; he will accept prayer for the health of the person praying. You just need to remember to thank your Angel for the fact that he tirelessly cares about your well-being.
Light a candle to Nicholas the Ugodnik, he will protect you on long trips.
Something is not working out in the family - light a candle in the church and pray to the Matrona of Moscow.
For a happy family life, bow to Matronushka, Nicholas the Pleasant, Blessed Xenia.
Are you having trouble studying? Or are exams scary? The icon of the Mother - Theotokos “Increasing the Mind” will help you cope. The righteous Seraphim of Sarov, who found teaching difficult, will also take part through prayer.
Various saints who have received a gift from God and convey your prayers to him will help in many matters. You will receive according to your faith.
Superstitions about church candles
There are many superstitions associated with candles, and they are all meaningless. They are spread mainly by unchurched, religiously illiterate people.
You should not believe the talk that you should light a candle only with your 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.
How to correctly place candles in church sequence
Candles are lit for health and for the repose of loved ones. It happens that a person was baptized in childhood, and the name with which he was baptized is forgotten. They did not find an image of the saint with his name. Don’t be embarrassed, there is an icon with images of “All Saints” in every Church.
How to light a candle correctly without violating the church order:
- We go to the Temple to the Lord, we turn to Him. First come to the Cross of the Lord, bow, read a prayer and light a candle.
- After this, it is correct to approach and light a candle to the icon of the day or holiday. This means that in the center there is an icon of the Saint who is venerated on this day, or what holiday the Church celebrates today. This icon is located in the eastern part of the main hall of the Church on a lectern, next to which there is a central candlestick. Cross yourself, bow twice from the waist, kiss the icon, and bow again.
- Now go to the main candlestick of the Church, after praying, light your candle from the one standing on the candlestick, place it evenly and firmly in the cell, crossing yourself.
- Approach the image of Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the main icon of the Temple, after which it is named, bow low, cross yourself, light the candles.
Remember, only pure thoughts and love will help your request to ascend to the Lord.
Do not place two candles in one cell in the Church, do not tilt a burning candle. You can bury the candlestick. Try to be careful. You should not light candles from lamps; you may accidentally extinguish them.
Approach the relics of the Saints, bow, kiss and, making the sign of the cross, light a candle in their honor.
Need to ask the Saints for a specific task? Approach the image in the Church, with a bow and prayer, with words from your soul, place a candle on the nearest candlestick. Think about what you want to specifically ask the Saint? The Savior gave them the opportunity to help us through our prayer. Many icons of holy righteous people miraculously saved people in one situation or another. Remember, we do not pray to the icon and light candles in the Church, but to the Saint depicted on it.
We also light candles for the “rest of the soul” for our departed loved ones. One or more, it doesn't matter. The main thing is to have a pure heart.
Funeral candle - the origin of the tradition and its essence
For most of us, church is associated with fire. When you come to church, you want to light a candle and thereby get closer to God. This association is not accidental. The tradition of lighting fire takes its roots back to pagan times. Its appearance in Christian culture is connected with the Roman Empire. Already in the 4th century they began to be installed for the repose of the dead. A century later, they began to be used in church ceremonies everywhere.
Few people know why the wax candle became the main attribute of Orthodox rituals. And this is connected with its associations and symbols:
- Pliable wax is similar to the soul of a person who appears in the church before its head God and “conceals” his sins;
- The flame lit by Christians has always symbolized the warmth and hope that comes from serving Jesus Christ;
- The humble fire of a candle is associated with the obedience of parishioners to the Lord.
It is thanks to such strong symbolism that the burning attribute has remained one of the main components of all church rituals for more than a dozen centuries. It is established before the faces of the saints both for the health of the living and for the repose of deceased Orthodox people.
Wax attribute - what place does it occupy in Orthodoxy?
Despite the inseparability of wax candles from Orthodoxy, it is worth remembering that this attribute is not the main one. It does not possess any supernatural power or meaning, but serves only to accompany the Orthodox prayer pronounced by the person himself. You cannot light candles for repose without properly formed thoughts. It is not necessary to say prayer words out loud. The prayer can be read silently.
Remember : A candle is a symbol of prayer, sacrifice and human respect, love for God. It only accompanies and decorates the ritual of pronouncing prayer words.
If it is not possible to light a fire, church ministers allow you to pray without it. The Lord hears our requests even without auxiliary attributes. The main thing is to be sincere with him and really believe in what is being said.
Candle for health. How to put it in a church?
Any round candlestick in a church for candles about the living. Place it in the center, or on a candlestick to the Saint you want to ask, everything will be correct.
Go to the icon, wait and think, what is your request? Will it bring harm to the soul? Ask with words from your heart, or by reading a prayer. Cross yourself, light the wick and insert the candle into the socket. Remember, a prayer may not be fulfilled if the request is not for your benefit, but may cause harm, or if your thoughts were not pure.
Confession: how to properly confess before communion
Be sure to thank your Guardian Angel, asking him for health. In this case, you need to turn in prayer not to God, but to your intercessor Angel, calling him by name: “Holy Angel of God (name of the saint), pray before God for me.”
It would also be right to light a candle in church for your enemies. Pray for the salvation of their souls. It happens that after such a prayer, your enemies stop bothering you. And the Lord God will help you, seeing that there is no resentment or evil in your soul.
Popular prejudices
Over the years of the existence of Christianity, a large number of interpretations have arisen about whether a candle fell or began to smoke. Maybe the higher powers want to warn you about something in this way.
It is considered that if:
- the candle goes out - a bad sign, your prayer is not heard, perhaps you have sinned and need to confess. And if this is a candle for the repose, then the deceased is offended by you;
- the candle has fallen - the soul of the deceased is toiling and cannot find a place for itself, pick it up quickly and ask Jesus for forgiveness;
- the candle crackles - portends trouble;
- the flame burns in the shape of a spiral - they are plotting against you;
- a weak candle light - portends illness;
- rearrange the candles someone has placed - take away their happiness;
- putting out a candle with your fingers means attracting trouble;
- put a candle with your left hand - God will punish you.
In all cases, it is suggested to confess and receive communion. However, the church considers these signs to be prejudices that stem from ignorance. It's up to you to believe it or not.
With this I say goodbye, dear readers. I hope the article was useful and you learned how to light candles for the repose correctly. Don't forget to subscribe to blog updates and recommend the article to your friends on social networks.
Candle for repose. How to put it correctly in church?
Having prayed “for health,” remember those who have left you for another world. To light a candle for the repose of the souls of the dead, churches have a separate lamp - “eve”. It has a rectangular shape. There is such a candlestick not far from the entrance to the Church, next to the table on which offerings are brought to commemorate the dead. Here, next to the Crucifixion, funeral services are held on Saturdays and on days of special remembrance of the dead.
Having crossed yourself, read the memorial prayer before the “eve” for everyone for whom you want to ask for mercy in the Kingdom of Heaven, light a candle and place it in a cell.
It happens that a person disappears from sight, and no one knows about his fate. Is he alive? Are they already alive? You should always pray for such people in the Church as if they were alive. The Lord himself will judge. He always knows about us what we are sometimes not given to know.
You cannot light candles in Church for those who voluntarily gave up their lives! This is a great sin. It is all the more terrible because there is no longer a chance for a suicide to repent. The murder of the flesh and the Holy Spirit is a crime against our Lord. Pray for them at home. Perhaps the Lord will have mercy on them.
Let's summarize
- A candle is a “requirement,” that is, a bloodless sacrifice to the Lord during prayer.
- It can be used for the living and the dead, and not only for relatives/friends, but also for enemies.
- For health, “demands” are placed almost everywhere in the church, in front of various icons. For repose - only on a special square candlestick called kanun.
Do you know who makes church candles and how?
Of course, sometimes they are brought from workshops, but often candles are also made in holy places. For example, in the St. Elisabeth Monastery: When using materials from thebestvideo.ru, a link to the source is required.
Which Saint should light candles in church on what occasions?
Who should I light a candle for get well?
First of all, to the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos and Savior, as well as to the Holy Healer Panteleimon, Saint Luke of God.
Who should light a candle to relieve alcohol or drug addiction?
Icon “Inexhaustible Chalice”, Matrona of Moscow, John of Kronstadt, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
Who should I light a candle for myself?
First of all, to the icons of the Mother of God and the Savior, and then to the icons of those Saints who are endowed with the power to heal and help in those needs that concern you.
Who should I light a candle for remission of sins to?
Only the Lord God himself can forgive sins. Therefore, it is worth lighting a candle in the Church to the Savior, first of all, to the Mother of God, to the Saints with whom you feel a special connection, so that they will pray for you
Who should light a candle for family well-being, against quarrels?
Icons of the Mother of God, Xenia of St. Petersburg; Apostle John the Theologian; To the miraculous image of the Mother of God “Softening Evil Hearts”
Who should light a candle for conceiving a child?
Jonah of the Mother of God, Xenia of St. Petersburg, Seraphim of Sorov.
Who should light a candle when her husband cheats?
Icon “Recovery of the Lost”, Saint John Chrysostom, Silouan of Athos.
Is it possible to light a candle in Church for an unbaptized newborn child who has fallen ill?
You can, and even very correctly, light a candle yourself and pray for the health of such a baby. It is only forbidden to submit notes for him.
Who should light a candle for a child’s recovery?
Icons of the Mother of God, the Savior, the Holy Healer Panteleimon, the Holy Hierarch Luke.
Who should give a suppository before surgery?
In front of the icon “Lord Pantocrator”, Saint Luke of Crimea and healer Panteleimon.
Who should I light a candle for success in business?
Nicholas the Wonderworker; Saint Tryphon, Icon “Kazan”, “Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary”, Saint Matrona; Xenia of Petersburg, John of Krondstadt.
Is it possible to put candles purchased in another temple?
It is better to buy candles purchased in the same temple, because this is our modest contribution to its maintenance.
Who should light a candle for marriage?
Saint Nicholas the Pleasant, Saint Xenia of Petersburg, Icon of the Mother of God “Unfading Color”, Saint Paraskeva Friday.
Who should light a candle for good studies?
The icon of the Mother of God “The Key of Understanding”, “Adding the Mind”, “Education”, as well as the images of Sergius of Radonezh, John of Kronstadt, Matrona of Moscow, Nicholas the Wonderworker, Xenia of Petersburg.
Who should light a candle to search and success in work, business, trade?
Icon of Spyridon of Trimifuntsky, Nicholas the Wonderworker.
Church wedding in Russia
Who should I light a candle to for material wealth?
Icon of Saint Spyridon of Trimifuntsky, Nicholas the Wonderworker.
Who should light a candle for the sale or purchase of an apartment?
Icon of Saint Spyridon of Trimifuntsky, Nicholas the Wonderworker.
Who should I light a candle for selling a car?
Icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
Common Mistakes
Unfortunately, not all believers have the correct understanding of the symbolism and meaning of a candle. This leads to a number of mistakes, the main one of which is the understanding of lighting a candle as a magical rite. With this attitude, many:
- they think that lighting a candle in front of an icon in itself ensures the fulfillment of a request, a solution to a problem;
- they light candles for the saint, not only not loving him, but not even knowing his life; it is clear that the request made in this way is not only impossible, but downright offensive;
- There is an extremely sinful, frankly pagan practice of taking revenge on a person, when they light a candle for the repose of a living person. Such “magic,” of course, will not work, but the one who did such a thing will have to bear the consequences of his sin.
According to the word is right. John of Kronstadt, it is good to light candles to icons, but it is even better to kindle the fire of love for God and neighbor. After all, a candle is an expression of this love, which must first be grown within oneself.
How to properly handle a candle in church
When you approach a candlestick in Church, first pray while lighting the candle. Cross yourself and carefully install it. If all the cells are occupied, simply place the candle, crossing yourself, on the table or give it to the beholder. The caretaker will place it himself when space becomes available. Do this with love in your heart and pure thoughts.
Try to arrive early before the service begins. Then you will calmly and meaningfully be able to consistently approach all the icons, place candles, and then, without distraction, participate in the church service.
Do not interfere with other parishioners praying, do not pass candles, distracting those in front. There is no need to squeeze through to the lamp, pushing apart the people praying in the Church. If you are still late, did not make it before the start of the service, it is better to wait until it ends.
Which candle should I light in Church? Big, expensive, or small, cheap? It doesn't matter to the Lord. Any sacrifice is good if you have pure thoughts and peace in your soul.
