The History of Burning Candles
Tallow candles have been burnt thousands of years before Christ. According to some estimates, they were discovered some 5,000 years ago. At that time, people would go to solitudes to some caves or rooms in order to pray by inflamed candle. This was helping them to understand and find solution to their problems as well as get answers to their questions.
A major change occurred when wax candles were used in Europe. They burned much longer and produces a stronger and cleaner light. They also created a much smoother scent than candles made of tallow. Wax candles were mostly used in church ceremonies. Since they were expensive, they were mostly used by richer layers of society and the tallow candles were most commonly used until the 13th century.
Why do Christians Burn Candles
In early Christianity, they were burned in honor of Virgin Mary. The candles were lit by the Holy Apostles, and the first followers of Christ, when they gathered together at night to preach the word of God, to pray and to break bread. To this day, this millennia tradition has been preserved, and the candles are lit for similar reasons.
With the burning of the candles a special atmosphere is created, and the flame of the candles allows us to connect our thoughts and emotions with God and a person for whom we pray at that moment. We feel that the candles with their flames enlighten us with love, warmth and healing energy. And whoever watches the flames in some sadness, pain or fear will feel relief.
Spiritual Meanings of Burning Candles
Candles, which the believers buy in the church to put them on a candle stand next to the icons, have several spiritual meanings:
- Purchasing a candle is a sign of a voluntary man’s sacrifice to God and His church. It is the manifestation of man’s willingness to obey God (softness of wax), his aspiration to become God- like (flawless), and the transformation into a new matter (burning candles).
- Burning candle is also the testimony of faith, the person’s attachment to Divine Light. The candle represents the warmth and flame of man’s love for the Lord, Mother of God, Angels or Saints by whose icons a believer sets and lights his/her candle.
- The lit candle is a symbol, a visible sign, expressing our flame of love and benevolence toward the one for whom the candle burns. And if there is no love and benevolence, then the candle has no meaning and our sacrifice is futile.
- According to the words of the holy righteous John Kronstadt: “It is good to put candles in front of icons. But it is better if you offer, as a sacrifice to God, fire of love to Him (God) and to your neighbor. It is good if both of them are done together. And, if you light candles, and in your heart you have no love for God and your neighbor, and you do not live peacefully, then your sacrifice to God is ineffective and in vain. “