One of the important things that have long been a part of the church ceremonies and the Christian religion as a whole are Church candles. They are often used to represent many things about the Christian religion. For instance, for the Catholics, the candle can represents the body of Christ.
Christian baptisms also hold the candle as a symbol of an individual's passage into receiving and being baptized in the light of God.
In wedding ceremonies, the mother's of the couple lights up two candles that are taken to symbolize their union. These are some of the main roles that candles do during worship and ceremonies.
Using candles as a way that represents the light in the path of darkness has been something that's inculcated in the Christian viewpoint as something that's significant in the unbeliever's transition into walking with the Lord.
Moreover, the candles are not only representative of the guidance that God gives, but it also shows the Lord's love for his people.
All kinds of denomination use the church candles. Some have a preference as to the kind of candle they like to use for their church or services they perform.
For instance, the candles that the Roman Catholic Church uses have to be made from at least 51% beeswax. If it's an Orthodox church, the requirement would be that it is 100% beeswax.
Beeswax is a pricey ingredient. Because of this, the stubs of these beeswax candles are usually recycled and made into new candles. On the other hand, some denominations only require that candles be organic.
Common church candles that other denominations use would be vegetable wax candles. They burn efficiently and have long burning hours; moreover, they are quite affordable.
Using church candles haslong been a tradition for thousands of years. These same candles that are used in various activities and ceremonies today were also once used to celebrate equally important traditions in the past.
Let's check out how these important candles evolved and how they were used during ancient times.
Originally, Egyptians used candles to conduct exorcisms, find treasures or perform other rituals. The use of church candles was not exactly a welcome thought to the Roman Catholic Church.
They were hesitant to use these since it was used mostly by pagan religion. However, when the 4th century came, they slowly became integrated into the Christian rituals became helpful.
Despite its admittance into the church, candles were still prohibited from being used in the altar because of the association it had with witchcraft.
It wasn't until the Middle Ages when the Church decided to bless and consecrate candles. This was then used for blessings as well as absolving sins and driving out demons.
Usage for candles has certainly come from a long way. People have used candles in so many ways and for such a long time that it has become intertwined with our everyday lives as well as special occasions. Moreover, church candles have a great active part in our faith and will continue to do so for as long as we want it to be.
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