Ben Carter
The Paschal candle is a large candle used in liturgies in Western Christianity. It is a sacred element in Christianity, symbolising the risen Christ. The candle is lit during the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night, and remains lit throughout the Easter season until Ascension Thursday or Pentecost Sunday. The candle is also lit during baptisms and funerals throughout the year.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| When is the Paschal candle lit? | The candle is lit during the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night. It is also lit during all baptisms and funerals throughout the year. |
| Who lights the Paschal candle? | The priest or deacon carries the candle in procession into the church and lights it from a new fire. |
| What is the Paschal candle made of? | Beeswax, to represent the pure flesh of Christ. |
| What does the wick of the Paschal candle signify? | The wick signifies Christ's humanity. |
| What does the flame of the Paschal candle signify? | The flame signifies Christ's Divine Nature, both soul and body. |
| What are the grains of incense inserted into the candle in the form of a cross? | They recall the aromatic spices used to prepare Christ's body for the tomb and the five wounds on his hands, feet, and side. |
| What is the Paschal candle decorated with? | A cross, symbols of the resurrection, the Greek letters Alpha and Omega, and the year. |
| Where is the Paschal candle kept after the Easter season? | It is typically placed near the font or in the baptistry. |
| How long does the Paschal candle burn during the Easter season? | It burns for 50 days, from Easter through Pentecost. In some traditions, it is lit until Ascension Day, 40 days after Easter. |
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What You'll Learn
- The Paschal candle is lit during the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night
- The candle is blessed by a priest who inscribes a cross on it
- It symbolises the risen Christ, the Light of the World
- The candle is made of beeswax and represents the purity of Christ
- It is lit during baptisms and funerals throughout the year
The Paschal candle is lit during the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night
The Paschal candle is a large candle used in liturgies in Western Christianity. The candle is made of beeswax, which represents the pure flesh of Christ, received from the Virgin Mary. The Paschal candle is blessed and lit every year at Easter and is used throughout the Easter season.
The candle is lit during the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night. The Easter Vigil is a solemn rite that was carried out with great reverence during the Easter season. The lighting of the candle represents Christ, the Light of the World, dispelling the darkness of death. The candle is carried in procession into the church by a priest or deacon, and a new fire is kindled to symbolise our eternal life in Christ.
The Paschal candle is then blessed by the priest, who inscribes a cross, the Greek letters Alpha and Omega, and the current year on the wax. The priest may also affix grains of incense, symbolising the spices used to prepare Christ's body for the tomb. The candle is raised and paused three times during the procession, accompanied by the chant "The light of Christ", to which the assembly responds, "Thanks be to God".
After the Easter Vigil, the Paschal candle is kept near the altar during the 50 days of Easter and is lit during liturgical services. It is also used throughout the year on special occasions such as baptisms, where it symbolises new life in Christ, and funerals, where it represents the resurrection.
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The candle is blessed by a priest who inscribes a cross on it
The Paschal candle is a large candle used in liturgies in Western Christianity. A new candle is blessed and lit every year at Easter and is used throughout the Easter season. The candle is made from beeswax, which symbolises the pure flesh of Christ, received from the Virgin Mary.
The blessing and lighting of the Paschal candle is one of the most solemn moments of the Easter Vigil service. During the Vigil, the priest or deacon carries the candle in procession into the darkened church. A new fire is kindled, symbolising eternal life in Christ, and it is this fire that lights the Paschal candle.
The candle, representing Christ himself, is then blessed by the priest. The priest uses a stylus to cut a cross into the wax, as well as the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet—Alpha and Omega, 'the beginning and the end'—and the current year. As the priest inscribes these symbols, they chant a prayer.
The Paschal candle remains in the sanctuary on a special candle stand throughout the 50 days of the Easter season, and is lit for liturgical services during that time. It is also lit during baptisms throughout the year, symbolising the Holy Spirit and fire that John the Baptist promised to those who were baptised in Christ.
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It symbolises the risen Christ, the Light of the World
The Paschal candle is a large candle used in liturgies in Western Christianity. A new candle is blessed and lit every year at Easter and remains in the sanctuary on its special candle stand during the 50 days of the Easter season. The candle is lit for liturgical services during that time and is also used throughout the year on occasions such as baptisms, funerals and some other special occasions.
The Paschal candle symbolises the risen Christ, the Light of the World. The pure beeswax of which the candle is made represents the sinless Christ who was formed in the womb of His Mother. The wick signifies His humanity, and the flame, His Divine Nature, both soul and body. The candle is raised three times during the procession, accompanied by the chant "The light of Christ", to which the assembly responds, "Thanks be to God".
The lighting of the candle represents the light dispelling the darkness of death. Before the candle is lit, the minister says words to the effect of: "May the light of Christ, rising in glory, dispel the darkness of our hearts and minds." The candle is also often decorated with a cross, symbols of the resurrection, the Greek letters Alpha and Omega, and the year.
The Paschal candle is also lit during baptisms to signify the Holy Spirit and the fire that John the Baptist promised to those who were baptised in Christ. The candle is placed near the font during the rest of the year so that the candles of the newly baptised may be lit from it. This symbolises the passing of the light of Christ to each person being baptised.
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$26.99
The candle is made of beeswax and represents the purity of Christ
The Paschal candle is a large candle used in liturgies in Western Christianity. A new candle is blessed and lit every year at Easter and remains in the sanctuary during the 50 days of the Easter season. It is then used throughout the year on occasions such as baptisms, funerals and other special occasions.
The candle is made of beeswax, which represents the purity of Christ. The Church Fathers saw the bee as a symbol of the Virgin Mary, and the beeswax symbolised the pure flesh of Christ, received from his mother. The candle's wick signifies Christ's humanity, and the flame, His Divine Nature.
The Paschal candle is lit during baptisms to signify the Holy Spirit and the fire that John the Baptist promised to those who were baptised in Christ. The candle is also placed near the coffin during funeral masses to indicate that the death of a Christian is their own Passover.
The lighting of the Paschal candle represents Christ, the Light of the World, dispelling the darkness of death. During the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night, the priest or deacon carries the candle in procession into the dark church. A new fire is kindled, symbolising our eternal life in Christ, which lights the candle. The candle is then blessed by the priest who inscribes a cross, the Greek letters Alpha and Omega, and the current year, on it.
The precise use of the Paschal candle has varied over the centuries. In the 10th century, it was kept in a place of honour near the Gospel until the Feast of the Ascension, 40 days after Easter. By the 12th century, it was common to inscribe the candle with the current year.
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It is lit during baptisms and funerals throughout the year
The Paschal candle, also known as the Easter candle, is a large candle used in liturgies in Western Christianity. It is lit during baptisms throughout the year to signify the Holy Spirit and fire that John the Baptist promised to those who were baptised in Christ. The newly baptised person may be given a small baptismal candle that is lit from the Paschal candle, passing the light of Christ to each person baptised.
The candle is placed near the font during the rest of the year, after the 50 days of Easter when it remains in the sanctuary. The candle is also lit during funeral services and placed next to the casket to indicate that the death of a Christian is their own Passover. It is a reminder that the sacrament of baptism is itself a death and resurrection in Christ and testifies to Christian certainty in the resurrection of the dead and life with Christ in the world to come.
The precise use of the Paschal candle has varied over the centuries. In the 10th century, it was kept in a place of honour near the Gospel until the Feast of the Ascension, 40 days after Easter. By the 12th century, it was common to inscribe the candle with the current year, and by the mid-16th century, some Paschal candles weighed as much as 300 pounds.
The Paschal candle is lit during the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night, when a new fire is kindled to symbolise our eternal life in Christ. The candle is blessed by a priest who inscribes a cross, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet (Alpha and Omega), and the current year. The priest also affixes five grains of incense in the form of a cross to represent the five wounds of Christ and the aromatic spices used to prepare his body for the tomb.
The candle is lit each day during Mass throughout the Paschal season until Ascension Thursday. It is then placed near the baptismal font until the next Easter when a new candle is blessed and lit.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the Paschal candle is lit on Easter Sunday and remains lit throughout the Easter season until Ascension Day or Pentecost Sunday.
The Paschal candle is a large candle used in liturgies in Western Christianity. It is made of beeswax to represent the purity of Christ, with the wick symbolising His humanity and the flame His Divine Nature.
The use of the Paschal candle has varied over the centuries. In the 4th century, hymns in praise of the candle were sung. By the 10th century, the candle was kept near the Gospel until the Feast of the Ascension. By the 12th century, it was common to inscribe the candle with the current year.
The Paschal candle symbolises the risen Christ, representing light dispelling darkness. It is lit during baptisms to signify the Holy Spirit and fire that John the Baptist promised to those who were baptised in Christ.
The Paschal candle is also referred to as the Easter Candle. In the Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic churches, there is no direct equivalent, but the priest carries a Paschal trikirion (three lit candles in a candlestick) during Bright Week.
