Tyler Brooks
The Catholic Church has a long history of using beeswax candles in its liturgical functions, with the pure wax from bees symbolizing the pure flesh of Christ. However, even before the liturgical reform that began in 1902, the Holy See allowed bishops to determine the composition of candles due to the varying availability of pure beeswax. Over time, the Church has gradually allowed for the use of candles made from other materials, such as stearine, paraffin, and other vegetable and mineral waxes. While beeswax candles are traditionally used, they are no longer required, and the current legislation does not specify the composition of altar candles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Material of candles used in the Catholic Church | Beeswax, Spermaceti, Stearine, Paraffin, Tallow, Vegetable Wax, Mineral Wax, Oil |
| Symbolism of beeswax candles | Christ's pure flesh, soul, and divinity |
| Regulation of beeswax proportion in candles | Varies over time and location, e.g., 65% for Pascal candles in England and Wales in 1906, 51% in some parishes |
| Use of candles in worship | Symbolism, joy, optimism, goodness, purity, beauty, festiveness, dignity, life |
| Permission for use of oil lamps | Allowed to indicate the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in the Tabernacle, but not permitted at the altar by US bishops |
| Changes over time | Before the Second Vatican Council, beeswax was primary; now, beeswax candles are traditionally used but not required |
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What You'll Learn
- The Catholic Church's use of candles has been criticised as paganistic and superstitious
- The Church Fathers saw symbolic meaning in the use of beeswax
- The use of light in worship is a universal symbol
- The Missale Romanum orders luminaria cerea for the celebration of Mass
- The proportion of beeswax in candles is regulated by law
The Catholic Church's use of candles has been criticised as paganistic and superstitious
The Catholic Church's use of candles has been a long-standing tradition, with beeswax candles being the oldest material used for ceremonial purposes. However, this practice has drawn criticism from some who view it as a paganistic and superstitious ritual.
The use of candles in Catholic liturgy is steeped in symbolism and tradition. The Church Fathers attributed various symbolic meanings to the use of beeswax. The spotless wax was seen as a representation of Christ's pure body, the wick as his soul, and the flame as his divine nature. This interpretation is reflected in the conclusive verses of the Easter Proclamations. Additionally, the Church has prescribed that candles used at Mass and liturgical functions be made of beeswax, as mentioned in the Missale Romanum and the decrees of the Congregation of Sacred Rites.
However, critics argue that the Catholic Church's use of candles goes beyond symbolism and veers into paganistic and superstitious territory. Some view the ritualistic nature of candle usage as a form of "false spirituality." For instance, the frantic reaction of a nun to a candle going out in a story from a Catholic school graduate reflects an anxiety about maintaining the candle's flame that seems to go beyond its symbolic value. This incident underscores a belief that the physical presence of the candle and its flame takes on a spiritual significance that extends beyond the candle's symbolic meaning.
Furthermore, the practice of lighting candles before statues or sacred images can be seen as a form of idolatry, where the object of worship becomes the statue or image itself rather than the figure it represents. Critics also point out that the use of candles in Roman pagan culture and military processions reinforces the idea that the Catholic Church has adopted and incorporated pagan rituals into its practices.
Additionally, the belief that lighting a candle can extend prayers or show solidarity with the person being prayed for can be seen as a superstitious practice. The idea that the candle continues to pray even after the person has left is criticized as a conflation of the physical and spiritual by those who advocate for a direct spiritual relationship with God through faith alone.
While the Catholic Church maintains that the use of candles is a sacred sign that aids in elevating the minds of the faithful toward the eternal, critics argue that the ritualistic and materialistic nature of candle usage distracts from a pure spiritual connection with the divine.
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The Church Fathers saw symbolic meaning in the use of beeswax
Beeswax candles have been used in the Catholic Church for centuries, and their use is steeped in symbolic meaning. The Church Fathers saw the spotless beeswax as a representation of Christ's pure body, with the wick symbolising his soul and the flame his divinity. This interpretation is supported by the following verses from the Easter Proclamations:
> "The sanctifying power of this night dispels wickedness, washes faults away, restores innocence to the fallen, and joy to mourners, drives out hatred, fosters concord, and brings down the mighty. On this, your night of grace, O holy Father, accept this candle, a solemn offering, the work of bees and of your servants’ hands, an evening sacrifice of praise, this gift from your most holy Church."
The use of beeswax candles in Catholic liturgy is not merely aesthetic but also holds deep symbolic value. The pure wax extracted by bees from flowers is seen as a symbol of Christ's pure flesh, received from his Virgin Mother. This interpretation is unique to beeswax candles and is not attributed to candles made from other materials.
The use of beeswax candles in Catholic liturgy has a long history. For centuries, beeswax was the only material used in the candles prescribed for ceremonial use in the Catholic Church. Over time, the availability of pure beeswax became a challenge, and bishops were granted latitude to determine the composition of candles. Despite this, the Church continued to emphasise the symbolic importance of beeswax candles, with the Sacred Congregation of Rites decreeing that certain candles, such as the Pascal Candle, must be made of wax, while others should contain a "greater or notable part of wax".
To this day, the Catholic Church upholds the symbolic significance of beeswax candles, with the Congregation for Divine Worship reaffirming the use of candles made of wax in the celebration of Mass and other liturgical rites. The National Conference of Catholic Bishops has also emphasised that materials other than wax are not permitted as substitutes for candles in the liturgy.
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The use of light in worship is a universal symbol
The Catholic Church has long recognised the value of candles in its worship. In the history of religion, light and fire have frequently accompanied the sacred rites of many peoples. The fire of the altar and the lights of the sacrificial chamber have not only been used symbolically but have also assumed the halo of divinity itself. The Church Fathers saw several symbolic meanings in the use of beeswax. Some saw the spotless wax as representing Christ's most spotless Body; the enclosed wick, his soul; and the glowing flame, his divine nature united with the human in one person.
The use of candles in the Catholic Church can be traced back to the Middle Ages, when a rich and detailed symbolism emerged. The pure wax extracted by bees from flowers was seen as a symbol of Christ's pure flesh, received from his Virgin Mother. The wick was thought to signify his soul, and the flame, his divinity. The use of beeswax candles continued for many centuries, with the oldest material used for candles being beeswax.
However, over time, the Church began to allow for the use of other materials in the making of candles. In 1850, for example, the Congregation of Sacred Rites made an exception for the missionaries of Oceania, who were permitted to use sperm-whale candles due to the impossibility of obtaining wax candles. In 1902, the Holy See allowed bishops latitude in determining the composition of candles, adjusting to the availability of pure beeswax. In 1905 and 1906, the Bishops of Ireland and the Bishops of England and Wales, respectively, directed that the Pascal Candle and the two principal candles on the altar at Mass should contain at least 65% beeswax, with all other altar candles containing at least 25%.
Today, beeswax candles are no longer required in the Catholic Church, although they are still traditionally used in some parishes. The current legislation is less specific, and the General Instruction of the Roman Missal does not address the composition of altar candles. While the use of beeswax candles has evolved over time, the symbolism of light in Catholic worship remains a powerful and universal symbol.
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The Missale Romanum orders luminaria cerea for the celebration of Mass
The Roman Missal, or Missale Romanum, is the book containing the prescribed prayers, chants, and instructions for the celebration of Mass in the Roman Catholic Church. The first printed Missale Romanum, containing the Ordo Missalis secundum consuetudinem Curiae Romanae (Order of the Missal in accordance with the custom of the Roman Curia), was produced in Milan in 1474. The first official attempt at uniformity in the celebration of Mass in the history of the Church came in 1570 when Pope Pius V promulgated an edition of the Missale Romanum that was to be in obligatory use throughout the Latin Church.
The Missale Romanum lists the things required for the celebration of Mass, including luminaria cerea, or candles made from beeswax. The pure wax extracted by bees from flowers symbolises the pure flesh of Christ received from His Virgin Mother, the wick signifies the soul of Christ, and the flame represents His divinity. Beeswax candles were prescribed for ceremonial use in the Catholic Church for many centuries. However, in the latter half of the 18th century, sperm candles, made from the head cavity of the sperm whale, came into use.
Even before the liturgical reform beginning in 1902, the Holy See allowed bishops some latitude in determining the composition of candles due to the availability of pure beeswax. In 1905, the Bishops of Ireland directed that the Pascal Candle and the two principal candles on the altar at Mass should contain at least 65% beeswax, with all other candles used on the altar containing at least 25% beeswax. A similar directive was issued by the Bishops of England and Wales in 1906.
In 1957, Pope Pius XII made revisions to the rites of Holy Week and the Sacred Triduum, and in 1961, a decree for Italy determined that the minimum two candles required for Mass and the Easter candle had to have a minimum of 10% pure beeswax. Other candles used in the church required at least 5%, and some paraffins and other vegetable and mineral waxes were also allowed in the mix. In 1974, the Congregation for Divine Worship noted that the General Instruction of the Roman Missal does not specify the material of which candles are made except in the case of the sanctuary lamp, which must use oil or wax.
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The proportion of beeswax in candles is regulated by law
Beeswax has been used in candles for centuries, with the material often imbued with symbolic meaning in religious contexts. In the Catholic Church, beeswax candles have traditionally been used in liturgical functions, with the pure wax from bees seen as representative of Christ's body.
While the Church has historically preferred pure beeswax candles, in 1902, the Holy See allowed Bishops to determine the composition of candles, owing to the difficulty in obtaining pure beeswax. Subsequently, the proportion of beeswax in candles was regulated by law, with the Pascal candle, the two candles for low Mass, six for High Mass, and twelve candles for Benediction requiring at least 65% beeswax. This ruling was issued by the Bishops of England and Wales in December 1906, and by the Bishops of Ireland in October 1905. All other candles used on the altar were required to contain at least 25% beeswax.
However, in 1957, the Sacred Congregation of Rites allowed local episcopal conferences to modify these rulings. This resulted in variations, such as a 1961 decree in Italy, which required a minimum of 10% beeswax for the two candles used in Mass and the Easter candle, and at least 5% beeswax for other church candles.
Today, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops continues to mandate the use of wax candles in liturgical rites, but the specific requirements for beeswax proportions are no longer in force, as the Holy See no longer legislates on this matter. Instead, Bishops' conferences are responsible for determining the suitable materials for candles used in their respective dioceses.
Outside of the Catholic Church, candle manufacturers must comply with regulations set by governmental bodies, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States. These regulations focus on consumer safety, ingredient transparency, and the potential health effects of candle emissions and additives.
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Frequently asked questions
Beeswax candles have been used in the Catholic Church for centuries, and they were the only type of candle used for ceremonial purposes for a long time. The exact date of their introduction is unknown, but they were certainly in use by the Middle Ages.
Beeswax candles hold symbolic and aesthetic value for the Catholic Church. The pure beeswax represents the pure flesh of Christ, the wick symbolises his soul, and the flame represents his divinity.
Beeswax candles are still used in the Catholic Church, but they are no longer required. The current legislation is less specific about the composition of altar candles.
Today, a variety of candles are used in the Catholic Church, including beeswax, paraffin, and other vegetable and mineral waxes. Oil lamps are also used, but only for the sanctuary lamp and in some cases, the tabernacle.
The percentage of beeswax required in candles has varied over time and by location. Before the Second Vatican Council, the percentage was determined by the diocesan bishop, with some sources stating a minimum of 51% or 65%. More recently, some countries have set lower minimums, such as Italy's 1961 decree requiring a minimum of 10% pure beeswax for Mass and Easter candles.
