Votive candle
A votive candle or prayer candle is a small
Use by Christian denominations
Candles are lit for prayer intentions. To "light a candle for someone" indicates one's intention to say a prayer for another person, and the candle symbolizes that prayer. Many times, "a board is placed nearby with names of those for whom prayer is requested."[1] A donation box is usually placed near a votive candle rack in order that Christians lighting the votive candles can help defray the cost of votive candles, and make a votive offering to the church.
Anglicanism
Some
Catholicism
In the
A votive candle signifies literally that the lighting is done in fulfillment of a vow (Latin, votum), although in most cases the intention is to give honor and to seek help from the saint before whose images the candle is lit and to pray for the dead.[6]
Candles used may vary from long, taper-type candles to tealight candles. Tealight candles are either placed in holders or just on a platform in front of the statue. Long candles may be placed in a special holder.[7]
Eastern Orthodoxy
In the
Lutheranism
Within the
Methodism
In the
Secular adaptions
In the 2010s, votive candles have been sold with celebrities or political figures fashioned to look like saints.[9] Some secular subjects of votive candles include Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Jonathan Van Ness.[9] The secular appropriation of votive candles, a religious symbol, has caused controversy. Kim Kardashian faced backlash after selling an $18 votive candle with her face in the likeness of the Virgin Mary.[10] In 2019, Vox wrote that "by replacing a saint with a celebrity that is outright silly (like Steve Buscemi or Harambe the gorilla), you are dismissing the function of the prayer candle altogether." Bill Donohue of the Catholic League said he didn't find the candles offensive. "By definition, a celebrity doesn't need a PR presence, so the likely motivating force is narcissism," he says. "By ripping off Catholic iconography, these celebs pay a backhanded compliment to the Catholic Church in their quest for notoriety."[9]
Composition
Votive candles are made from different types of waxes including paraffin, soy wax, or beeswax. There are different grades of wax with different melting points. Paraffin is often mixed with other types of waxes, such as beeswax or vegetable wax. This is done to obtain the rigidity necessary for the type of candle being made. The speed at which the candle burns depends on the composition of the wax. A taper candle that sits in a ring-shaped candle holder may have a low melting point and produce little to no oil, whereas a votive candle set in a glass cup may have a very low melting point and turn to oil. Pillar candles, large candles often with multiple wicks, have their own formula. Soy jar candles tend to have a lower melting point than pillars and votive candles. Candle quality also varies widely depending on the candle maker. The aroma of a lighted scented candle is released through the evaporation of the fragrance from the hot wax pool and from the solid candle itself.[citation needed]
Lead wicks are unlikely to be found in any candle sold in the U.S. today: lead-core wicks have been banned from the U.S. since 2003, and members of the National Candle Association – which account for more than 90% of candles made in the U.S. – have not used lead wicks for more than 30 years. Reputable manufacturers use cotton, cotton-paper, zinc-core or tin-core wicks, all of which are known to be safe.[11]
Gallery
-
Votive candles on a Christian home altar surrounding a crucifix in crystal
-
Madonna and Child with a votive candle rack and prie-dieuin a Methodist church
-
Portuguese votive candles in the shape of afflicted body parts
-
Hand-poured blue votive candles
-
Hand-poured green votive candles
-
A child lighting a votive candle at the Catholic Christian Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula in Brussels
-
Votive candles at theCathedral Basilica of St. Louis
-
Automatic votive candles
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 9780435306915.
Many Christians light candles as an aid to prayer. In Roman Catholic and some Anglican churches, Christians place a lighted candle by a statue of Jesus, Mary or one of the saints. The candles are called votive candles. They are symbols of the prayers the worshipper is offering for him or herself, or for other people. In some churches a board is placed nearby with names of those for whom prayer is requested.
- ^ "The Lighted Globe". Family of God Lutheran Church. 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
- ^ ISBN 9780748752874.
The shape of many of the older churches was important. The central aisle down the middle (the nave) was crossed by another aisle in front of the sanctuary to form a cross-shape. The shape of the church is a reminder to everyone of the death of Jesus. The people sit on either side of the aisle in pews. Candles are a feature of many churches although they are not found in Nonconformist churches. People often light a candle before they say a prayer--the candles used for this purpose are called 'votive candles'. Candles remind worshippers of Jesus who described himself as 'the Light of the world'.
- ^ ISBN 9780192802903. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
Votive candles are candles lit before statues in churches or shrines as personal offerings.
- ISBN 9780801472558.
Everyday forms of Marian devotion like the recitation of daily prayers or litanies or the lighting of votive candles at a church or before a home altar, though still practiced, seem to be less attached to a communal focus.
- ^ Sullivan, John F., The Externals of the Catholic Church, P.J. Kenedy & Sons, 1917. Reprint. Nine Choirs Press, 2013. p. 191.
- ^ "Ask a Catholic: Why light candles at church?". Cptryon.org. Retrieved 2010-07-10.
- ^ Benedict, Daniel. "Emerging Worship: Votive Candles, Prayer, and Postmoderns". United Methodist Church - General Board of Discipleship. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
- ^ a b c Shrikant, Aditi (2019-05-13). "Why are celebrity prayer candles so popular?". Vox. Retrieved 2022-04-10.
- ^ "Kim Kardashian Virgin Mary Prayer Candle | Women's Health". 2021-05-13. Archived from the original on 2021-05-13. Retrieved 2022-04-10.
- ^ "National Candle Association: Elements of a Candle - Fragrants". www.candles.org. Archived from the original on July 18, 2012.
External links
Media related to Votive candles at Wikimedia Commons