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Step into an Orthodox church and, before you have even lifted your eyes to the iconostasis, something strikes you: small flames everywhere. In front of every icon, on the great stands, in the hands of the faithful on feast days, sometimes even high above the nave on an enormous chandelier of candles. And nearly everyone who arrives begins with the same act: they go to the candle desk, choose one or two candles, and go to light them. This simple gesture, which a visitor might take for a picturesque custom, holds an entire theology — and follows precise customs well worth knowing.
Why Orthodox Christians Light Candles: The Origin of the Custom
The custom of burning lights during prayer goes back to the Old Testament. The prayer for the blessing of candles in Orthodox tradition, incidentally, recalls the moment when God asks Moses to set up a table for the showbread and to bring in the lampstand on which the lights were to be placed. In the worship of the Temple, the offering — bread, wine, oil, wax — was part of the prayer itself.
The first Christians took up this practice. They lit lights during the service, not only to illuminate the catacombs where they hid from the pagans, but also to signify that Christ is the light of the world. In Orthodox tradition this meaning has remained the key to the gesture: the candle's flame recalls Christ's words "I am the light of the world," and the light with which he illumines the soul of every believer.
To light a candle in the Orthodox Church is therefore to let a small offering of pure wax burn before an icon, accompanying it with a prayer. The flame extends that prayer: the believer leaves, but the light keeps burning before the image, like a petition that remains present. That is why it is hard to imagine an Orthodox church without candles, and why none lacks a desk where they can be obtained.
The Symbolism of Wax and Flame
Orthodox tradition has never seen in the candle a mere lighting device. The liturgist Saint Symeon of Thessalonica, in the 15th century, gave the most famous symbolic explanation. Here, rendered in substance, is his reading of the wax:
"The wax that is offered and burned speaks of the purity and sincerity of our offering. Soft and pliable, it speaks of obedience and readiness to repent. Gathered from a thousand flowers, it speaks of the grace of the Holy Spirit and of the offering of all and everything to God. Burning in the fire and uniting with it, it speaks of the deification of man."
Other symbolic elements, handed down by Orthodox spiritual writers, complete this reading:
- The wax and the wick — they represent the body and soul of the person praying; the softness of the wax recalls obedience to God
- Wax from virgin bees — according to some explanations, it evokes the humanity of Christ, born of the Virgin Mary; the bee itself, which gathers what is good and rejects what is impure, becomes an image of the Christian's diligence
- The flame — it expresses the ardor of love for the Lord, the Mother of God, the angels, and the saints
- The hand that lights — just as a candle does not light itself, the soul needs the hand of God, that is, his grace, in order to burn
- The bishop's candlesticks — the three-candle stand evokes the Trinity, the two-candle stand the two natures of Christ
An Offering, Not a Payment
In Orthodox tradition, the candle one acquires is a voluntary gift made to God and his Church, for oneself and one's loved ones. The first Christians brought the wax and oil needed for worship to church themselves; today one acquires the candle at the parish desk, and this gesture concretely supports the upkeep and life of the church. As a rule, it is better to buy candles on site than to bring them from outside, even if the parish's are not always of the purest wax.
Why this demand for pure beeswax? Because, as in the Old Testament, where no defective victim was to be offered to God, one should not offer what one would not accept oneself. In practice, church candles today often contain paraffin or stearin, and many of the faithful make a point of bringing candles of pure wax; the tradition stresses above all the spirit of the offering, not perfectionism.
An important consequence follows: the candle is not a formality. It expresses the flame of love for God; one should not light it with a cold heart, out of mere habit. Orthodox texts say so bluntly: candles do not free us from sins, do not unite us to God, and do not give us the power to fight the spiritual battle. The burning wax candle is pleasing to God, but the ardor of hearts pleases him even more.
Who Do You Light a Candle For? The Living, the Departed, the Saints
In church, candles are not placed at random. According to the commonly described custom:
- For the living — one lights the candle before the icon of the Savior or the Mother of God, for the health and needs of one's loved ones; one asks God for his mercy and protection
- Before the feast icon — placed in the center of the church, it too receives candles, in honor of the feast being celebrated
- For the departed — one lights the candle on the rectangular stand, the kanun, placed before the cross, for the repose of souls; one asks for divine mercy and the eternal salvation of the departed
- Before a saint — one may light a candle before the icon of any saint, as a sign of gratitude for his or her intercession or to entrust a request
A very common habit is, on entering the church, to light at least one candle for the living and one for deceased parents and acquaintances. If some of one's loved ones are going through a particular trial, one lights a candle for each of them. In Greece, where the gesture is entirely everyday, people do it for something as simple as a son's exam, a sick grandmother, or a friend in difficulty — without seeing a religious obligation in it, but a simple way of handing an intention over to God. For the departed, this gesture belongs within the wider prayer described in our guide to funerals and memorial services.
How to Light a Candle in an Orthodox Church, Step by Step
Here, in order, are the usual gestures. Details vary from parish to parish and from jurisdiction to jurisdiction; those below describe common usage, particularly in the Russian tradition:
- Arrive before the service — it is preferable to come before the service begins so that you can light your candles without disturbing the prayer of others
- Acquire the candle — at the parish desk, as an offering
- Stand before the icon — that of the Savior, the Mother of God, the cross, or a saint
- Make the sign of the cross — with the first three fingers joined, touching the forehead, the stomach, then the right shoulder and the left shoulder
- Say a short prayer — for example, before Christ, the Jesus Prayer; before the Mother of God, "Most Holy Mother of God, save us"; before the cross, "Lord, glory to your holy Cross"; before a saint, "Saint Nicholas, pray to God for us"
- Light from a flame already burning — the believer lights their candle from one that is already lit, then sets it upright on the stand, without tilting it
- Bow — in many churches one bows before and after setting down the candle; the number of bows varies from parish to parish
A few rules of decorum complete these gestures. One does not walk around the church lighting candles during the service. Only the clergy and choir members step onto the solea, in front of the altar: a believer who wishes to place a candle before the icons of the iconostasis entrusts it to a parishioner authorized to go there. If there is no more room on the stand, one sets one's candle aside, and it will be placed later. At the Divine Liturgy as at the other services, it is order and recollection that make the offering pleasing.
When Do You Hold a Candle in Your Hand?
Certain moments of the liturgical year are lived not with a candle set down but with a candle in hand. One holds a lit candle:
- At the service of Pascha — where the light recalls the Resurrection
- At the evening service on the eve of the twelve great feasts — as well as parish feasts
- At the Great Blessing of Waters — celebrated at Theophany
- At the reading of the twelve Gospels — on Holy Thursday, the service of Christ's Passion, during Holy Week
- During the sacraments — baptisms, weddings, anointings
To keep melted wax from dripping on the floor or on one's hands, it is customary to slide a small paper disc onto the candle. The feast of the Meeting of the Lord, the Hypapante, is also, in many parishes, the occasion for having candles blessed, which the faithful keep at home.
Candles, Oil Lamps, and Vigil Lights: What Is the Difference?
Before icons, it is not only candles that burn: oil lamps, called lampades, are lit as well. Originally this was olive oil, a symbol of God's mercy toward human beings; oil is also consecrated in the sacrament of anointing, to anoint the sick so that the Lord may heal them. In countries where the olive tree did not grow, as in Russia, sunflower oil was used. The wick is generally cotton thread, like that of candles, and the lamp burns for a long time, sometimes almost a whole day.
The difference can be understood this way: the candle is a one-time offering, lit for a specific prayer and burning down within a few dozen minutes; the lamp is a continuous presence, keeping watch before the icon day and night. At home, a light kept burning before the icons has the same function: it makes the prayer corner a place of presence. For setting up a lamp or vigil light, see our guide to the Orthodox prayer corner.
False Ideas and Superstitions to Set Aside
Around the candle, over time, beliefs have grown up that the Church's tradition does not recognize. Among the most common:
- "You must light the candle with your right hand" — nothing requires it
- "A candle that goes out is a bad omen" — a candle can go out for a thousand reasons, with no spiritual meaning
- "Scorching the bottom of a candle so it stays upright is a sin" — that is a purely practical gesture
- "The more candles you light, the more your prayer is heard" — no rule sets a number, and quantity does not replace prayer
- "The candle wipes away sins" — it replaces neither confession nor the sacraments: it accompanies prayer
In the end, the only useful question is the one tradition asks: is my heart also burning before God, as the wax is consumed in the flame?
FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions About Orthodox Candles
Why do you light candles in an Orthodox church?
To pray: the flame is a prayer that burns away before the icon, an offering to God, and a sign of Christ, the light of the world. The gesture goes back to the Old Testament and to the first Christians.
Who can you light a candle for?
For the living, before the icon of the Savior or the Mother of God; for the departed, on the rectangular stand before the cross, the kanun; and before the icon of a saint, as a sign of gratitude or to entrust a request.
Where do you light the candle for a departed person?
On the kanun, the rectangular stand placed before the cross, found in most Orthodox churches. There one asks God for his mercy and the eternal salvation of the departed.
Why beeswax candles?
Because pure wax, like olive oil, wine, or wheat, belongs among the natural, pure substances of worship, and tradition sees in it an offering of the best quality, whose softness, purity, and burning carry symbolic meaning.
Should you say a prayer when lighting a candle?
Yes, the custom is to accompany the gesture with a short prayer: the Jesus Prayer before Christ, "Most Holy Mother of God, save us" before the Virgin, or an invocation to the saint before his or her icon. For the living one asks for God's mercy and protection; for the departed, his mercy and their salvation.
How many candles should you light?
No rule sets a number. Many of the faithful light at least one candle for the living and one for the departed, and an additional candle for each person going through a particular trial.
Can you light a candle if you are not Orthodox?
Practice varies from parish to parish. The simplest thing is to ask the person at the candle desk and to follow the customs of the place respectfully.
Does a candle guarantee that your prayer will be answered?
No. In Orthodox tradition the candle is neither a magic formula nor a means of obtaining something: it accompanies prayer and expresses the ardor of the heart. Only sincere prayer, openness to God, and life in the Church have that power.
