Fire glowing before the holy icons reminds us we should serve God, pray to God with fervor - something we often do not possess, since our hearts are grown cold. So everything in the church is instructive - there is no place for the idle or worthless." In this program we shall talk about the symbolism of light in the Orthodox church, about the church candle.
The custom of placing candles and lighting icon lamps in church came to Russia from Greece. After all, it is from Greece that in the 10th century, during the rule of Prince Vladimir, our ancestors adopted the Orthodox faith. However, the custom of lighting candles and icon-lamps didn't originate in Greece. Candles and lamps were used in churches back in ancient times.
The commandment to make a candlestick of pure gold with 7 branches was one of the first the Lord gave Moses. Let us recall this place in the Bible:
"And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft and his branches, his bowls and his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.
And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side;
Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick.
And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers.
And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick.
Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold.
And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it."
That quote was taken from the Bible, the "Exodus", Chapter 25, verses 31 to 37.
Burning lamps and candles serves as a symbol of the Lord's guiding force. King David exclaims in the second book of Samuel:
"For thou art my lamp, O Lord: and the Lord will lighten my darkness".
And here are the words of King David from Psalm 119 (verse 105):
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."
Candles were lit by the first apostles, and the first followers of Christ, when they gathered after nightfall to preach the word of the Lord and for prayer. This is said directly in the Acts of the Apostles:
"And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together."
In the first centuries of Christianity candles were always lit during church services. The illumination had a spiritual significance. One of the Teachers of the church - Tertullian, said:
"We never conduct a church service without lamps. However, in using them we do not seek to chase away the gloom of night. We conduct the Liturgy by light of day. We light lamps as a portrayal of Christ's guidance - His uncreated light, without which even at noon we should be stumbling about in darkness."
At the end of the 2nd century God created a miracle in the Jerusalem church: when at Easter there was no oil for the icon-lamps, Bishop Narkis instructed that water from the well be poured into the lamps - and they burned throughout Easter, as if filled with the best oil to be had.
When all persecution of the church of Christ ceased, and there dawned peace, the custom of lighting candles and lamps remained. Not one church service, no sacred act was ever made or is made today without lamps and candles being lit.
Light in the Orthodox Church is an image of the Heavenly, Sacred light. It particularly symbolizes Christ as the Light of the world, the Light of the Light, the True Light. This light guides and instructs every man, entering this world.
Ancient Byzantine-Russian churches had very narrow windows, so that even on the brightest of days there was an atmosphere of semi-darkness inside. This was supposed to symbolize man's earthly life, submerged in the gloom of sin and ignorance, where, however, there glowed the light of Faith, God's light, as it is said in the Gospel, the Book of John, Chapter 1, verse 5:
"And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."
The small and narrow windows, symbolizing the source of Heavenly light, created in the ancient churches an atmosphere that exactly corresponded to the quoted above words from the Gospel, and faithfully reflected the nature of things in the spiritual aspect of life. In other words, the candles and lamps in church never served to simply light the interior. The light here was at all times imbued with profound spiritual significance.
In Orthodox churches during Sunday and holiday services they light all candles and candlesticks, including the upper ones, thus creating the image of complete Heavenly light, which shall glow on the Faithful in the Lord's Kingdom.
The symbolic nature of light is borne out by the candles and oil-lamps. Since olden times the oil and wax were brought to church by the Christians as voluntary donations.
A Liturgist of the 15th century, the Blessed Simeon, Archbishop of Solunsk, explains the symbolic nature of wax thus:
"Pure wax symbolizes the purity and untaintedness of people who bring it. It is brought as a sign that we repent our obduracy and are prepared to serve and obey God with the yielding pliancy of hot wax. The burning of a wax candle, transformation of wax into fire symbolizes the transformation of earthly man into a different being under the effect of fire and warmth of Heavenly love and grace.
Oil, like wax, signifies purity and sincerity of man in his devotion to God. However, oil also has its own special import. Lamp oil is olive oil. In the Old Testament the Lord commands Moses that pure oil, without any sediment, be brought as a sacrifice to God. Let us recall those lines in the Bible, from Chapter 27 of the "Exodus", verse 20:
"And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always."
Signifying the purity of man's devotion to God, lamp oil is a sign of God's grace to people: it heals wounds, possesses curative properties, seasons food.
In the iconostasis and almost before every icon in the Orthodox Church one or several icon-lamps are suspended, and candlesticks are placed with burning candles. Saint Pious John of Kronstadt says about them:
"The icon-lamps burning in front of the icons signify that the Lord is an impregnable light, a punishing fire for all unrepentant sinners, whilst for the pious and just it is a cleansing and life-giving fire.
And the Holy Mother of God is Mother of Light and Herself the Purest of Light, undimmed, and glowing throughout the Universe...
Lamps, burning before the icons of the saints, signify that with their Faith and virtues, these saints are a guiding, glowing light for all the world..."
And another quote from Saint Pious John of Kronstadt:
"The fire of burning ... candles and lamps, like the censer with its hot needles and aromatic incense, serves as a reminder of the spiritual fire - the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles in the form of tongues of flame. It scorches our sinful misdemeanors, illuminates the minds and hearts, kindles our souls with a love for God and towards each other.
The fire before the holy icons is a reminder of the fiery love of the Saints for our Lord. Through this love they came to detest the world with its charms, and all manner of lies.
Fire glowing before the holy icons reminds us we should serve God, pray to God with fervor - something we often do not possess, since our hearts are grown cold. So everything in the church is instructive - there is no place for the idle or worthless."
The lighting of candles in church is a very special act, closely linked with chant-singing and other sacred rituals of the service.
During ordinary daily services, when almost every prayer expresses repentance, attrition and sorrow over our sins, there is a minimum of light in the church.
On Sundays, when they recall the victory of Christ the Savior over death and the devil, or on other festive holidays, the church marks the solemnity of the occasion with extensive light. At this point all lamps found in the church are lit. And during the grandest of the Christian holidays - Easter - not only is the entire church illuminated, but all Orthodox believers stand with lit candles in their hands.
So, the more joyous and solemn the church service, the more light there is. The church rules demand that for joyous and solemn services more candles be lit, while for less festive occasions, or, for example, during Lent - there be fewer candles. At the Great Vespers during the reading of the hexapsalm, all candles in church are extinguished. This is done so that the psalms be listened to with attention and fear, and, as the Holy Fathers wrote, so that each one, standing in the darkness, could sigh and shed a tear over one's sins.
Darkness during the hexapsalm facilitates greater concentration and attunement to one's soul.
So, church candles and lamps are a symbol of our spiritual union with the Lord and the Holy Church.
And another thing that we should like to remind you of, in the words of St.John of Kronstadt:
"It is a good thing to place candles before the icons. Yet, it is better still to sacrifice to Him the fire of fervent love for our Lord and your neighbor. It is good when both of these occur. Yet, if you place candles, but there is no love for God or your neighbor in your heart - your sacrifice to God is in vain."
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