Significance of Church Candles

Church Candles

The interior of each and every church is unique and varied in one way or another. However, most churches encompass similar features typically found at other locations: a wide altar, wooden pews, glass stained windows, and religious artwork and statues. But perhaps the most notable similarity between churches is the ubiquitous presence of church candles.

Offered in a variety of shapes and sizes, candles have been used frequently in churches to serve a number of different purposes and events, including fellowship services, candle light ceremonies, communion, baptisms and weddings. The use of church candles has traditionally been to provide light and rid the world of all darkness, but the significance they hold has come to be much deeper than just that.

Church candles can signify unity, such as the unity of a religious group or a pair of newlyweds. When members of a congregation participate in a ceremony that involves candle-lighting, it is an expression of their commitment to God and their Christian walk. A bride and groom who light a single candle during their wedding ceremony are not only conveying their love for one another, but the union and bond they now share. This is a way for them to demonstrate that symbol to everyone in attendance.

This everlasting bond is why the church candle has also been viewed as a symbol of love. The radiant light of a church candle generates a feeling of warmth. Such heat can resonate within a newly married couple, whose life together is symbolized by the glowing flame of the candle: though sometimes painful, it is mostly warm and kind.

Church candles are additionally viewed as objects of truth. The flame of the candle serves as a guide to those who are lost on their way to understanding the Word of God. The strength of the flame lies in its ability to fight away all darkness, which represents all the evils of the world, including ignorance, fear and death. These evils can sometimes lead truth seekers down a path of wrong-doing and disbelief, but the church candle illuminates said path, guiding believers to goodness and truth about God.

The church candle carries a variety of different spiritual and symbolic meanings. While the flame of the church candle burns brightly to fight off the darkness, it also serves as a significant symbol of faith. Candles that are lit in church are an expression of worshippers’ praise and admiration for God. Jesus himself is known as the light of the world, and the use of church candles can remind us that Jesus is always present. Believers carry the light of Christ with them and they absorb the heat of the fiery glow as constant reminder of God’s love. 

Candles are a ubiquitous presence in church. No matter when or how they are used, church candles have come to mean something significant to each and every believer. Not only do they provide light and warmth, but their beauty and radiance serve to remind believers of God’s work and His love.