Why are candles lit in church? To whom to put a candle for the remission of sins? It can be found on the left side, closer to the entrance.

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By blessing His Holiness Patriarch
Moscow and All Russia Alexy II

How did the custom of lighting candles and lamps arise?

The custom of putting candles in churches came to Russia from Greece, from which, under the holy prince Vladimir, it was received by our ancestors Orthodox faith. But this custom did not originate in the Greek churches.

Candles and oil lamps were used in temples in ancient times. The command to build a lamp of pure gold with seven lamps is one of the first given to Moses by the Lord ().

In the Old Testament tabernacle of Moses, lamps were a necessary accessory for the Holy Office and were lit in the evening before the Lord (). In the temple of Jerusalem, simultaneously with the daily morning sacrifice performed in the courtyard of the temple, in the sanctuary, the high priest silently, reverently prepared the lamps for the evening kindling, and in the evening, after the evening sacrifice, he lit the lamps for the whole night.

Burning lamps, lamps served as a symbol of God's guidance. “You, Lord, are my lamp,” exclaims King David (). “Your word is a lamp to my feet,” he says elsewhere ().

From the temple to the houses of the Old Testament believers, the use of lamps at Sabbath and other festive suppers, especially at Easter, passed. Since the Lord Jesus Christ "in the night, surrendering himself in the nude, and moreover, betraying Himself for the life of the world and salvation," also celebrated Pascha, it can be assumed that in the upper room of Zion, which is the prototype of Orthodox churches, at the first celebration of the Most Holy the Eucharist, the lamps were also lit.

Candles were lit both by the holy apostles and the first followers of Christ, when they gathered at night to preach the word of God, pray and break bread. This is directly stated in the book of the Acts of the Holy Apostles: “In the upper room where we gathered, there were enough lamps” ().

In the first centuries of Christianity, candles were always lit during worship.

At the end of the second century, in the Jerusalem Church, God performed a miracle: when there was no oil for the lamps in the church on Easter, Bishop Narkis ordered to pour oil into the lamps. well water- and they burned all Easter, as if they were filled with the most best oil. When the persecution of Christ ceased. and peace came, the custom of lighting lamps and candles remained.

Not a single divine service, not a single sacred action was performed, as it is not performed now, without lamps.

In Old Testament times, an inextinguishable lamp burned before the book of the Law of Moses, signifying that the Law of God is a lamp for a person in his life. And since in the New Testament times the Law of God is contained in the Gospel, the Jerusalem Church made it a rule to carry a burning candle before the Gospel was brought out, and to light all the candles while reading the Gospel, signifying that the light of the Gospel enlightens every person.

This custom has been passed on to others. local churches. Subsequently, they began to put candles and light lamps not only in front of the Gospel, but also in front of other sacred objects, in front of the tombs of the martyrs, in front of the icons of saints, in commemoration of their goodwill towards the shrine. Jerome, in a letter against Vigilantius, testifies: “in all the Churches of the East, when the Gospel is read, candles are lit even in the sunshine, truly not to drive away darkness, but as a sign of joy, in order to show light under the image of sensual light ... Others do this in honor martyrs."

“The lamps and candles are the essence, the image of the eternal Light, and also mean the light with which the righteous shine,” says Saint Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem (VII century). The Holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council determine that in Orthodox Church holy icons and relics, the Cross of Christ, the Holy Gospel are given honor by burning incense and lighting candles. Blessed (XV century) writes that “candles are also lit before the icons of the saints, for the sake of their good deeds in the world…”

The symbolic meaning of candles, candlesticks, lamps and light in the temple

Light in an Orthodox church is an image of heavenly, Divine light. In particular, he marks Christ as the Light of the world, the Light from the Light, the true Light, which enlightens every person who comes into the world.

Ancient Byzantine-Russian churches had a very narrow windows that created twilight, twilight in the temple even on the brightest day. But it is not darkness, not the total absence of light. It means earthly human life, immersed in the twilight of sin and ignorance, in which, however, the light of faith, the light of God, shines: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not embrace it” (). The twilight in the temple is an image of that mental spiritual twilight, the veil that generally surrounds the mysteries of God. The small narrow windows of ancient temples, symbolizing the sources of Divine light, therefore created such an environment in the temples that exactly corresponded to the quoted words of the Gospel and correctly reflected the nature of things in the spiritual realm of life.

External light was allowed inside the temple only as an image of immaterial light, and in a very limited amount. Light in the proper sense for the church consciousness is only the Divine light, the light of Christ, the light future life in the Kingdom of God. This determines the nature of the internal illumination of the temple. It was never intended to be light. Temple lamps have always had a spiritual symbolic meaning. They are also lit during the day, during daytime services, when the light from the windows is sufficient for general illumination. In statutory cases, church lamps during evening and night services can be lit in very small quantities, and when reading the Six Psalms on all-night vigil it is necessary to extinguish all candles, except for the candle in the middle of the temple, where the reader stands, in front of the icons of Christ, the Mother of God and the temple in the iconostasis. The darkness in the temple becomes very thick. But total darkness never happens: "The light shines in the darkness." But during the festive and Sunday services, all the lamps are lit according to the order, including the upper ones - the chandelier and polycandila, creating the image of that full light God, which will shine upon the faithful in the Kingdom of Heaven and is already contained in the spiritual meaning of the celebrated event. The symbolic nature of the light in the church is also evidenced by the structure and composition of burning candles and lamps. Wax and oil in ancient times were offerings of believers to the temple as voluntary sacrifices. The liturgist of the 15th century, Blessed Simeon, Archbishop of Thessalonica, explaining the symbolic meaning of wax, says that pure wax means the purity and innocence of the people who bring it. It is brought as a sign of our repentance in perseverance and readiness to continue to obey God, like the softness and suppleness of wax. Just as wax worked out by bees after collecting nectar from many flowers and trees symbolically means an offering to God, as it were, on behalf of the whole creation, so the burning of a wax candle, like turning wax into fire, means deification, the transformation of an earthly person into a new creature by the action of fire and warmth of Divine love and grace.

Oil, like wax, also means the purity and sincerity of a person in his worship of God. But oil also has its own special meanings. Oil is the oil of the fruits of olive trees, olives. Also in Old Testament The Lord commanded Moses to offer a clean, sediment-free oil as a sacrifice to God (). Witnessing purity human relations to God, oil is a sign of God's mercy to people: it softens wounds, renders healing action favors food.

large liturgical and mysterious meaning have lamps and candles. They burn in the altar behind the throne in a special lamp (semicandlestick), the lampada or candle in the candlestick is placed on the High Place, on the throne, on the altar, lamps can also be lit at individual icons in the altar.

In the middle part of the temple, lamps are usually lit at all icons, and near especially revered icons, several lamps are lit; in addition, large candlesticks with cells for many candles are placed so that believers can put here the candles they bring to these icons. A large candlestick is always placed in the center of the temple on the eastern side of the lectern, where the icon of the day lies. A special candlestick with a large candle is taken out at the small entrances at vespers and liturgy, at the great entrance at the liturgy, and also in front of the Gospel when it is taken out at the entrances or for reading. This candle marks the light of Christ's preaching. Christ Himself, as the Light from the Light, the true Light. The candle in the candlestick has the same meaning, with which, together with the censer at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, the priest blesses the people with the words "The Light of Christ enlightens all." Candles in hierarchal dikiriyas and trikiriyas have special spiritual significance. During the censing of the temple, in statutory cases, the deacon precedes the censing priest with a special deacon candle, which marks the light of the apostolic sermon, preceding the acceptance of faith in Christ among the nations, that is, as it were, preceding Christ coming to the people. Lit candles in the hands of the priests are in the cases of worship provided for by the Charter. With a special lamp with three candles, the priest blesses the people for Easter services. In the central part of the temple, a large lamp descends from the dome downwards with many fires, lit on the prescribed occasions - a chandelier or a chandelier. From the domes of the side aisles, similar smaller lamps, called polycandyles, descend into the temple. Polycandyles have from seven to twelve lamps, chandeliers - more than twelve.

Church lamps are different. Candlesticks of all kinds, in addition to their practical purpose, symbolize that spiritual height, thanks to which the light of faith shines on everyone in the house, the whole world. The chandelier (multi-candlesticks, translated from Greek), descending from above into the central part of the temple, the ipolikandila, located in the side aisles, with many of their lights mean Heaven proper as a gathering, a constellation of people sanctified by the grace of the Holy Spirit, enlightened by the light of faith, burning with the fire of love for God living inseparably together in the light of the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, these lamps descend from above into that part of the temple where the assembly of the earthly Church stands, called to spiritually strive upward, towards its heavenly brethren. The Heavenly Church illuminates the Earthly Church with its light, drives away darkness from it - such is the meaning of hanging chandeliers and polycandyles.

On the iconostasis and almost in front of every icon-case in the temple there are one or several lamps, there are candlesticks with burning candles. “The lamps burning in front of the icons mean that the Lord is an impregnable light and a consuming fire for unrepentant sinners, and for the righteous, purifying and life-giving fire; that the Mother of God is the Mother of light and the purest light Herself, unflickering, shining throughout the universe, that she is a burning and unburned bush, which has received the fire of the Divine into Herself without burning - the fiery throne of the Almighty ... that the saints are lamps burning and shining throughout the world with their faith and virtues ... “(St. rights.).

“Candles in front of the icons of the Savior mean that He is the true Light, enlightening every person coming into the world (), and at the same time the Fire that consumes or revives souls, our bodies; candles in front of the icons of the Mother of God mean that She is the Mother of impregnable Light, and together with fiery love for the human race; that She bore the fire of the Divine in her womb and is unburned and eternally bears in Herself the fire of the Divine that has dwelled in Her; candles in front of the icons of the saints mean the fiery love of the saints for God, for whose sake they sacrificed everything that is dear to a person in life ... they mean that they are lamps that burn for us and shine with their lives, their virtues and our ardent prayer books before God, day and night praying for us; burning candles mean both our ardent zeal for them and the sacrifice of the heart ... "

The lamp hanging in front of the icon symbolizes the ancient pillar of fire that Israel brought out at night.

Candles burning on a candlestick, placed around the lamp, remind the one praying about the bush, about the thorn bush, which burned, but did not burn out, and in which God appeared to Moses. The burning but not burning bush especially represented the Mother of God.

Candles, set in regular circles, denote the chariot that captured Elijah, and the circles themselves depict, as it were, the wheels of this chariot.

“The fire of burning ... candles and lamps, as well as the censer itself with hot coals and fragrant incense, serve for us as an image of spiritual fire - the Holy Spirit, descending in fiery tongues on the apostles, falling into our sinful filth, enlightening our minds and hearts, igniting our souls with flame love for God and for each other: the fire in front of the holy icons reminds us of the fiery love of the saints for God, because of which they hated the world and all its charms, all untruth; reminds us that we must serve God, pray to God with a fiery spirit, which for the most part we do not have, for we have cold hearts. - So in the temple everything is instructive and there is nothing idle, unnecessary ”( St. rights.).

The rule of burning candles in the temple

The burning of candles in the temple is a special act, closely connected with the hymns and sacred services.

In everyday worship, when almost all prayers express one thing: repentance, contrition and sorrow for sins, and lighting is the smallest: in some places a single candle or lamp is lit. On festive days, such as on Sundays, when the victory of Christ the Savior over death and the devil is remembered, or, for example, when people who especially pleased God are glorified, the church expresses its triumph with great light. It's already on fire polycandyla or as we say chandelier that, with Greek, means many-lighters. Into the greatest of Christian holidays- in light Christ's Resurrection not only the whole church is illuminated, but all Orthodox stand with lighted candles.

So, the more joyfully and solemnly the divine service is performed in the Temple, the more light there is. The Church Charter prescribes to light more candles during more joyful and solemn services, and less during less solemn, or sad, fasting ones. Therefore, fewer lamps are lit at Compline, Midnight Office, and the Hours than at Vespers, Matins, and Liturgy.

During the reading of the Six Psalms, the candles in the temple are extinguished. This is done so that the psalms, expressing the consciousness of their sinful state, depicting many enemies seeking to destroy the soul and body, are obeyed with attention and fear, and, as the Holy Fathers wrote, so that everyone, standing in the dark, could sigh and shed a tear.

The darkness during the reading of the Six Psalms is especially conducive to concentration and inward turning of one's soul.

In the middle of the Six Psalms, the priest, as if taking upon himself the title of Intercessor and Redeemer of the entire human race, goes to the pulpit and before the royal doors, as before a closed paradise, brings God a prayer for all people, secretly reciting lamp prayers. One of the explanations for the prayers of the lamp indicates that they are called so because they contain thanksgiving to God for the night light given to us in candles, and a prayer that the Lord, under the guise of material light, would instruct us and teach us to walk in truth. He writes about such thanksgiving and prayer: “Our fathers did not deign to accept the grace of the evening light in silence, but to give thanks as soon as it appears.” In the prophetic verse "God the Lord and appear to us" two comings of Christ are glorified: the first, as it were, in the morning, being in the flesh and in poverty, and the second in glory, which will take place, as it were, at night, at the end of the world.

During the proclamation of the peace litany, all the candles in the temple are lit, signifying that they have been shone with the glory of the Lord. At the liturgy, as at the most solemn Divine service, on all days of the year (that is, weekdays and holidays), more candles are lit than at other services. The first candle is lit at the place where the Divine Service begins - on the altar. Then candles are lit on the throne. “Burning candles on the throne depict the uncreated trinity Light, for the Lord lives in the unapproachable light (), and the fire of the Godhead, consuming our ungodliness and sins” (St. John of Kronstadt). These candles are lit by the deacon or the priest himself. After that, burning candles are placed in front of the icons of the Savior, the Mother of God, the temple and saints.

At the beginning of the reading of St. Gospels, candles, as in ancient times, are lit in the entire temple, in the image of the fact that the light of Christ enlightens the whole earth.

Lighting candles in the temple is part of the service, it is a sacrifice to God, and just as it is impossible to violate the decorum in the temple with unworthy, restless behavior, it is also impossible to create a mess by passing your candle through the entire temple during the service, or, even worse, squeezing to the candlestick to install it yourself.

If someone is late for the service, let him wait until the end of the service, and then, if he has such a desire or need, put a candle, without distracting others and without violating good order.

Candles and lamps are lit not only in the Temple, but also in the homes of pious Christians. Reverend Seraphim, the great intercessor before God for the living and the dead, explained the great significance of candles and lamps in this way: “I have ... many people who are zealous for me and do good to my mill orphans. They bring me oil and candles and ask me to pray for them. So, when I read my rule, I remember them first once. And since, by the multitude of names, I will not be able to repeat them at every place of the rule, where it should be, then I would not have enough time to complete my rule, then I put all these candles for them as a sacrifice to God, for each one a candle, for others I constantly warm the lamps; and where it is necessary to commemorate them on the rule, I say: “Lord, remember all those people, Thy servants, for their souls I kindled for you the wretched one, these candles and kandila (that is, lamps)”. And that this is not my, wretched Seraphim, human invention, or so, my simple zeal, not based on anything Divine, then I will give you a confirmation of the word of Divine Scripture. The Bible says that Moses heard the voice of the Lord saying to him, “Moses, Moses! Rtsy to your brother Aaron, may he kindle shackles before Me in days and in burdens: this is more pleasing before Me and the sacrifice is favorable to Me. So this is why the Holy Church of God has made it a custom to light shackles, or lampadas, in holy churches and in the homes of faithful Christians, before the holy icons of the Lord, the Mother of God, holy angels and holy people. pleasing to God."

As we can see, the church candle is the sacred property of Orthodoxy. She is a symbol of our spiritual union with the holy Mother Church.

The candle reminds us of our baptism. Three candles are placed on the font itself, in the sign of the Holy Trinity, in whose name baptism takes place. Our recipients, having pronounced for us the vows of renunciation of Satan and union with Christ, with candles in their hands, stood at this font. The candles that they held in their hands showed the belief that this sacrament gives the soul of the baptized enlightenment, that the baptized goes from darkness to light and becomes the son of light, which is why baptism itself is called enlightenment.

A candle reminds us of our marriage. Candles are given to those who are getting engaged and getting married. Burning candles in the hands of those who marry testify to the purity of their life. By means of candles lit by the newlyweds, the purity of marriage shines, as it were. The sacrament of unction also takes place with candles. Near a lamp or other vessel with wine and oil, seven candles are lit in the image of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, and all those present hold lit candles in their hands as a sign of their fiery prayer.

A funeral ceremony takes place with candles, and the candle reminds us that we will also lie in a coffin, surrounded by four candlesticks with burning candles, symbolizing the cross, and our relatives and friends will hold burning candles in their hands during the memorial service, depicting Divine light, and with which the Christian was enlightened in baptism.

One kind of church candle can evoke in the soul Orthodox person the deepest thoughts about life and death, about sin and repentance, about sorrow and joy. A church candle says a lot, a lot to both the feeling and the mind of the believer.

The spiritual meaning of the church candle - our sacrifice to God

A burning candle is a symbol, a visible sign, it expresses our ardent love of goodwill towards the one to whom the candle is lit. And if there is no this love and good will, then the candles have no meaning, our sacrifice is in vain.

Unfortunately, this happens often, too often. Many who put candles “about health”, “about repose”, about the success of any business, not only do not like those who put these candles, but do not even know to whom they put these candles.

It is customary to put candles to your Angel, that is, to the saint whose name they bear. How many people know the life of their saint? And not knowing whether it is possible to love him?

Some of us remember God, the Mother of God, the saints only after entering the church, and even then for a few minutes, and think that it is enough to put a candle in front of the icon, and our prayer will be fulfilled - as if God, the Mother of God and the saints need candles!

Often living as unbelievers, as pagans, or even worse, not knowing the Law of God, we think that by putting a candle we have fulfilled our duty, become pure and righteous - as if a candle can plead and propitiate God for us!

It could be worse. Some not only do not consider it a sin to deceive, oppress, rob another, but they also rejoice when they manage to do it. And then they think that if on a holiday they set up candles in a church or lit a lamp at home in front of an icon, then God will not punish them for lying, for deceit, for offending people.

How terribly wrong these people are! Without love for God, without love for one's neighbor as for oneself, without fulfilling the commandments of the Lord, our candles are not needed. Nobody demands them from us. God requires us to love Him with all our heart, honor Him with all our soul, steadily fulfill His holy commandments, and glorify Him with all our lives. His holy saints - it is desirable that we be imitators of them, just as they were imitators of Christ, so that we, like them, and with all diligence, with all diligence, follow those who live in the image of those who pleased God, and did not follow the enemies of the cross of Christ, them but death is destruction, God is their womb, and glory is in their study, an earthly hedgehog. If we live like this, if in our soul is the light of God, in our heart is the fire of love for Him and for those who please Him, and zeal to imitate them, then we will put candles and light lamps in front of their images: both, as a visible expression of our inner light and fire, will please them.

And if in our soul the darkness is impenetrable; if our life is sin and lawlessness, why are our candles and lamps? Absolutely nothing! Yes, and it would be nice, if only - nothing. No, they offend the Lord God and His saints and arouse not love and mercy, but anger and punishment. After all, imagine: someone who has robbed millions of rubles by deceit and lawlessness and then thinks that with a dozen candles he will not only close all his lawless deeds, but also deserve mercy from God - what does he want and hope to do? Deceive the Lord God, bribe His holy justice? Yes, it's scary to think and say, but it's true. Otherwise, why are there candles in his hands? Are they evidence that he loves God? If he had loved God, he would have lived according to God; not living by God's commandments It means he does not love and does not know Him. What's with the candles? Lies and deceit - like lies and deceit are all his words; as lies and deceit are all his oaths; as lies and deceit are all his actions. But words, oaths and actions refer to people; and candles are offered to God and His saints… And this is how they think to please the Lord God, Who sees our every deed, every word and every thought! And it's strange how a person can blind himself. What honest man would accept anything from a thief and robber? Not only will he not accept, but he will also consider it an insult if such a person dares to come to him with something. And here from what was obtained by deceit and all sorts of lies, which is also theft and. the same robbery, put candles. Who do they think God is? Or do they really think that God is pleased and pleased with that which would offend any honest person? Deadly delusion! It is all the more disastrous that they completely calm down on their candles and are convinced that by lighting the candles they can continue to commit lawlessness fearlessly and with impunity.

“Why do I need your many victims? You come to appear before Me; but who demands this from your hands, that you trample on my yard. Bring me no more empty gifts. Your smoking is disgusting to Me. Your new moons, your fasts and festive gatherings, my soul hates. They are a burden to me, and I will no longer endure your iniquities. When you stretch out your hands to Me, I will turn My eyes away from you. And no matter how much you pray, I will not listen to you.” This is the verdict of the Lord God Himself over all the sacrifices that are brought to Him, that is, over the candles, when those who bring them do not care about the most important thing - about pleasing Him with their lives! If even now a prophet of God appeared among us, then how many, many would he say in the name of the Lord God: your candles are an abomination to Me; my soul hates your fasts and feasts. And who demanded this from you? Wash yourself first from your wickedness; take away the wickedness from your souls before my eyes, stop from your wickedness, learn to do good, seek judgment (be fair and honest) and only then come here with your candles. Otherwise, whenever you stretch out your hands to Me, I will turn My eyes away from you; If you multiply your prayer, I will not hear you.

According to the saint righteous John Kronstadtsky: “Putting candles in front of the icons is good. But it is better if you sacrifice to God the fire of love for Him and for your neighbor. It's good if both happen together. If you put candles, but you don’t have love for God and your neighbor in your heart: you are stingy, you don’t live peacefully, then your sacrifice to God is in vain. And the last. Candles should be purchased only in the Temple where you came to pray. It is impossible to bring candles with you, bought even in a pious place, but outside the walls of the Temple, and put these candles in front of the icons.

A candle purchased in the Temple is an object of reverence for a believer, it is intended to serve as a sacrifice to God, into the stench of a spiritual fragrance. The candle you bought outside the walls of the Temple and then brought to the Temple is not a sacrifice.

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Instruction to an Orthodox Christian about a church candle. - M .: Moscow Compound of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra; " A new book", 1996 - 32 p.

How to light candles in a church? What does this mean, what is it for? This article is an instruction to an Orthodox Christian about a church candle.

How did the custom of lighting candles and lamps arise?

The custom of putting candles in churches came to Russia from Greece, from which, under the holy Prince Vladimir, the Orthodox faith was received by our ancestors. But this custom did not originate in the Greek churches.
Candles and oil lamps were used in temples in ancient times. The command to build a candlestick of pure gold with seven lamps is one of the first given to Moses by the Lord (Ex. 25:31-37).
In the Old Testament tabernacle of Moses, lamps were a necessary accessory for the Holy Office and were lit in the evening before the Lord (Ex. 30:8). In the temple of Jerusalem, simultaneously with the daily morning sacrifice performed in the courtyard of the temple, in the sanctuary, the high priest silently, reverently prepared the lamps for the evening kindling, and in the evening, after the evening sacrifice, he lit the lamps for the whole night.
Burning lamps, lamps served as a symbol of God's guidance. “You, O Lord, are my lamp,” exclaims King David (II Kings XXII, 29). “Your word is a lamp to my feet,” he says elsewhere (Ps. CXVIII, 105).
From the temple to the houses of the Old Testament believers, the use of lamps at Sabbath and other festive suppers, especially at Easter, passed. Since the Lord Jesus Christ “in the night, betraying himself in the nude, moreover, betraying Himself for the life of the world and salvation”, also celebrated Pascha, it can be assumed that in the upper room of Zion, which is the prototype of Orthodox churches, at the first celebration of the Most Holy the Eucharist, the lamps were also lit.

In the first centuries of Christianity, candles were always lit during worship.

On the one hand, there was a need for this: Christians, persecuted by pagans, retired to the dungeons and catacombs for worship, and besides, worship services were most often performed at night, and it was impossible to do without lamps. But for another, and the main reason, lighting had a spiritual meaning. “We never celebrate divine services without lamps,” said the teacher of the Church Tertullian, “but we use them not only to drive away the darkness of the night, but we celebrate the Liturgy in daylight; but in order to depict Christ through this - the uncreated light, without which we would wander in darkness even in the middle of the day.
At the end of the second century, God performed a miracle in the Jerusalem Church: when there was no oil for the lamps in the church on Easter, Bishop Narkis ordered to pour well water into the lamps - and they burned all Easter, as if they were filled with the best oil. When persecution ceased on the Church of Christ. and peace came, the custom of lighting lamps and candles remained.
Not a single divine service, not a single sacred action was performed, as it is not performed now, without lamps.
In Old Testament times, an inextinguishable lamp burned before the book of the Law of Moses, signifying that the Law of God is a lamp for a person in his life. And since in the New Testament times the Law of God is contained in the Gospel, the Jerusalem Church made it a rule to carry a burning candle before the Gospel was brought out, and to light all the candles while reading the Gospel, signifying that the light of the Gospel enlightens every person.
This custom has passed to other local Churches. Subsequently, they began to put candles and light lamps not only in front of the Gospel, but also in front of other sacred objects, in front of the tombs of the martyrs, in front of the icons of saints, in commemoration of their goodwill towards the shrine. Jerome in a letter against Vigilantsius testifies: “in all the Churches of the East, when the Gospel is read, candles are lit even in the sunshine, truly not to drive away darkness, but as a sign of joy, in order to show light under the image of sensual light ... Others do this in honor martyrs."

“The icon lamps and candles are the image of the eternal Light, and also mean the light with which the righteous shine,” says St. Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem (VII century). The Holy Fathers of the VII Ecumenical Council determine that in the Orthodox Church the holy icons and relics, the Cross of Christ, the Holy Gospel are given honor by burning incense and lighting candles. Blessed Simeon of Thessalonica (XV century) writes that “candles are also lit before the icons of the saints, for the sake of their good deeds in the world…”

The symbolic meaning of candles, candlesticks, lamps and light in the temple

Ancient Byzantine-Russian churches had very narrow windows, which created twilight, dusk in the temple even on the brightest day. But it is not darkness, not the total absence of light. This means earthly human life, immersed in the twilight of sin and ignorance, in which, however, the light of faith, the light of God, shines: “The light shines in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” (John 1, 5). The twilight in the temple is an image of that mental spiritual twilight, the veil that generally surrounds the mysteries of God. The small narrow windows of ancient temples, symbolizing the sources of Divine light, therefore created such an environment in the temples that exactly corresponded to the quoted words of the Gospel and correctly reflected the nature of things in the spiritual realm of life.

External light was allowed inside the temple only as an image of immaterial light, and in a very limited amount. Light in the proper sense for the church consciousness is only the Divine light, the light of Christ, the light of the future life in the Kingdom of God. This determines the nature of the internal illumination of the temple. It was never intended to be light. Temple lamps have always had a spiritual and symbolic meaning. They are also lit during the day, during daytime services, when the light from the windows is sufficient for general illumination. In statutory cases, church lamps during evening and night services can be lit in a very small amount, and when reading the Six Psalms at the All-Night Vigil, all candles are supposed to be extinguished, except for the candle in the middle of the church, where the reader stands, in front of the icons of Christ, the Mother of God and the temple in the iconostasis. The darkness in the temple becomes very thick. But complete darkness never happens: "The light shines in the darkness." But during the festive and Sunday services, all the lamps are lit according to the order, including the upper ones - the chandelier and the polycandilo, creating an image of that full light of God that will shine upon the faithful in the Kingdom of Heaven and is already contained in the spiritual meaning of the celebrated event. The symbolic nature of the light in the church is also evidenced by the structure and composition of burning candles and lamps. In ancient times, waxes and lees were offerings of believers to the temple as voluntary sacrifices. Liturgist of the 15th century. Blessed Simeon, Archbishop of Thessalonica, explaining the symbolic meaning of wax, says that pure wax means the purity and innocence of the people who bring it. It is brought as a sign of our repentance in perseverance and readiness to continue to obey God, like the softness and suppleness of wax. Just as wax worked out by bees after collecting nectar from many flowers and trees symbolically means an offering to God, as it were, on behalf of the whole creation, so the burning of a wax candle, like turning wax into fire, means deification, the transformation of an earthly person into a new creature by the action of fire and warmth of Divine love and grace.

Oil, like wax, also means the purity and sincerity of a person in his worship of God. But oil also has its own special meanings. Oil is the oil of the fruits of olive trees, olives. Even in the Old Testament, the Lord commanded Moses that clean oil without sediment should be offered as a sacrifice to God (Exodus 27:20). Testifying to the purity of human relations with God, oil is a sign of God's mercy to people: it softens wounds, has a healing effect, and approves food.
Icon lamps and candles have great liturgical and mysterious significance. They burn in the altar behind the throne in a special lamp (semicandlestick), the lampada or candle in the candlestick is placed on the High Place, on the throne, on the altar, lamps can also be lit at individual icons in the altar.

In the middle part of the temple, lamps are usually lit at all icons, and near especially revered icons, several lamps are lit; in addition, large candlesticks are placed with cells for many candles, so that believers can put here the candles they bring to these icons. A large candlestick is always placed in the center of the temple on the eastern side of the lectern, where the icon of the day lies. A special candlestick with a large candle is taken out at the small entrances at vespers and liturgy, at the great entrance at the liturgy, and also in front of the Gospel when it is taken out at the entrances or for reading. This candle marks the light of Christ's preaching. Christ Himself, as the Light from the Light, the true Light. A candle in a candlestick has the same meaning, with which, together with a censer, at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, the priest blesses the people with the words “The Light of Christ enlightens all.” Candles in hierarchal dikiriyas and trikiriyas have special spiritual significance. During the censing of the temple, in statutory cases, the deacon precedes the censing priest with a special deacon candle, which marks the light of the apostolic sermon, preceding the acceptance of faith in Christ among the nations, that is, as it were, preceding Christ coming to the people. Lit candles in the hands of the priests are in the cases of worship provided for by the Charter. With a special lamp with three candles, the priest blesses the people at Easter services. In the central part of the temple, a large lamp descends from the dome downwards with many fires, lit on the prescribed occasions - a chandelier or a chandelier. From the domes of the side aisles, similar smaller lamps, called polycandyles, descend into the temple. Polycandyles have from seven to twelve lamps, chandeliers - more than twelve.

Church lamps are different. Candlesticks of all kinds, in addition to their practical purpose, symbolize that spiritual height, thanks to which the light of faith shines on everyone in the house, the whole world. Pan and kandilo (many candlesticks, translated from Greek), descending from above into the central part of the temple, and polykandila, located in the side aisles, with many of their lights mean the heavenly The Church as a gathering, a constellation of people sanctified by the grace of the Holy Spirit, enlightened by the light of faith, burning with the fire of love for God, abiding together inseparably in the light of the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, these lamps descend from above into that part of the temple where the assembly of the earthly Church stands, called to spiritually strive upward, towards its heavenly brethren. The Heavenly Church illuminates the Earthly Church with its light, drives away darkness from it - such is the meaning of hanging chandeliers and polycandyles.

On the iconostasis and almost in front of every icon-case in the temple there are one or several lamps, there are candlesticks with burning candles. “The lamps burning in front of the icons mean that the Lord is an impregnable light and a consuming fire for unrepentant sinners, but for the righteous, purifying and life-giving fire; that the Mother of God is the Mother of light and the purest light Herself, unflickering, shining throughout the universe, that she is a burning and unburned bush, which has received the fire of the Divine into Herself without burning - the fiery throne of the Almighty ... that the saints are lamps burning and shining throughout the world with their faith and virtues ... ”(St. Right. John of Kronstadt).

“Candles in front of the icons of the Savior mean that He is the true Light, enlightening every person coming into the world (John 1, 9), and at the same time the Fire that consumes or revives souls, our bodies; candles in front of the icons of the Mother of God mean that She is the Mother of impregnable Light, and together with fiery love for the human race; that She bore the fire of the Divine in her womb and is unburned and eternally bears in Herself the fire of the Divine that has dwelled in Her; candles in front of the icons of the saints mean the fiery love of the saints for God, for whose sake they sacrificed everything that is dear to a person in life ... they mean that they are lamps that burn for us and shine with their lives, their virtues and our ardent prayer books before God, day and night praying for us; burning candles mean both our ardent zeal for them and the sacrifice of the heart ... ”

The lamp hanging in front of the icon symbolizes the ancient pillar of fire that Israel brought out at night.

Candles, set in regular circles, denote the chariot that captured Elijah, and the circles themselves depict, as it were, the wheels of this chariot.

“The fire of burning ... candles and lamps, as well as the censer itself with hot coals and fragrant incense, serve for us as an image of spiritual fire - the Holy Spirit, who descended in fiery tongues on the apostles, falling into our sinful filth, enlightening our minds and hearts, igniting our souls with flame love for God and for each other: the fire in front of the holy icons reminds us of the fiery love of the saints for God, because of which they hated the world and all its charms, all untruth; reminds us that we must serve God, pray to God with a fiery spirit, which for the most part we do not have, for we have cold hearts. “So everything in the church is instructive and there is nothing idle, unnecessary” (St. Right. John of Kronstadt).

How to put candles in the church?

The burning of candles in the temple is a special act, closely connected with the hymns and sacred services.
In everyday worship, when almost all prayers express one thing: repentance, contrition and sorrow for sins, and lighting is the smallest: in some places a single candle or lamp is lit. On festive days, such as on Sundays, when the victory of Christ the Savior over death and the devil is remembered, or, for example, when people who especially pleased God are glorified, the church expresses its triumph with great light. Here, polykandila is already kindled, or, as we say, pannikadila, which, from the Greek language, means many luminaries. On the greatest of Christian holidays - on the bright Resurrection of Christ, not only the whole church is illuminated, but all Orthodox stand with lighted candles.
So, the more joyfully and solemnly the divine service is performed in the Temple, the more light there is. The Church Charter prescribes to light more candles during more joyful and solemn services, and less during less solemn, or sad, fasting ones. Therefore, fewer lamps are lit at Compline, Midnight Office, and the Hours than at Vespers, Matins, and Liturgy.
During the reading of the Six Psalms, the candles in the temple are extinguished. This is done so that the psalms, expressing the consciousness of their sinful state, depicting many enemies seeking to destroy the soul and body, are obeyed with attention and fear, and, as the Holy Fathers wrote, so that everyone, standing in the dark, could sigh and shed a tear.
The darkness during the reading of the Six Psalms is especially conducive to concentration and inward turning of one's soul.
In the middle of the Six Psalms, the priest, as if taking on the title of Intercessor and Redeemer of the entire human race, goes to the altar and before the royal doors, as before a closed paradise, brings God a prayer for all people, secretly reciting prayers of light. One of the explanations for the prayers of the lamp indicates that they are called so because they contain thanksgiving to God for the night light given to us in candles, and a prayer that the Lord, under the guise of material light, would instruct us and teach us to walk in truth. Basil the Great writes about such thanksgiving and prayer: “Our fathers did not deign to accept the grace of the evening light in silence, but to give thanks as soon as it appears.” In the prophetic verse “God the Lord and appear to us” two comings of Christ are glorified: the first, as it were, in the morning, being in the flesh and in poverty, and the second in glory, which will take place, as it were, at night, at the end of the world.
During the proclamation of the peaceful etenia, all the candles in the temple are lit, signifying that they have been shone with the glory of the Lord. At the liturgy, as at the most solemn Divine service, on all days of the year (that is, weekdays and holidays), more candles are lit than at other services. The first candle is lit at the place where the Divine Service begins - on the altar. Then candles are lit on the throne. “The burning candles on the throne depict the uncreated trinity Light, for the Lord lives in the unapproachable light (1 Tim. 6), and the fire of the Godhead, consuming our ungodliness and sins” (St. Right. John of Kronstadt). These candles are lit by the deacon or the priest himself. After that, burning candles are placed in front of the icons of the Savior, the Mother of God, the temple and saints.
At the beginning of the reading of St. Gospels, candles, as in ancient times, are lit in the entire temple, in the image of the fact that the light of Christ enlightens the whole earth.

If you want to light a candle, come before the service begins. It is sad to see how those who came to the temple in the middle of the service, who were late, at the most crucial and solemn moments of the Divine Service, when everything freezes in thanksgiving to God, violate the decency in the temple, passing their candles, distracting other believers.
If someone is late for the service, let him wait until the end of the service, and then, if he has such a desire or need, put a candle, without distracting others and without violating good order.
Candles and lamps are lit not only in the Temple, but also in the homes of pious Christians. The Monk Seraphim, the great intercessor before God for the living and the dead, explained the great significance of candles and lamps in this way: “I have ... many people who are zealous for me and do good to my mill orphans. They bring me oil and candles and ask me to pray for them. So, when I read my rule, I remember them first once. And since, by the multitude of names, I will not be able to repeat them at every place of the rule, where it should be, then I would not have enough time to complete my rule, then I put all these candles for them as a sacrifice to God, for each one a candle, for others I constantly warm the lamps; and where it is necessary to commemorate them on the rule, I say: “Lord, remember all those people, Thy servants, for their souls I kindled for you the wretched one, these candles and kandila (that is, lamps).” And that this is not my, wretched Seraphim, human invention, or so, my simple zeal, not based on anything Divine, then I will give you a confirmation of the word of Divine Scripture. The Bible says that Moses heard the voice of the Lord saying to him, “Moses, Moses! Rtsy to your brother Aaron, may he kindle shackles before Me in days and in burdens: this is more pleasing before Me and the sacrifice is favorable to Me. So this is why the Holy Church of God has made it a custom to light shackles, or lampadas, in holy churches and in the homes of faithful Christians, before the holy icons of the Lord, the Mother of God, holy angels and holy people. pleasing to God."

As we can see, the church candle is the sacred property of Orthodoxy. She is a symbol of our spiritual union with the holy Mother Church.
The candle reminds us of our baptism. Three candles are placed on the font itself, in the sign of the Holy Trinity, in whose name baptism takes place. Our recipients, having pronounced for us the vows of renunciation of Satan and union with Christ, with candles in their hands, stood at this font. The candles that they held in their hands showed the belief that this sacrament gives the soul of the baptized enlightenment, that the baptized goes from darkness to light and becomes the son of light, which is why baptism itself is called enlightenment.
A candle reminds us of our marriage. Candles are given to those who are getting engaged and getting married. Burning candles in the hands of those who marry testify to the purity of their life. By means of candles lit by the newlyweds, the purity of marriage shines, as it were. The sacrament of unction also takes place with candles. Near a lamp or other vessel with wine and oil, seven candles are lit in the image of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, and all those present hold lit candles in their hands as a sign of their fiery prayer.
A funeral ceremony takes place with candles, and the candle reminds us that we will also lie in a coffin, surrounded by four candlesticks with burning candles, symbolizing the cross, and our relatives and friends will hold burning candles in their hands during the memorial service, depicting Divine light, And) by which the Christian was enlightened in baptism.
One kind of a church candle can evoke in the soul of an Orthodox person the deepest thoughts about life and death, about sin and repentance, about sorrow and joy. A church candle says a lot, a lot to both the feeling and the mind of the believer.

The spiritual meaning of the church candle - our sacrifice to God

Candles that believers buy in the temple to put in candlesticks near icons have several spiritual meanings: since a candle is bought, it is a sign of a person’s voluntary sacrifice to God and His temple, an expression of a person’s readiness to obey God (softness of wax), his desire for deification , transformation into a new creature (candle burning). The candle is also evidence of faith, the involvement of man in the Divine light. The candle expresses the warmth and flame of a person's love for the Lord, the Mother of God, an Angel or a saint, at whose faces the believer places his candle.
A burning candle is a symbol, a visible sign, it expresses our ardent love of goodwill towards the one to whom the candle is lit. And if there is no this love and good will, then the candles have no meaning, our sacrifice is in vain.
Unfortunately, this happens often, too often. Many who put candles “for health”, “for peace”, about the success of any business, not only do not like those who put these candles, but do not even know who they put these candles.
It is customary to put candles to your Angel, that is, to the saint whose name they bear [ 1 ] And how many people know the life of their saint? And not knowing whether it is possible to love him?
Some of us remember God, the Mother of God, the saints only after entering the church, and even then for a few minutes, and think that it is enough to put a candle in front of the icon, and our prayer will be fulfilled - as if God, the Mother of God and the saints need candles!
Often living as unbelievers, as pagans, or even worse, not knowing the Law of God, we think that by putting a candle we have fulfilled our duty, become pure and righteous - as if a candle can plead and propitiate God for us!
It could be worse. Some not only do not consider it a sin to deceive, oppress, rob another, but they also rejoice when they manage to do it. And then they think that if on a holiday they set up candles in a church or lit a lamp at home in front of an icon, then God will not punish them for lying, for deceit, for offending people.
How terribly wrong these people are! Without love for God, without love for one's neighbor as for oneself, without fulfilling the commandments of the Lord, our candles are not needed. Nobody demands them from us. God requires us to love Him with all our heart, honor Him with all our soul, steadily fulfill His holy commandments, and glorify Him with all our lives. His holy saints - it is desirable that we be imitators of them, just as they were imitators of Christ [2], so that we are like them and with all diligence, with all diligence, follow those who live in the image of those who pleased God, and did not follow the enemies of the cross Christ's death is theirs, God's womb is theirs, and glory is in their study, the earthly hedgehog [3]. If we live like this, if in our soul is the light of God, in our heart is the fire of love for Him and for those who please
He and jealousy to imitate them - in this case, we will put candles and light lamps in front of their images: both, as a visible expression of our inner light and fire, will be pleasing to them.
And if in our soul the darkness is impenetrable; if our life is sin and lawlessness, why are our candles and lamps? Absolutely nothing! Yes, and it would be nice, if only - nothing. No, they offend the Lord God and His saints and arouse not love and mercy, but anger and punishment. After all, imagine: someone who has robbed millions of rubles by deceit and lawlessness and then thinks that with a dozen candles he will not only close all his lawless deeds, but also deserve mercy from God - what does he want and hope to do? Deceive the Lord God, bribe His holy justice? Yes, it's scary to think and say, but it's true. Otherwise, why are there candles in his hands? Are they evidence that he loves God? If he had loved God, he would have lived according to God; and does not live according to God's commandments, it means that he does not love and does not know Him. What's with the candles? Lies and deceit - like lies and deceit are all his words; as lies and deceit are all his oaths; as lies and deceit are all his actions. But words, oaths and actions refer to people; and candles are offered to God and His saints… And this is how they think to please the Lord God, Who sees our every deed, every word and every thought! And it's strange how a person can blind himself. What honest man would accept anything from a thief and robber? Not only will he not accept, but he will also consider it an insult if such a person dares to come to him with something. And here from what was obtained by deceit and all sorts of lies, which is also theft and. the same robbery, put candles. Who do they think God is? Or do they really think that God is pleased and pleased with that which would offend any honest person? Deadly delusion! It is all the more disastrous that they completely calm down on their candles and are convinced that by lighting the candles they can continue to commit lawlessness fearlessly and with impunity.

No not like this. Listen to what the Lord said to the Jews, who, in the same way, leading an unholy and lawless life, thought that if they offer any sacrifices to God, then for them they are pure before Him and pleasing to Him.
“Why do I need your many sacrifices? You come to appear before Me; but who demands this from your hands, that you trample on my yard. From now on, do not whine empty gifts to me. Your smoking is disgusting to Me. Your new moons, your fasts and festive gatherings, my soul hates. They are a burden to me, and I will no longer endure your iniquities. When you stretch out your hands to Me, I will turn My eyes away from you. And no matter how much you pray, I will not listen to you.” This is the verdict of the Lord God Himself over all the sacrifices that are brought to Him, that is, over the candles, when those who bring them do not care about the most important thing - about pleasing Him with their lives! If even now a prophet of God appeared among us, then how many, many would he say in the name of the Lord God: your candles are an abomination to Me; my soul hates your fasts and feasts. And who demanded this from you? Wash yourself first from your wickedness; take away the wickedness from your souls before my eyes, stop from your wickedness, learn to do good, seek judgment (be fair and honest) and only then come here with your candles. Otherwise, whenever you stretch out your hands to Me, I will turn My eyes away from you; If you multiply your prayer, I will not hear you.

A pure heart is the best sacrifice to God. With a pure heart, put a candle in front of the image, light the lamp at home - they will be pleasing to Him and His saints. And if your candle is the smallest of all the candles in the church, it will be more pleasing to Him than the thick candles of those mentioned above. But, we repeat, candles and lamps, by themselves, without our faith and diligence, mean nothing; never forget it. Don't put any hope in them: they won't save you if you don't take care and try to do it yourself; they will not bring favors from God if you do not love Him with all your soul. Do not forget also that all your prayers, all your sacrifices to the Lord God will be rejected by Him if you have evil in your heart against someone or are at enmity with your neighbors. This is what our Savior said: if you bring your gift to the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go, first make peace with your brother and then come and offer your gift [ 4 ]. That's the way it should be. You come to church to testify to the Lord God your love, your reverence; but: is it possible to truly love the Lord God without loving your loved ones? No. If anyone says that I love God, but hates his brother, there is a lie; for you love your brother in his own sight, God, but not in the sight of him, how can he love? And this is the commandment of the Imams from Him, that you love God, love your brother too.
According to the words of the holy righteous John of Kronstadt: “It is good to put candles in front of the icons. But it is better if you sacrifice to God the fire of love for Him and for your neighbor. It's good if both happen together. If you put candles, but you don’t have love for God and your neighbor in your heart: you are stingy, you don’t live peacefully, then your sacrifice to God is also in vain. And the last. Candles should be purchased only in the Temple where you came to pray. It is impossible to bring candles with you, bought even in a pious place, but outside the walls of the Temple, and put these candles in front of the icons.

Notes

1. At baptism, each newborn receives the name of some saint, whose prayers and patronage the person being baptized is entrusted with for life. Thus, a saint, as a prayer book, patron and intercessor before God, becomes another guardian angel for a person (everyone is given from God the so-called guardian angel at birth), which is why he is generally called an angel. Hence the day of the Angel - the day of remembrance of your saint.
2. See 1 Cor. II, 1.
3. Philip. 3.19.
4. Matt. V, 23, 24.

With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II

Instruction to an Orthodox Christian about a church candle.-M .: Moscow Compound of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra; "New Book", 1996 - 32 p.

V Orthodox churches It is customary to put candles in front of the icons and pray in front of them. Our ancestors knew all the rules for visiting church, setting candles and other customs of believers. Having been baptized at a conscious age, I was immediately taught how to lay sign of the cross and read the Our Father prayer. But I didn’t know how to put candles in the church correctly and the sequence of actions. It is terrible to put a funeral candle to the living, confusing the eve with the central candlestick at the main iconostasis. In the article we will analyze very important question about the setting of funeral and zazdravnye candles, as well as which icons you need to put zazdravnye candles.

What do candles in Orthodox churches symbolize? Everyone is familiar with that special atmosphere of silence and reverence for the shrine that lives in churches and cathedrals. Orthodox churches are distinguished by many lit wax candles in front of the icons. It turns out that the candle flame symbolizes the heart burning with faith in God and the believer's involvement in the divine light of truth.

Soft wax, melting from the flame, symbolizes the obedience of man and readiness to fulfill the commandments of God. Lighting a candle in a temple personifies a voluntary sacrifice to the Lord, service from a pure heart with faith and truth. Therefore, when lighting candles, prayers are read, and they do not simply perform a mechanical action.

The tradition of lighting candles and lamps dates back to the time of the first Christians, when they held services in the darkness of the caves. The light illuminated not only the inner darkness of the caves, but also the hearts of believers in Christ. Therefore, the tradition of lighting candles and lamps has been preserved to this day as an integral attribute of worship.

But not only during the liturgies candles are lit, they can be lit by the believer himself in front of the icons or the Holy Crucifix. And then the question arises, how to put a candle and where? A person looks at the surrounding people and their confident behavior in the temple, but cannot understand anything. Therefore, I want to explain to you what and how to do in the church with candles.

Healing and funeral candles

We all care about our loved ones and wish them health and well-being. Where, if not in the temple, can you pray for your relatives? Therefore, people come to the church of God with requests for healing, help in problems and everyday troubles. But they are afraid to put a candle in the wrong place, in the wrong place and in the wrong place. Orthodox rules. This creates a tense state of uncertainty instead of a trusting fellowship with the Lord.

In what cases are healthy candles placed:

before a long or dangerous trip;
before starting an important business (study, work);
in gratitude to God for mercy;
for help in solving difficult issues;
in gratitude for the healing;
on other issues.

What icons are candles placed on? Usually these are icons of the Virgin and the Savior. But a person can put a candle in front of any favorite icon, to which he called in a prayer request for help. You can light a candle at the central iconostasis, if there is a place for it.

Zadravnye candles can be placed on any icon, except for the Holy Crucifixion.

If a person came to pray for a drinking relative, you need to put a candle and read a prayer at the icon of the Virgin "Inexhaustible Chalice". With the help of prayers to this icon, it was possible to return to the path of truth many people who used to drink before. You can also put a candle near the icon of St. Boniface or John of Kronstadt.

In Orthodox churches there are miraculous icons, the meaning of which can be found on our website.

If you need to pray for healing, put candles on the icon of the Virgin "Healer" or the holy healer Panteleimon. The Miracle Worker is venerated by all Orthodox with great trust and love, and the prayers of many thousands of believers are addressed to him.

How to bet

First of all, you need to buy candles in the church shop. There are candles different sizes and appointments, so just ask for a congratulations. This should be done before the start of the service, so as not to walk around the temple and interfere with the liturgy. If you are late for the beginning of the service, you can put a candle at the end of the liturgy.

The believer should know that it is strictly forbidden to use matches or a lighter to light a candle. I light a candle from already burning candles on candlesticks. It is also forbidden to light a candle from a lamp, as dripping wax can extinguish its flame.

Place the lit candle in a free slot on the candlestick. If there is no free space for a candle, put it on a candlestick. Do not try to put two candles in one nest or extinguish and remove already burning candles. This is considered incorrect.

In what order are the candles placed? If you want to put several candles, you need to light them in the following order:

central iconostasis;
the relics of a temple saint;
icons of saints, the Mother of God or the Savior - for health;
Holy Crucifix at the eve - for the repose.

How to light a candle for peace? Funeral candles are placed at the very end, one candle per commemorated soul. They are lit at the Holy Crucifix, where Christ is depicted on the cross. This place is called eve.

church rules

Candles must be handled correctly. In front of the candlestick, you need to cross yourself twice and bow at the waist. Then a candle is lit from any burning candle and placed in the nest. After that, they are baptized again.

When can you stand in church with a lit candle in your hands? This is done only in two cases:

at the remission of sins;
at the memorial service.

Before the icon of the Savior they say:

Before the icon of the Mother of God they say:

Before the icon of the saint they say:

Answers on questions

If the candle fell, it does not bode well. Just light it again and place it securely in the candle holder.

If a candle begins to crackle and smoke in a candlestick, is this a harbinger of trouble? It's just that during the melting, droplets of water got into the wax, which create a crack when burning. Do not listen to the stories of superstitious people, they have nothing to do with the true faith.

Also, soot from a candle does not speak of trouble or damage, but of violations of the rules for the production of candles. Do not attach special importance to this and do not fear for your fate.

Also, the believer should know that unscrupulous people come to the church - witches and sorcerers. They come to the temple not to pray, but to do their obscene deeds. Therefore, if you notice strange behavior in someone, move away.

Don't let people walk around you with a lit candle.
Do not let a candle be lit from yours if you are holding it in your hands.
If you are asked to pass a candle, politely decline.
Your candle should be half burnt.
Do not allow the candle you set to be extinguished or carried away somewhere.
Do not give your belongings to anyone in the temple or in the temple courtyard.
Do not agree to hold someone's things if they ask for it.

By following these rules, you will protect yourself from the actions of witches and sorcerers who come to Holy place for blasphemous deeds - to throw off the disease, cause damage or take away health.

Hello dear readers of our blog! Today we will talk about things spiritual and sublime. Unfortunately, long years in our country, visiting temples, praying to the Almighty were considered obscurantism and an unworthy act Soviet man. As a result, a whole generation of people has grown up who do not know simple rules behavior in holy walls. About how to put candles for health in the church correctly, how to distinguish biblical prescriptions from ordinary superstitious signs, we learned from the stories and explanations of church ministers.

Why do we light candles

Candle in time symbolizes fire human soul, which, like the top of a flame, tends to height. As fire burns everything old, so prayer should cleanse the soul from sinful thoughts and evil deeds.

As soft wax melts, so suffering disappears into oblivion. Wax candle- a symbol of faith, a person's desire for repentance through prayer. Its other purpose is sacrificial.

The meaning of candles

Along with the sin of the first people, evil settled on earth. To atone for greed, pride, money-grubbing and other unreasonable actions, the Almighty appointed obligatory donations for charitable deeds.

Buying and burning church candle- the smallest sacrifice that we bring in atonement for our sins.

Advice. It does not matter how many candles, what they cost, the main thing is that the action is accompanied by a sincere repentant feeling.

How to put candles for health in the church: where to put them

There is no single definition of which side of the temple and which saints to light the sacrificial fire from in the code of church laws. Everything happens at the behest of the soul and heart.

The only restriction is that candles for health are not placed on the eve, that is, a specially designated table with a crucifix and a quadrangular candlestick. This is a resting place.

If you don’t often attend church and are confused, you don’t know at all which icon to approach, where to put a candle, use this advice:

This is not a prescription, but rather a tradition, but the first candle is usually lit in front of the image of Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, or in front of the central icon, revered in this particular church.
If there is a place within the walls of the temple where the relics of a saint are located, light your fire near him.
Do not ignore the Saint, who, by name, is your guardian angel.
If the memory of a certain great martyr is honored on the day of the visit, ask for mercy from him as well.

What icons are prayed to in certain cases

There are many reasons to turn with gratitude and ask for salvation to God. A candle "for health" is lit:

asking for recovery loved one;
before a long journey or the beginning of a serious business;
with gratitude for the salvation of the soul.

Everyone has their own life circumstances when God's help is needed. There are icons that are able to fulfill the special sincere appeals of the asker:

They ask the icon of the healer Great Martyr Panteleimon, Saint Matrona of Moscow or Mother of God"Healer".
The icon "The Inexhaustible Chalice" helps in the fight against alcoholism.
In resolving severe life situation with a prayer they turn to the faces of guardian angels by the name of the one for whom the prayer is said. Prayers are also offered to the protector angel for children.
To save the family, bow your heads before the images of Blessed Xenia of Petersburg, the Mother of God, St. Guria, Samon and Aviv.
With a prayer for the birth of a child, they turn to the righteous Saints Joachim and Anna.

How to light a candle correctly

It is important to perform all church procedures slowly, with deep repentance and gratitude to God:

Before the icon you have chosen, cross yourself several times.
Light your own from other candles. It is not customary to use matches or a lighter for this purpose in the church.
Melt the lower part a little, insert the candle into the free cell of the candlestick. Make sure that she does not fall, does not touch others.
If there is no free space on the candlestick, simply place your candle on the stand. Church servants will surely light it as soon as the cell is free. Do not worry that your request will not be heard.
The sacrifice has already been made, the prayer will definitely reach its destination.
Do not rush to leave, be sure to say a prayer to the saint near whom your fire is burning.

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Advice. Don't be discouraged if you don't know special words by heart. It will not be a heartlessly read text that will be heard, but a sincere plea, even if in your own words.

Why put candles for the health of enemies

The biblical commandment to love your neighbor applies to everyone, regardless of our attitude to the deeds of this or that person.

To forgive and wish good to someone who spoils your life is the most difficult moral test, but only God can judge. A candle for the health of the enemy implies forgiveness. You wish him health, and the Creator himself will determine the further development of events.

Why did the candle go out for health

When a lit candle goes out, many people have an unpleasant feeling of anxiety. You shouldn't take this to heart.

The clergy urge the laity not to replace the set of rules of conduct in the church, which are based on biblical commandments, with ordinary superstitions.

A candle can go out simply from a draft or Bad quality wick. Repeat the action a second time, or buy another candle.

Is it possible to put candles to the unbaptized

There is no strict ban on visiting the temple for a person who has not passed the sacrament of baptism. Anyone can buy and light a candle.

You should not mention an unbaptized person in health notes - the church prays only for its laity who have undergone a certain rite.

It is also possible to pray for the unbaptized, but whether God will fulfill requests - there is no single answer to this question.

Three candles in three churches - what does it mean?

Very often you can hear advice from omniscient persons that you can speed up the resolution of an unpleasant matter or recovery from a serious illness if you visit three churches in the morning service.

You can go around all the temples in the region, buy all the candles there, but if the action is turned into a mechanical observance of the ritual, the Creator is unlikely to respond to it.

Is it possible to put church candles at home

A candle purchased in the temple is placed at home in front of the images. It is lit not only during morning or evening prayer. Contemplation of the flame helps to calm down, direct thoughts in the right direction when solving important life issues. Church fire cleanses the house from demonic forces, and the soul from filth.

Now you know how to light candles for health in church and at home. Share this knowledge with your friends. Save you Lord. You want to visit our site more often and you will learn many more interesting things.

The flame of faith is symbolized by each candle lit in the temple. Its flame becomes not just a physical process of oxidation of the materials that make up the wick and wax, but Grace is present in it. On the day of Holy Easter, it acquires special properties and does not burn, but at other times its significance is also great.

Why do you need to know

An unchurched person often strives with his soul for consolation. But in those moments of life when he experiences grief, embarrassment often occurs with him. He sometimes does not know how to put candles in the church, and is very shy about this. Unfortunately, in almost any temple there is an overly zealous champion of the correct execution of rites.

With his remarks, he can exacerbate the sense of awkwardness experienced by those who come here infrequently. The conversation about the sinfulness of such behavior is special, because this is how pride manifests itself. Alas, it is usually difficult to re-educate such "guardians", but it is possible and necessary to give advice to new parishioners on how to put candles in the church.

Advice one - about clothes

In order not to provoke comments, you should dress appropriately. Women - cover their heads, close their hands, the skirt should be below the knees. Highly undesirable use cosmetics. The requirements for men are less stringent, but extravagance should still be avoided.

Tip two - how to enter the temple correctly

It is better to come to the temple, as soon as such a decision is made, not when it is convenient, but before the start of the service. Entering it, you should cross yourself three times, then buy candles. Now is the time to put them on.

Tip three - for health or for peace?

A.P. Chekhov has a funny story about an old woman who was always confused about whom to pray for. To prevent this from happening, it is better to think in advance how many candles will be needed. You can get by with two: one for the living, the other for the dead. It is not difficult to determine where to put candles in the church for each of these occasions. Candlesticks have two main shapes - round and rectangular. In the first, they put candles for health, in the second - for peace.

Tip four - how to put candles in the church

There are no special rules that strictly describe how to put a candle in a church. This can be done with either the right or left river. The main thing is not to rush. It is necessary to put faith, hope and love into this action. If the candlestick is filled with sand, then everything is very simple. If it is metal, then the bottom of the candle should be warmed up below, having previously ignited it from a lamp or other already burning wicks. You can do this not only before the service, but also during it. It is only necessary not to interfere with the prayers of other parishioners.

Tip five - in case there is nowhere to put a candle

It happens, especially on patronal feasts, that all the candlesticks are occupied. How to put candles in the church in this case? In no case should you worry about this, let alone get angry. The candle should simply be placed on the edge of the candlestick or close to it. It will be put up by other believers or servants as soon as the place becomes free. It remains only to rejoice that there are so many parishioners in the temple, and their faith is so strong.

Tip #6 - Do what everyone else does

This recommendation applies not only to how to put candles in the church, but in general to all behavior in the temple. Most parishioners, including the above-mentioned guardians for the purity of the faith, do not have a theological education, and at best know only the basic provisions of the service. Therefore, in the event that the remark nevertheless followed, it is not necessary to be offended by it. It is best to thank such an enlightened person and express joy over the knowledge gained. It is this kind of reaction that characterizes those who have delved into the very essence of Orthodoxy.