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lighting candles

Unknown
edited December 1969 in Faith Issues
Hello,
I'd like to know more about the significance and symbolism of lighting candles in front of the icons of saints. What is the spiritual symbolism of doing that?

If someone could explain that, and then tell me if this is OK:

If a church uses electric candles instead of real-candles, does that defeat the point of the candle?? I know some churches that have a 10x10 array of candles in front of icons or statues, and u have to put 20 cents for the light to come on, and then it turns off after 2 mins automatically.

Comments

  • joegjoeg
    Well, i think lighting a candle is a form of honouring and asking the supplication of a saint, before his/her icon

    As for the electric thing i dunno but that is impressive technology!
  • Unknown
    Yeah, catholic churches do it to save money from buying candles... especially in Italy!! Have u been there??

    Hahhah.. its so funny.. they are a bunch of jokers.

    A candle burning is a symbol of love, and of Christian-ship

    A candle is consumed within itself to give off light. That through its own consumption it provides warmth and light. So, this electric candle stuff worries me.
  • joegjoeg
    I dont think theres anything wrong with the electric thing, as long as the morals and reasons given with are good
  • Unknown
    I think when i say " they're a bunch of jokers" - i mean, they love joking around.. they're not serious about tradition.

    We pray the mass and say certain phrases in the liturgy? Don't we?? Well, if abouna gets tired, why can't he just put on cassette during the mass of a pre-recorded liturgy, and keep it running until he's better to pray himself??

    You see my point?? There's something missing in cutting corners...
  • kerestinakerestina
    We lit candles at church, referring to the heavens that is enlightened with the Lord Jesus Christ.

    We lit the candles on reading the Holy Bible because God's word is the world's light.

    The candle lights to others, likewise ought the Christian, he has to serve others on the expense of himself.
  • Unknown
    [quote author=josephgabriel link=board=1;threadid=4663;start=0#msg63599 date=1164058999]
    I dont think theres anything wrong with the electric thing


    I think its inane. What's the point of it?

    What next, replacing the censer for a deodorant spray can?
  • Unknown
    No.. the next is robotic priests. U put 10 dollars in and say a confession.
  • kerestinakerestina
    some coptic orthodox church's have used the electric lights when they had no candles around at all, but it was only a temporary measure

    geee $10 for a confession thats abit expensive, it better be of good qualitity
  • copcop
    im prety sure i go to a coptic churhc and we use electrical candles even for the deacons, to prevent fires kindy corny but prevents fires
  • Unknown
    Hey, Orthodox11,
    Did u see that? the two responses above? Apparently, we use electric candles in our church.

    So, what does that mean? What is the symbolism of the candles for lighting them up in front of the picture/icons of our saints??

    That's TWO questions no one has answered. No one answered either : How can we bless the Lord either.
  • looppoollooppool
    Hey vassilios,
    You can bless the Lord in many different ways:
    1. Saying thank You
    2. Worshipping Him (Matanya)
    3. Through singing the midnight tasbeha
    4. Psalms
    5. Praying "Our Father Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name" - in arabic its yatakadas asmak (blessed be your name)
    There are a lot of ways when you think about it!
    But keep in mind that we are the ones in need of God's blessing, and not the other way around!!!

    Pray for me.
  • Unknown
    Good point, but i think the original question was :

    When we say :"Bless the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord" ; then how can we bless Him?

    How can us, as sinners, bless the Lord?? Because the word "bless" has a meaning such as "God blessed Abraham with Isaac", God blessed me with a good job and wife, God blessed me with good friends..

    So, how then can we, being who we are, bless the lord. And as u correctly said, we bless the Lord by NOT cursing Him.. i.e. all our actions that are opposite of cursing..

    U said exactly what my mother said, but i still don't see why then we should say "bless the lord?"
  • looppoollooppool
    Hey,
    If you are thinking about it in earthly matters - God gives us something like job, wife, house, etc... then for sure, we can not give God "money" or something similar in return that would componsate. Instead, we can offer Him a humble heart.

    My humble heart can be a GREAT present to give to God, and in the context of giving and taking, this can count as blessing the Lord, or giving Him something!

    I don't agree with your statement about blessing the Lord by not cursing Him, because I don't bless the Lord we I steal - which is not a curse. So don't try to think about blessing God by your mouth, rather by your heart, thoughts, actions, and your feelings towards Him and others.

    Pray for me.

  • Unknown
    So, u disagree with me. Well mister, i have news for YOU!

    You published this topic in the wrong thread. This topic is about electric candles. The subject u are writing about is under "bless the lord".

    So, all i can say is : So THere!
  • kerestinakerestina
    [quote author=vassilios link=board=1;threadid=4663;start=0#msg63719 date=1164224987]
    Hey, Orthodox11,
    Did u see that? the two responses above? Apparently, we use electric candles in our church.


    and your point being? why be smart for? would you prefer us to lie and say that electric candles are not used to make you happy

    and there's a reason why people dont post on certain threads maybe because they dont know the ANSWER and dont want to misinform you
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