The custom of lighting lamps arose a long time ago, in the first centuries of Christianity. Christians were subjected to torture for confessing their faith, and therefore they gathered to pray secretly, at night. But very soon candles began to be lit not only to illuminate the room, but also to express spiritual joy and triumph. At the very beginning of the Divine service in the church, only two or three candles burn: one in front of the image of the Savior, the other in front of the image of the Mother of God next to the royal gates, and the third near the festive icon in the middle of the church.
All candles are lit at the great evening service before censing and singing the choruses of “Lord I called.” They are then extinguished at the end of the evening service. They are lit again after kathismas, extinguished at the third song of the canon, lit again at the end of the eighth song, before singing “My soul magnifies the Lord” and left lit until the Great Doxology. At the service in the morning, candles are lit after the ninth hour before the beginning of the liturgy, which starts with the exclamation of the priest “Blessed is the kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,” and are left lit until the end of the service.
We light a candle in front of an icon of the Lord or His saints with the prayer to the one who is depicted on the icon and hope for God’s help and the intercession of the saints. A candle is our gift to God and His saints, so you need to handle the candle very carefully.
Short prayers before icons
Prayer before the icon of the Saviour: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on the sinner!
Prayer before the memorial service table: Let to rest, O Lord, the souls of your departed slaves!
Prayer before the Cross: Glory, O Lord, to Your Honourable Cross!
Prayer before an icon of the Mother of God: Most Holy Lady Mother of God, save us!
Prayer before an icon of the guardian angel: Angel of Christ, my saint guardian, save me, your sinful slave!
Prayer before an icon of the saint: Saint (name of the saint), pray to God for us!
On great feasts and on some other special occasions, the parishioners themselves stand with candles in their hands:
- on the twelve main feasts, feasts classified in the same category as the twelve, and the patronal feast from the polyeleos until the 3rd song of the canon, then the candles are extinguished. The candles are re-lit after the 8th song of the canon and the parishioners stand with lit candles until the end of the great doxology;
- on the Great Thursday at the service of the Holy Passion of Christ during the reading of the twelve Gospels;
- at the service of the Holy Easter from the procession of the Cross until the moment when everyone greet each other (until the end of the first hour);
- when performing the burial ceremony for a deceased.
The need to arrange candles or remove burning cinders from a candlestick is not a valid reason for walking around the church when it is prohibited by the Church Typikon. Our sacrifice is acceptable and pleasing to God only if it is offered without violating the orderly decorum obligatory for Christian worship.
