How to Use Catholic Prayer Candles: A Meaningful Practice | LoveToKnow (2024)

How to Use Catholic Prayer Candles: A Meaningful Practice | LoveToKnow (1)

You can learn how to use Catholic prayer candles with a few quick tips. You can use Catholic prayer candles at home for a variety of reasons.

How to Use Catholic Prayer Candles in Five Easy Steps

Some people find that having a Catholic prayer candle to light during their home prayer practices to be a wonderful tribute to God and the sacrifice Jesus made. Five easy steps can help you get the most out of using a Catholic prayer candle at home.

Step One: Buy the Appropriate Prayer Candle

In the church, votives are lit in front of the statues of Christ, Mother Mary, and various saints. This is something you can imitate at home when you purchase a prayer candle that has one of these images. However, these prayer candles come in tall glass containers. They are often referred to as Mexican prayer candles since the images usually have wording in Spanish and English. These candles are also used during the Day of the Dead celebrations.

How to Use Catholic Prayer Candles: A Meaningful Practice | LoveToKnow (2)

You should decide which one you wish to pray to and the buy the candle that matches, such as the Sacred Heart of Jesus. These candles are often called 7-day candles since they ordinarily will burn continuously for 7 days, although the actual burn time can vary depending on different factors. These candles are often white to represent the divinity and purity of Christ, Mother Mary, and the saints. However, you can find them in different colors should you wish a color other than white. You can also purchase non-image 7-day candles in solid and rainbow colors.

Step Two: Bless the Candle

There are several ways you can bless your candle before using. You can choose the one you're most comfortable doing.

  • Some Catholics like to have their candles blessed by a priest.
  • You can also bless the candle yourself with sacred oil.
  • You can bless the candle using Holy water.
  • Another way is to simply pray to Christ to bless your candle.

Step Three: Choose a Time to Light Your Catholic Prayer Candles

You can use more than one candle if you are praying for more than one reason or more than one person. There is no limit on the number of candles you can burn. Just be sure you never leave the candles unattended, since glass candles can break. One of the preferred times to light a Catholic prayer candle is at the Holy Hour. This is the hour when Jesus died on the cross. 3 pm is also known as the Hour of Great Mercy or the Hour of Divine Mercy.

Step Four: Pray and Light Your Catholic Prayer Candle

The Catholic prayer candle is lit while you pray. It is common practice that you start your prayer and light your candle with the first words of your prayer. You can extinguish the match or lighter while you continue to pray. At the end of your prayer, be sure to say, "Amen." However, just because you end your prayer, it doesn't mean that your prayer is concluded. It is believed that as long as your candle burns, your prayer is still being sent to God, Christ, or whoever you prayed to, such as a Saint or the Virgin Mary.

Step Five: Allow Your Candle to Self-Extinguish

The ideal protocol is to allow your Catholic prayer candle to self-extinguish. When the fire goes out, your prayer ends. If you must extinguish your candle, don't blow it out. Instead, you should snuff it out with a candle snuffer or other method. Blowing out a candle is symbolic of blowing away the prayer.

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Facts About Catholic Prayer Candles

There is nothing to prevent you from praying anytime and anywhere. That is the freedom of religion.

What Are Catholic Prayer Candles?

There are several types of Catholic prayer candles that are used in church worship services and also for prayers. Candles are also used in homes for Advent and Lenten wreaths.

Why Do Catholics Use Prayer Candles?

Candles have been used by Christians throughout the centuries. The light of the candle represents the Christ who is the Light of the World. Catholics use prayer candles to pray for assistance and guidance. Prayers may be said for God to grant the person strength to see a challenge through or to come to terms with something that cannot be fixed or corrected. Prayers are made on the behalf of other people who are sick. Prayers are said for the deceased, so their souls will be received in heaven.

Why and How to Use Catholic Prayer Candles at Home

Catholic prayer candles come in many choices that include images of Christ, Mother Mary, and saints. You can use Catholic prayer candles to practice your prayers at home to pray to a specific religious figure.

© 2024 LoveToKnow Media. All rights reserved.

How to Use Catholic Prayer Candles: A Meaningful Practice | LoveToKnow (2024)

FAQs

How to Use Catholic Prayer Candles: A Meaningful Practice | LoveToKnow? ›

In our churches today, we light candles before a statue or sacred image of our Lord or a saint. The light signifies our prayer, which is offered in faith, entering the light of God. It also shows reverence and our desire to remain present in prayer even as we continue on our day.

How do Catholics use prayer candles? ›

In our churches today, we light candles before a statue or sacred image of our Lord or a saint. The light signifies our prayer, which is offered in faith, entering the light of God. It also shows reverence and our desire to remain present in prayer even as we continue on our day.

What do you do with prayer candles? ›

One option, if they are still useable, is to give them away to other people who could use them. If you can't find any takers there are other options. The proper disposal of votive candles and other devotionals, if they have been blessed, is to burn or to bury them, most preferably the former in the case of candles.

What do you say when you light a candle in a Catholic church? ›

Prayers when Lighting a Candle

Even as this candle, I wish to stand in your presence to be consumed in the light and warmth of your love. Please hear my prayer and, if it be your will, grant my petition. Above all, make me loyal and faithful to you in all circ*mstances of my life. Amen.

Which color candle to use when praying? ›

People who need serenity, security, understanding, success, hope, trust, loyalty or sincerity are also encouraged to turn to a blue candle for their prayers. Protecting against bad influences, they open up communication. They are, like orange candles, very effective in stimulating creativity and imagination.

Can you leave prayer candles on? ›

Never leave a lit candle unattended. If a candle must burn continuously, be sure it is enclosed in a glass container and place it in a sink or on a metal/glass drip pan.

How do you pray with a prayer candle? ›

It is common practice that you start your prayer and light your candle with the first words of your prayer. You can extinguish the match or lighter while you continue to pray. At the end of your prayer, be sure to say, "Amen." However, just because you end your prayer, it doesn't mean that your prayer is concluded.

What is the power of prayer candles? ›

One way to incorporate prayer into your family's spiritual practice is by using prayer candles. Lighting a candle can help create a peaceful and calming environment, focus your thoughts and intentions, and offer comfort and support to your child.

How long do you light a prayer candle for? ›

Your prayer candle will shine in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for seven days. Ceremonies that combine prayers and candles are tied to rituals in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. The number seven is linked to the divine—to perfection—to God and His sovereign work.

How long do Catholic prayer candles burn? ›

They are usually two sizes, small and large. The small ones usually burn for a day, the larger ones for a week. The candles are usually in red or blue globes in a votive candle stand in the sanctuary of the Church, usually near the altar.

What is the Catholic blessing of candles? ›

3rd Prayer: O Lord Jesus Christ, the true light, who enlightenest every man coming into this world, pour forth Thy blessing + upon these candles, and sanctify + them with the light of Thy grace; and mercifully grant, that as these lights enkindled with visible fire dispel the darkness of night, so our hearts illumined ...

What is the candle that is always lit in Catholic church? ›

The candle remains in the sanctuary close to the altar and is lit at least in all the more solemn worship services until Pentecost (or in some traditions until Ascension Day when it is extinguished just after the Gospel). In this context the Paschal candle symbolises the presence of the glorified risen Christ.

What is the 5 candle prayer? ›

Fifth Candle:

The fifth candle we light for Hope; that you, will live on through us, never to be erased from our memory; that your lives continue to make a difference in the world. That you are proud of us, and that we will be together again. We love you, we remember you…

How do I switch off a candle after praying? ›

In some religions blowing out candles is considered bad, and instead hands are clapped above the flame to extinguish them. Sometimes prayer candles are left to burn until they extinguish themselves. Due to concerns about wax spilling sometimes a bell is placed over the candle to extinguish it.

What are Catholic prayer candles used for? ›

Candles are lighted during the celebration of the Mass, on liturgical and funeral processions and evening prayer ceremonies. Candles are lit before the Tabernacle to signify the Lord's presence in the Blessed Sacrament and to call for reverence on the part of the faithful.

What does the orange candle mean in the Catholic Church? ›

A Christingle usually consists of: An orange, representing the world. A candle pushed into the centre of the orange, then lit, representing Jesus Christ as Light of the World. A red ribbon wrapped around the orange or a paper frill around the candle, representing the blood of Christ.

Why do Catholics use blessed candles? ›

They can encourage a calmness of the heart and open us up to experience the light of God. Another way to use blessed candles is to bring them out during severe weather. Traditionally Catholics would always light the blessed candle during a strong storm, invoking the power of God to protect their home.

What do the colors of Catholic candles mean? ›

The colors of the candles have their corresponding meanings such as red for the family and soul; maroon for thanksgiving and healing; white for purity, success and birthdays; green for job, business, money and travel; pink for health and love; peach for studies and board exams; orange for brightness; yellow for good ...

References

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