The Altar Candles submitted by Felicitas
Holy Mother the Church gives us the
necessary elements to assist us in our Faith.
One of these elements is the rich symbolism contained in the
liturgy. Have you ever thought about
the meaning of the burning candles during Mass? Read below to enrich your understanding of the altar candles as
they burn with constancy during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Excerpts from “The Holy Sacrifice of the
Mass” by Rev. Nicholas Gihr.
“Light is
strictly prescribed for the celebration of Mass. According to the decree of the Church, wax-candles must burn on
the altar during Mass. The wax should
be pure, unadulterated, and, as a general rule, white, even on the feriae
(days) of Advent and Lent; only in exceptional cases are candles of unbleached
or yellow wax becoming. For centuries
the Church has prescribed pure beeswax as the material for the liturgical
candles; this was done and is still done chiefly for mystical reasons.”
“The burning
candle is intended to represent the God-man, Jesus Christ; it is perfectly
fitted for this object only when its light is nourished by excellent, pure
wax. The bright flame above represents
the divinity of Christ; the candle proper symbolizes His humanity; the wick
concealed within the candle as a figure of His soul; the wax itself, which is
the product of the virginal bee, is an emblem of Christ’s most pure body.”
“The working
bee, which even in ancient times was regarded as a type of virginity, gathers
and forms the wax from the sweet-smelling blossoms and calyxes of flowers. Being the fruit of virgin bees and fragrant
flowers, the noble, pure wax is, therefore, an excellent figure of the most
pure and holy flesh which the Son of God assumed from the virginal bosom of
Mary, the immaculate spouse of the Holy Ghost, who was replenished with the
good odor of every grace and virtue. By
its sweet scent the wax candle represents, moreover, the bonus odor Christi;
the plenitude of grace and virtue, the infinite holiness of Christ.”
Comments (1)
That is very interesting! When one knows more information about the mass and all that is afiliated and used, it makes it that much more glorious. I wish the catholic schools would teach our children all these things so that when they are at mass they have these things to think about that glorify God. It's information like that which helps to understand the mystery of the sacred mass.
Posted by Jess | March 8, 2008 11:36 AM
Posted on March 8, 2008 11:36