Lamps & Votive Candles

A votive candle or prayer candle is a small candle, typically white or beeswax yellow, but often with a coloured casing, intended to be burnt as a votive offering in an act of Christian prayer, especially within the Anglican and Roman Catholic Christian denominations, among others.  In Christianity, votive candles are commonplace in many churches, as well as home altars, and symbolise the "prayers the worshipper is offering for him or herself, or for other people”.  The size of a votive candle is often two inches tall by one and a half inches diameter, although other votive candles can be significantly taller and wider and vary in size.

 

Some Anglican churches, especially those that worship in the High Church or Anglo-Catholic tradition, have votive candles for purposes of praying for the dead as well as asking for saintly intercession.  In the Roman Catholic Church, candles are placed before a statue of Jesus or of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Often, in older or traditional churches, this will be before a by-altar.

A votive candle signifies literally that the lighting is done in fulfilment of a vow (Latin, votum), although in most cases the intention is merely to give honour and to manifest devotion to the saint before whose images the candle is lighted.

 

Candles used may vary from long, taper-type candles to tealight candles. Tealight candles are either placed in holders or just on a platform in front of the statue. Long candles may be placed in a special holder.

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Ensure you have  a reasonable gap between your burning votives.  Votives will burn more quickly the closer together they are.  They also pose a fire risk when there is not enough space between them.  As a general rule keep them about 2" apart.