To whom in the church to light a candle for health and repose: to which saint and how correctly? How, where and in what sequence is it correct to put candles in the church? To whom to put a candle for health.

06.10.2014

Putting a candle in the church, a person voluntarily makes some kind of sacrifice to the Lord. By this he expresses his readiness to serve and obey God. A symbol of warmth and love for the Father of God, the Mother of God and other saints. But not everyone knows that in order to put a candle for health, you need to follow certain rules.

How to put a candle in health in the temple?

It should be understood that both men and women should come to church in modest attire. Men should not come in hats, as well as tracksuits, women should also be treated, but you still need to cover your head. Applying makeup is also not recommended.

Traditions

To light a candle in the temple for the health of yourself or your loved ones, you should know the traditions that you need to adhere to. So during the service, you can’t walk around the church or interfere with other parishioners with your requests that they let you through or light a candle for you. So, it would be best to come after the service or before it. It is worth choosing a time when there will be no liturgy.

Putting candles is in accordance with this tradition. First you need to go to the icon, which is the most revered in the temple or on the Feast. It will be located opposite the entrance to the altar. You will need to approach the relics of the Saints, if they are in the church. Then approach so that in front of you was saint icon, whose name you also bear, and only then go to the candlestick, where they put candles for health. They put for health on any of the candlesticks that are in the temple, their significance will not depend on their location. Only here you should not put candles on the table for memorial services, it has a crucifix, it is rectangular in shape.

Candles for health are placed by the Mother of God, the Savior, Panteleimon the healer, the Saints, who heal ailments, and also help in difficult situations in a person’s life. For example, spouses who suffer from infertility can light a candle to the Righteous Fathers of God Anna and Joachim, who are known as the parents of the Most Holy Theotokos, but women who are carrying a child - to the Mother of God. Also, those who have ailments or ask for the healing of someone should put a candle:

Matrona of Moscow
Sarov Seraphim,
other revered Pleasers of God.

You need to buy candles in the temple, in the shop. The cost will be different for candles, only this factor will not matter, the main thing is to sincerely turn to God. Go to the icon of the Saint, cross yourself and repeat our Father 2 times. Place the candle in an empty spot in the candlestick.


Quite often people come to church wishing to light a candle, however, they do not know how to do it correctly. That is why in the framework of this article it is necessary to talk a little about this ritual. First of all, ...



Many people ask themselves the question, “How is it necessary to behave in the Temple?” It happens that there is no one to ask about it, but you don’t want to ask the omniscient grandmothers. First of all, it is worth understanding that the Temple is not secular ...


The church is considered a place where you can turn to the Higher powers, ask for help and thank you for your support. For this, people read prayers and light candles, but only a few know how to do it correctly. There are clear rules that allow you to understand this.

Before you find out why they put candles in the church, it is worth saying that it is best to buy them in the temple itself and you should give preference to wax products. This material has a specific smell, which is similar to honey. The thing is that wax is a substance that has the ability to attract negative energy and information that disappears during the burning of a candle. In Christianity, lighting candles is a symbol of repentance and faith.

Today, you can find almost everything on the Internet, including online chapels where you can light a candle and read a prayer. Of course, her righteousness is highly doubtful, but the fact that such a possibility exists is a fact.

How to go to church and light candles?

It is worth saying that for God it does not matter how much the purchased candle costs, because the main thing is with what thoughts it is brought. It is recommended to put several candles: for gratitude, congratulations, wishes, as well as for expressing requests and problems.

How to put candles in the church:

  1. The first candle must be lit near the icon of the Temple, which protects and protects the church itself. Each has its own image, therefore, when purchasing candles, ask which icon you need to approach from the very beginning.
  2. If you attend church on a holiday, then a candle should be placed for the holiday.
  3. In the event that there are relics of the Saint in the temple, then it is necessary to read a prayer in front of them and put a candle.
  4. The next place where candles are placed in the church is the icon of the Saint, whose name the believer bears. Where it is located in the temple, you can ask the spiritual enlightener.

If you came to the temple on a holiday or during a church service, then there may not be empty seats in the candlesticks. In no case should you extinguish and take out other people's candles. The solution in such a situation is either to wait until the hole is free, or to put candles near the candlestick, and then, the clergy will certainly light them. Candles in the church must be lit from those already burning, but, in extreme cases, you can use matches or a lighter.

It is worth mentioning the existing prejudices that appeared thanks to the imagination of people. For example, there is absolutely no difference with which hand you need to put a candle. It is not a sin to singe one end of the candle, as this action is simply aimed at ensuring stability in the candlestick. There is also that if the candle fell, then it is unfortunate. Actually this is not true.

How to put candles for the repose in the church?

To put a candle for the dead and the newly deceased, you need to find the eve table, which is placed on the left side of the church near the crucifix. First go to this place and say a prayer Lord, then, watch the flame of already lit candles for a while and only then set fire to it and set your own. You can put one candle for all the dead or for each separately. After that, read a prayer in which you can turn to these people.

Where in the church to put candles for health?

For this purpose, all the icons of saints, which are located on the right side of the entrance, are suitable. It is best to choose the image of the Savior and the Virgin. After the candles are installed, you need to read a prayer for the person or people for whom you are performing the ritual. It is important to list them by name, starting with men and ending with women.

How and what icons to put candles?

The custom of placing a candle in front of an icon is very ancient. Everyone knows that this should certainly be done, but not everyone knows about the reasons why this ceremony is performed. One of the first divine commands to Moses from the Lord was to arrange a candlestick with seven lamps. And after that, services were often held by candlelight. But the significance of this is much deeper than just lighting up the place where services were held, although during the period of persecution of Christians, when they had to hold their meetings in secret, the light of a candle really became a guiding light.

This ritual of lighting a candle has a lot of meanings. The light from her is the divine light that Jesus brought into the world. The life of people in sin and ignorance is a twilight that the Savior will scatter. So the candle with its radiance drives away the darkness around. Pure wax, from which candles are made, is a symbol of the fact that a person repents of his sins and is ready for obedience in the face of God. Speaking about how to put candles correctly, it is worth starting with the fact that this should not be done automatically, but with awareness and with a feeling of love in the heart in front of the one to whom the candle is placed. When you buy a candle in a temple, it becomes your voluntary offering, a symbol of your faith and love. Candles are placed for health and peace. "For the dead" are usually placed in the church on a special memorial table - the eve, to honor the good memory of a person who has departed to another world. Candles "for health" are placed on various occasions: in gratitude for something, to help with a difficult decision, before a serious trip, a risky business, and so on. Often the question arises: which icons and which saints to put candles? Of course, the main ones are the emotions and thoughts with which the candle is placed. With good thoughts and love in your heart, you can light a candle for a person to the icon of the Savior or the Virgin. Your good wishes will be heard. If you do not just want to put a candle for a person, but express special wishes, you need to decide which saints to put candles on. So, for example, if you are worried about a loved one suffering from a disease, pray in front of the icon of the Mother of God "Healer", which you can light a candle. If a person embarked on the path of alcoholism, then a candle can be placed on the icon "Inexhaustible Chalice". Knowing what miraculous properties certain saints are endowed with, you will know which icons to put candles in order to protect, protect and help your loved ones in difficult times and difficult life decisions. They often light candles for their patron saints. If you have personalized icons in your house, you can light a candle and pray to your guardian angel.


What do church candles mean? Why are they placed in the temple?

- A candle is a symbol of prayer burning before the Lord, His Most Pure Mother, before the saints of God.

A candle is a sign of a voluntary sacrifice to God and His temple and a symbol of man's involvement in the divine light.

A burning candle is a visible sign that expresses ardent love, goodwill towards the one to whom the candle is placed. And if there is no this love and good will, then the candles have no meaning, the sacrifice is in vain. Therefore, it is impossible to put a candle formally, with a cold heart. External action must be accompanied by prayer - even the simplest one, in your own words.
What does the candle placed in front of the icon symbolize?

The fire of a candle symbolizes eternity, a prayer appeal to God, to the Mother of God, to the saints. The fire always rushes upward, no matter how the candle is tilted, so a person, under any life circumstances, must turn all his thoughts and feelings to God.
When should candles be placed?

Those who came to the temple should put candles before the start of the service. It is not good to violate the decorum in the temple by passing candles during the service or to squeeze through to the candlestick, distracting the worshipers. Latecomers to the service should light candles after it ends.


How to place a candle correctly?

- Candles are lit one from the other, burning, and put in the nest of the candlestick. The candle must stand straight. Matches and lighters should not be used in the temple if there are already burning candles in the candlesticks. You should not light a candle from a lamp, so as not to drip wax into the oil or accidentally extinguish the lamp.


Who and how many candles should be placed?

- There are no binding rules on where and how much to put candles. Their purchase is a voluntary sacrifice to God.

First of all, it’s good to put a candle to the “holiday” (central lectern) or to a revered temple icon, then to the relics of the saint (if they are in the temple), and only then - about health (to any icon) or repose (on the eve - square or rectangular table with a crucifix).


Is it possible to put a candle on a candlestick if there is nowhere to put it?

- That's how it should be done. Those who put two candles in one cell or take off someone else's candle to put their own do it wrong.


Is it possible to hold a burning candle in your hand and stand with it?

- With lighted candles, it is customary to stand at the memorial service, during the divine service of Matins of the Great Heel. Candles are also lit on polyeleos, but this tradition has mainly been preserved only for the clergy. A burning candle must be handled with care: make sure that the wax does not drip onto the floor, and that the clothes on the person who is standing in front do not accidentally ignite. The rest of the time it is more correct to put a candle on a candlestick, which is specially designed for this. In the temple, you must follow the established order, and not do as you like.


To whom to put a candle for the remission of sins? What to read about the remission of sins?

- Sins are forgiven only at Confession after a sincere, detailed confession of all of them in the presence of a priest and the reading of a permissive prayer by him. A candle is a symbol, in itself it does not free from sins and does not connect with God.


Which saint is better to put a candle in case of family discord, when the husband wants to leave the family?

- For family well-being, they pray to the Mother of God, Saints Guri, Samon and Aviva, Saint Blessed Xenia of Petersburg.

It is also useful to remember and realize your guilt in relation to your husband, ask for forgiveness, try to reconcile.


Is it possible to put a candle on an unbaptized newborn child who is sick?

- You can pray for the unbaptized with your personal prayer and light candles for them, you can’t just write their names in church notes, since the Church does not pray for the unbaptized.

A sick child should be baptized as soon as possible. If the child is seriously ill, you can call the priest home or to the hospital. In the Sacrament of Baptism, the child will receive a special grace that will help him. If a child dies unbaptized, there will be sin on the parents. And a baptized child can be communed, order magpies, prayers for health - this is the first aid in illnesses.


Who can light a candle about a person who is addicted to drugs?

For deliverance from this passion, you can pray and put a candle in front of the icons of the Mother of God "Inexhaustible Chalice", the martyr Boniface, the righteous John of Kronstadt.


To whom to put a candle if the child is seriously ill?

A candle can be put to any icon: the Lord Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, the saints of God.

In addition, you need to know that a child’s illness is a time of prayer and repentance for the whole family. It seems to stimulate the spiritual life. The baby should be given holy water, washed with this water. And the most important thing is the communion of a sick child with the Holy Mysteries of Christ. Communion can be both at home and in the hospital, and in the temple, depending on the condition of the baby. If the child already knows how to pray, let him do it himself, but if he does not know how, then parents and godparents should do it for him. And, of course, spiritual work must be combined with treatment that a professional doctor can recommend.


Which icon is better to put a candle before the upcoming operation?

- You can put candles and pray to the holy great martyr and healer Panteleimon, the holy unmercenary doctors Cosmas and Damian. And you also need to prepare for Confession and Communion, order a prayer service for a successful outcome of the operation, find out the name of the doctor and pray that the Lord will control his hands.


Is it possible to light a candle for the health of oneself?

- Of course, you can put candles and pray for your health. A candle is a symbol of prayer appeal to God. And most of the prayers are written in the first person.


Is it possible for a pregnant woman to put candles for the dead?

- Everyone can and should put candles and pray for the dead.


To whom to put a candle about well-being in business?

- Whoever wants to receive something from the Lord or from the saints, he must not only pray to them, but also build his life according to the commandments. Through the Gospel, God addresses everyone with a request to be kind, loving, humble, etc., but people often do not even want to hear about this, but they themselves ask Him to help them in their affairs.

For prayers to be successful, one must pray with words coming from the heart, with faith and hope for God's help. And it should be remembered that not everything that a person asks from the Lord is useful for him. The Lord is not a machine that fulfills all desires, one has only to press the right button, that everything He sends is directed to the benefit and salvation of the soul, although sometimes people think this is unfair.


Is it possible to light candles for the tragically deceased unbaptized and in general for the repose of the unbaptized?

- You can put candles and pray for the unbaptized, but you cannot submit notes with the names of the unbaptized in the temple.


Is it possible to put candles for health and repose on Easter?

- You can always put candles for health and repose, but the Church does not perform prayers for the dead on Easter and on Bright Week, they are transferred to Radonitsa - the second Tuesday after Easter.


Is it possible to put candles bought in another temple?

- Candles are usually purchased in the temple where they come to pray - this is a small sacrifice to this particular temple.


What to do with a candle after the consecration of Easter cakes and eggs? Can you take her home?

- You can take it home and light it during home prayer, or you can put it in the temple in front of any icon.


Why do they remove candles that are only half burnt, because we pay money for them ...

- Due to the large number of people who want to put candles, they are sometimes removed not completely burnt out. There is no need to be embarrassed by this, as well as by the fact that the incompletely burnt candle was extinguished after the end of the service - the sacrifice has already been accepted by God.


When is incense used? Can you use it at home?

- Frankincense is used in the Church during worship, as well as during the funeral of the dead, during the consecration of dwellings by a priest. You can also use incense during home prayer.

Candles have been lit during prayer since the time of the ancient Christians. Each icon in the temple has a place for candles. Pure candle wax means the purity and purity of people praying to God, the softness and suppleness of wax show our readiness to follow the Lord's commandments, and the burning of a candle expresses our fervent prayer, the flame of love for the Lord, the Mother of God, the saints - those whose sacred images we honor by lighting a candle .

This is how Saint Simeon of Thessalonica, who lived in the 15th century, explained the meaning of the candle. But a burning candle is not only a symbol of our ardent love for God, but also a sign of the Creator's love addressed to all of us, liberation from sin by the action of the fire of Divine love.

There is a certain order of setting candles in the temple. They light a candle from a lamp or another candle and put it in a free place on the candlestick, singeing its lower part for stability, so that the melted wax strengthens it in its place.

It happens that all the places on the candlestick are occupied. Then you can simply put a candle on a candlestick or nearby - the people who keep order in the temple will later put your candle in the vacant place. You can not take out other people's candles yourself. Sometimes there are a lot of people in the temple and it is impossible to go where you would like to put a candle. Then you can pass it to those standing in front and explain where you need to put this candle.

There is a superstition among some parishioners that it is “sinful” to pass a candle with your left hand, you should take a candle only with your right hand. This is not a church requirement. There are also no rules about where and how many candles should be placed. God is pleased with any candle: both large and small. Of course, if a rich person puts cheap candles, then this shows his stinginess. But if a person is poor, then his fervent prayer and reverent standing are more pleasing to God than the most expensive candle, set with a cold heart.

Parishioners usually try to light a few candles. First of all, a candle is placed to the festive icon, which is located on the analogion in the middle of the church, and only then candles are placed for health or for peace. For health, candles are placed to the Savior, the Mother of God, to the saints, to whom the Lord has given the grace to heal illnesses. For the dead, candles are placed on the eve at the crucifixion.

You can put a candle to any icon of that saint to whom you prayerfully address, whom you especially revere. For example, they often pray for the health of the sick and put candles in front of the icon of the great martyr and healer Panteleimon. If you have questions, you can contact the people who serve in the church. They will gladly answer and tell you where and what icon is in the temple.

If the desired icon is not in the temple, then you can put a candle in front of any image of the Lord, the Most Holy Theotokos or in front of the icon of All Saints and pray. You can pray in your own words, as long as they are sincere. Let the clear fire of candles help build a warm, bright prayer in your heart!

When visiting the church, parishioners listen to prayers, pray themselves and light candles. The latter has a deep spiritual meaning: it is the fulfillment of the covenant given to Moses by the Lord, the illumination of the place of prayer with living fire, and a reminder that God is light. In addition, the candle acts as a voluntary offering for the creator, being a bloodless substitute for pagan sacrifices. When putting candles, you should follow the established rules.

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What is the occasion for candles?

Icon "Inexhaustible Chalice"

You can put candles in the church to the icon of your patron saint or the Mother of God. But you can put it on any other icon you like. In addition to personal offerings, candles are placed on the following occasions:

  • For health - in case of illness, if you need help in healing for yourself or a loved one. Usually put to the icon of the healer Panteleimon or the icon with the face of the Virgin "Healer". If you need help with alcoholism, you should turn to the icon "Inexhaustible Chalice". For health, for a person who is not sick, you can put a candle to any icon.
  • For the rest of the soul of the deceased, after the death of a friend or relative, or for an anniversary. They put on the eve, a special quadrangular table.
  • From another living person, if he cannot visit the temple at the moment, but feels the need to make an offering to God.
  • For protection from enemies, or for another reason, to reinforce your prayer-request for some kind of help.

It is not necessary to put candles thoughtlessly, mechanically, just because it is customary. Every time you need a sincere desire to make an offering to the Lord or his saints.

A candle is placed on the children if they have already passed the rite of baptism. Up to this point, you can put it for the health of their parents, adding to the name of the father or mother "with children." Each time you light a candle, you need to turn to God with a prayer. You can say it out loud or mentally. It is allowed to use canonical texts or to express words that will come into the language themselves.

How to do it right?

The candle is inserted into specially designed sand or one of the candlesticks. Light it from an already burning candle. In extreme cases, you can use matches or a lighter. You should not set fire to anything from the lamp: you can put it out or clog the oil with drops of wax. The setting of the candle is made in the following sequence:

  1. 1. Light a candle from another burning one.
  2. 2. Heat the tail end over a fire to make the wax soft and sticky.
  3. 3. Place the candle in the candle holder.
  4. 4. Read a prayer.

If there is no free space left, in no case should you put out and throw out other people's candles. You need to put yours on the edge of the tray, when the place is free, other parishioners will certainly light them. First of all, they visit the temple icon, then put candles for health, and lastly - for the repose.

After installing the candles, they are usually baptized. It is correct to say the following words:

  • to the icon of the Mother of God: "Most Holy Theotokos, save us";
  • putting to rest: "God rest the soul of your deceased servant (NAME), forgive him all sins, voluntary and involuntary, remember him in your Kingdom of heaven";
  • in front of the icon with the face of the Savior: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner";
  • to his patron saint: "Holy Pleaser of God (name), pray to God for me, a sinner (or name, for whom you ask)";
  • at the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord: "We worship Thy Cross, Master, and glorify Thy Holy Resurrection."

You can beat off the bow in front of the icon and venerate it. Candles are recommended to be purchased in the church in which they are placed, since the payment for them is considered a donation for a particular temple, but there is no strict ban on bringing from home. In some churches, there is no fixed fee for candles, you can take them freely, leaving the donation at your discretion.

Everything that a person does in the temple is voluntary. There is no strict regulation on how many and where to put candles. All recommendations are just following the tradition that has developed among the people. If the set candle fell or went out from the breath of the wind, you need to say "Lord, forgive me" and restore everything as it was originally.

Popular prejudices

A large number of superstitions are associated with church candles. Sorcerers claim that by watching the fire of a candle, you can determine damage and the evil eye, but any true Christian should not do such things. There are prejudices regarding candles in the temple:

  • a fallen candle, set for health, supposedly portends an imminent illness;
  • crack and soot are taken by many as harbingers of trouble;
  • if you put 12 pieces at the same time, it will give a greater effect than any other number.

Church officials have repeatedly stated: the number of candles placed does not matter to the Lord. God himself decides whom to pardon and it is impossible to "bribe" him. Cracking during combustion occurs due to the fact that the wicks are made of a material with the addition of synthetics, or during manufacture they were of high humidity.

Soot occurs due to the presence of foreign impurities and artificial materials in the candle. From the point of view of the official Russian Orthodox Church, there are no signs associated with soot and the crackle of burning candles. If the candle set for health goes out, this is just an accident, unworthy of the attention of a believer.

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