Candle Holders, Altar Candlesticks & Candelabra Altar Tabletop

Candle Holders, Altar Candlesticks & Candelabra Altar Tabletop

What are candlesticks and candelabra? | Meaning

Candlesticks are stable supports on which the candles that accompany the liturgical celebrations carried out in a parish are placed. Their main objective is to hold one or more candles in such a way that the flame they give off can be appreciated under optimal conditions without distracting the attention of the faithful.

The word candlestick has its etymological origin in the Latin candēla (candle, taper). It derives specifically from the root of the Latin verb candēre (to shine, to be inflamed or white), associated with light. The term evolved to define the utensil or support intended to hold a candle or taper for lighting and, also, to refer to the trade of the maker or seller of candles.

Throughout the history of humanity, candlesticks and candles have had a clear function: that people could carry out activities in places where there was no natural light, either due to the structure of the area that allowed access to sunlight, or because the activities were carried out at night. This function has lost relevance with the arrival of electricity and other types of fuels. In the Catholic Church, the light of candles and candlesticks, in addition to this functional component, has a strong symbolic charge linked to the presence of Christ.

The candlesticks on the altars of parishes are usually made with worthy materials such as metal, bronze, silver, gold, etc. in order to express respect and solemnity towards the Mystery that is celebrated.

What is the difference between candlesticks and candelabra?

Traditionally, the word candlestick was used to refer to those objects that had a single socket or support for a candle. Whereas the candelabrum were those candle supports that had two or more arms. One could place one candle in the candlestick and several in the candelabra.

Nowadays this distinction is no longer so clear. It is common for one word or the other to be used interchangeably, without making distinctions as to the number of arms the piece has.

What is a hand candlestick?

A hand candlestick is a candlestick or hand-held support, generally shaped like a small dish, which has a handle and a central support to secure a candle. It is traditionally used to carry light safely, allowing the candle to be held and the melted wax to be collected.

It was traditionally used in homes in order to carry light from one room to another in a practical and simple way. The design of hand candlesticks made it easier to transport the candle in a stable manner, avoiding wax spills, burns, or the flame going out.

This portable candlestick has also been used for centuries in liturgical celebrations.

Candlesticks and candelabra on the altar of the Church

The candelabra and candlesticks that we place on the altar table, or in locations close to the altar, fulfil the important mission of holding the lit candles that accompany the celebration of the Eucharist. That light creates a setting of respect, solemnity and veneration that highlights the importance of the ritual that the priest carries out during liturgical celebrations.

The light of candles is a symbol of Christ, of the presence of God, and candlesticks are the catholic objects that raise the candles, that give them visibility within the church.

Candlesticks in the Old Testament

The biblical tradition offers a rich context for understanding the reason why light and its supports occupy such a significant place in worship.

In the Old Testament, the candelabrum appears linked to the temples and to the presence of God. In Exodus it is narrated how the Lord orders Moses to construct a candelabrum of pure gold for the sacred place (Exodus 25:31-32). The light lit in the space of worship expresses that God dwells in the temple, turning that place into a meeting point between God and men, and as such, as a location of union between the divine and the human, it deserves care, beauty and precision.

That same idea reappears in texts that describe daily worship: "the golden candelabrum with its lamps so that they might burn every evening" (2 Chronicles 13:11). Light forms part of the regular celebrations in which communal prayer is made.

Finally, when the temple is purified after profanation, the gesture of lighting the lamps again becomes a symbol of the restoration of true worship: "they lit the lamps of the candelabrum so that they might illuminate the sanctuary" (1 Maccabees 4:49-50). To light the light, to light the flames of the candlesticks, is equivalent to recognising the presence of God again in the temple.

Candelabra in the New Testament

In the New Testament, Jesus deepens the symbolism of the Old Testament and turns it into spiritual teaching.

Christ speaks to his followers about the relevance of light and its place within the Christian rite. "Nor does one light a lamp to put it under the bushel, but to place it on the candlestick so that it may give light to all" (Matthew 5:15). Light is made to be raised and visible; it is not lit to hide it. In a liturgical key, this helps to understand why light, candlesticks and candelabra with candles are placed next to the altar.

In the Apocalypse he takes this symbolism to an ecclesial depth: John contemplates "seven golden candelabra" and, in the midst of them, "like a Son of man" (Apocalypse 1:12-13); and then he hears: "he who walks in the midst of the seven golden candelabra" (Apocalypse 2:1). The image is powerful: the candelabra represent the Churches, and the Risen Christ is in the midst of them. Therefore, when an episcopal celebration is accompanied by seven candlesticks, the sign suggests fullness and communion: Christ walks in the midst of his gathered Church.

Lastly, and perhaps one of the most famous citations, Jesus identifies himself with light, giving continuity to the symbolism of the flame as a representation of God. "I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12), where Jesus presents himself as the spiritual guide who illuminates the path of life, offering knowledge and hope in the face of the darkness of sin and death. Jesus spoke these words during the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles, a moment that recalled God's guidance of Israel through a pillar of fire in the desert, which adds a meaning of divine guidance to his declaration.

Norms of the IGMR: number and placement

The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) is the official document of the Catholic Church that establishes the norms, rubrics and guidelines for the celebration of Holy Mass in the Roman rite. It explains the structure of the Mass, the rites, the ministries and the arrangement of the church.

The General Instruction of the Roman Missal gives relevant instructions on the number of candlesticks and their placement during parish celebrations.

Catholic liturgy is a ritual deeply charged with symbolism, so the number of candelabra and their arrangement is of great importance. The GIRM 117 establishes that at least two candlesticks must be placed for any Mass, while four or six candles may be placed in Sunday or feast-day celebrations, and seven when the bishop presides.

Through varying the number of candles, a work of evangelisation is also carried out, helping those attending the celebration to identify the type of Mass they attend and to realise the relevance of each of them.

In addition to the number of candles, their location is also important. Regarding the place that candlesticks and candelabra must occupy on the altar, the GIRM 307 is decisive, which asks that the candlesticks be placed "in an appropriate manner… on the altar or near it" and adds a very specific warning: care must be taken that "the faithful are not prevented from looking attentively" at what is done on the altar. Candlesticks must be an element that helps the faithful to immerse themselves in the liturgical ritual; they cannot be visual obstacles that make it difficult to appreciate the important events that take place during the celebration of Mass.