Thursday 9 April 2020

The Paschal Candle

Here's another Catholic tradition which I'd like to share with you.

Every year, on the Saturday before Easter Sunday, all Catholic churches celebrate the Midnight Mass. It actually usually starts at about 11:00pm because there are some preliminaries beforehand which serve as a good reminder of the real meaning of Easter.

The congregation meets outside in the grounds of the church and a small bonfire is lit and prayers said. This "new fire", symbolizing our eternal life in Christ.

A single Paschal Candle is lit from that fire. It is usually a large candle that symbolizes the risen Christ. It is often decorated with a cross, symbols of the resurrection, the Greek letters Alpha and Omega, (the beginning and the end), and the year in which Easter is celebrated. The term "Paschal" concerns Easter or Passover. Here is a selection:

The Paschal candle represents Christ, the Light of the World.

The pure beeswax of which the candle is made represents the sinless Christ who was formed in the womb of His Mother. The wick signifies His humanity, the flame, His Divine Nature, both soul and body. Five grains of incense inserted into the candle in the form of a cross recall the aromatic spices with which His Sacred Body was prepared for the tomb, and of the five wounds in His hands, feet, and side.

After the candle is lit, outside the church, the congregation enters the church. When they are at their pews the lights in the church are switched off and they are in total darkness.

During the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night the priest or deacon carries the candle, which has been lit from the new fire outside, in procession into the dark church.

The priest pauses three times and sings or says, "The light of Christ," and the people respond, "Thanks be to God."

As the candle is carried into the church, the priest stops temporarily and its flame is used to light candles held by members of the congregation. This symbolizes the spreading of the light of Christ into the congregation and the world. Slowly, one candle lights another and the whole church is lit by many candle lights alone as the priest and congregation sing.

The Exsultet is sung or said after the Paschal candle is placed in its stand. Once the lit Paschal Candle is placed near the Altar the Easter Midnight Mass commences.

It is customary for the Paschal candle to burn at all Masses from Easter through Pentecost. In some churches it is lit until Ascension Thursday.

After the Easter season, the Paschal candle is typically placed near the baptismal font. It should burn at baptisms, representing the new life in Christ that we share in baptism. The newly baptised person may be given a small baptismal candle that is lit from the Paschal candle. It may also be carried in procession at burials and placed near the coffin as a symbol of resurrection life.

Now let me tell you of a personal experience.

Remember, this is a very solemn occasion. The church is in total darkness with the congregation awaiting the entrance of the priest with the lit Paschal candle in hand.

One year I was one of the helpers at the Easter Vigil.

The candle had been lit from the fire outside the church. The priest carried the candle into the dark church. He chanted in Latin "Lumen Christi" (The light of Christ), and everyone responded, "Deo Gratias" (Thanks be to God).

He then stopped in the centre aisle and two altar servers lit small candles from the Paschal candle he was carrying and proceeded to light the many candles each member of the congregation held in their hands.

At this point, one member of the congregation got out his cigarette lighter and lit his candle and that of others near him.

The priest turned his head towards me and whispered silently, "There's always one ... isn't there?", then he moved a few more paces, stopped, and sang a second time "Lumen Christi".

 I could not control my giggles at the way he reacted to the situation.

Obviously, the significance of the whole event had escaped one Brain of Britain!

Another tradition in our church, and no doubt in many others is the washing of feet on Holy Thursday.
This is when the priest re-enacts the Bible passage during the Last Supper when Jesus washes the disciples' feet. (John 13:1-15).

In our church twelve people are chosen from the congregation and the priest washes their feet in memory of what Jesus did all those years ago.

At the time of Jesus, however, things were different. Streets were not as modern and clean as they are now in our towns and cities. They were dusty, muddy if it rained, and no doubt full of deposits from horses, camels and cattle. People wore sandals or even walked in bare feet.

So when they entered a house as guests washing their feet must have been an essential task rather than the symbolism it is in today’s churches. A task left to the servants to undertake.

When Jesus offered, insisted even, in washing His disciples’ feet He was teaching them, and us, a very important lesson.

Here is God Himself, born in poverty, raised in poverty, living in poverty, submitting Himself to perform a task reserved for servants.

Perhaps the disciples didn’t understand the significance of what Jesus had just done. Maybe we don’t understand it ourselves right now.

Yet, He was preparing for an even greater submission and humiliation for us.

Dying a most horrible and painful death on the Cross. Just for us.

Imagine for a moment if Jesus was in person in your home right now. Imagine He asked to wash your feet before sitting down for a meal.

How would you react? Would you agree that your Master and Lord got down on His knees to wash your feet? Or would you protest like Peter?

This is for real. Not something that happened to the disciples years ago. Right now, Jesus is asking to wash your feet. Your reaction is vital to your present ... and to your future ... for eternity.

Now does the significance of that event make sense?

33 comments:

  1. "This is for real."

    Amen. It is.

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  2. The traditions of the Catholic church are comforting. My wives were and are all Catholic and I have been dragged to church on occasion. Never, however, to those rituals, it is nice to learn the backgrounds.

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    1. Yes JoeH, there are a number of rituals that go back centuries, often relating to the New Testament. I try here to explain some of them from time to time.

      God bless you and yours always.

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  3. In my area the Easter Vigil takes place after dark. I don't know if I would be able to make it there at midnight!

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    1. Unfortunately, all church services are suspended in the UK at present.

      God bless, Kathy.

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    2. I 'attended' mass at my parish tonight via the internet.

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    3. Yes, it is the same here too, Kathy. A number of churches are broadcasting Mass on their websites.

      Best wishes and God bless.

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  4. It is a beautiful Easter vigil one that cannot be held this Easter.
    Victor, you explain everything that has to do with God in a beautiful and understandable way. Sometimes I forget to say thank you...not today.
    T
    you so much Victor!!!

    God's Blessings My Friend ✝

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  5. I cannot believe this tablet...Thank you so much Victor!!!

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    1. You are very kind, Jan. I try my best to explain about God and His infinite love for us. I hope that what I write is of some help to some of my "en-passant" readers; and pray that some may be interested in finding more about God. I check the stats to this Blog and about 70% of readers are first time visitors who do not comment here, and probably do not return. It is those people whom I hope God is calling. I've also noted that a number of new readers are attracted here by my humourous articles rather than the Christian ones. Again, I hope that once they're here they venture to read the Christian articles too.

      Thank you Jan for being such a loyal and encouraging supporter.

      God bless you always.

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  6. Thank you, Victor, for explaining this beautiful, deeply significant part of Easter worship. And you pose such an important question to ponder - would we allow Jesus to wash our feet? I will meditate on that one.
    Blessings!

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    1. When we read the Gospels, Martha, we envisage the disciples, and the many people around Jesus at the time. But then, how often do we envisage us in these situations? What if we were one of the twelve whom Jesus wanted to wash their feet? What if we were with Him at the Garden of Gethsemane? Would we have ran away too, like the disciples? Or would we have stood, and fought to defend Jesus, and perhaps died in doing so?

      God bless.

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  7. I had goosebumps envisioning that ritual! I wish our church would adopt that, as well. Jesus' act of washing feet reminds me of another's blog query: "Do you find it easier for you to receive grace offered or extend grace to another?" (Still pondering!)

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    1. A good question, Mevely. I'd like to think I am forgiving. But am I forgiving enough? Or do I still carry the hurt done to me?

      God bless you.

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  8. I went to a catholic church in my youth and never experienced this ever. Now I'm wondering why. Nice post and a very nic explanation.
    Thank you, Victor!

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    1. Perhaps different churches have different traditions, Bill. This service of the new fire and the Paschal candle only happens at Midnight Mass at Easter. I remember, the service starts at 11:00pm and by the time the sang Mass is ended it is well past 1:00am in the morning. Sometimes, people stay behind in the parish hall for tea/coffee and biscuits. It is 2:00am by the time they get home.

      God bless, Bill.

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  9. Thanks for explaining another tradition.

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  10. These days mean so much even so, without knowing the traditions. Now the days mean more.

    Thank you.

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  11. Victor, thank you for sharing this beautiful tradition. Wow! I could picture and feel the Presence of our Lord. I would have been in tears had I been to that kind of service! Very, very special. And yes, that poor man was clueless as to the significance! LOL..

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    1. It is a very moving service, Diane. Full of meaning and symbolism.

      God bless always.

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  12. It makes perfect sense. God bless you, Victor.

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    1. Thank you so much, Chris.

      God bless you my friend.

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  13. It takes humility to accept forgiveness, and every other good gift He gives. It sounds like a beautiful service.

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    1. It is a wonderful service, Mimi; lasting about two hours.

      God bless you.

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  14. Beautiful tradition. I have a question. Is Mass spoken in Latin at your church? Curious since it is no longer used in most American churches.
    Blessings!

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    1. No Lulu. Masses are usually celebrated in English. We have some Italian and Polish churches which celebrate in their own language. But also, there are a few churches which celebrate one Mass every so often in Latin. But usually in English.

      Having said this, in an English Mass, there are some words sometimes spoken in Latin or Greek; like Lumen Christi, or Kyrie Eleison. No specific rules on this. It depends on the priest. Sometimes he says, "The Light of Christ" and sometimes "Lumen Christi".

      God bless you, Lulu.

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  15. Great thoughts, Victor. I can just imagine you getting tickled during that solemn procession! I would have done the same. :)

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    1. It was funny, Cheryl; albeit sad that there was someone who did not understand the meaning of the tradition and symbolism.

      God bless always.

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  16. This lighting of the candle is a beautiful ceremony. Last year, it was so special seeing all the candles lit in the church, as the people were holding a single candle. The church was dark, and the light from the candles was beautiful.

    ~Sheri

    *that was a bowl of good old fashioned oatmeal with raisins on my post.

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    1. Thank you so much Sheri for visiting my Blog. Please call again soon and often. You're always welcome here.

      Yes, the candle ceremony is very moving.

      And I do like oatmeal too. Tasty!

      God bless always.

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