Lighting of Candles

 22/9/04

When lighting the big six and standard candles, in what order do you start and in what order do you put them out


REPLIES
 

Councillor Craig Aburn 23/9/04

Candles are always lit from the inside working outwards starting on the Epistle side (the right as one faces east) and then from inside working outwards on the Gospel (left) side. Candles are extinguished in the reverse order, i.e. furthest left to the centre and then furthest right to the
centre. This order applies whatever the number of candles there are, be it two for low mass or at a shrine, or 102 (in some churches) for Benediction!!

Cllr Craig Aburn.

Stephen Savage 23/9/04

At St Hilda's, Cross Green, Leeds, we light the south side first, starting nearest the crucifix. Then the north side, starting nearest the crucifix.
When we put them out we extinguish the north side first starting nearest the crucifix, then the south side, likewise. 

Best wishes, Stephen.

Councillor David Froud 23/9/04

The candles nearest the Altar Cross are lit first, beginning on the epistle side. If there are 2 servers then they both start with the candles nearest the Cross. If there is only one acolyte he/she should light all the candles on the Epistle side and then those on the Gospel side of the Altar.
In extinguishing the candles the reverse order is followed starting with the candle farthest from the Cross on the Gospel side. When all the candles on the Gospel side are out then extinguish those on the Epistle side.

A simple aide-memoire is that the Gospel candle is never left alight on its own.
David Froud Cllr PG10

Revd. Andrew Poole 23/9/04

I quote from the 1919 edition of 'Ritual Notes':

"At Solemn Services, both Acolytes should light the Candles, one on the one side and one on the other, commencing with those nearest the Cross; in extinguishing they commence with those farthest from the Cross. If but one Acolyte light them, he first lights those on the Epistle side and then those on the Gospel side beginning in each case with the one nearest the Cross, but in extinguishing them he proceeds in the contrary order, commencing with the one furthest removed from the Cross on the Gospel side. "

Hope this helps.

Rev'd Andrew Poole - Asst. Curate, All Saints, Scraptoft (Leicester)

Fr. Giles Pinnock 23/9/04

The tradition in parishes where I have worshipped and was a server before ordination that had a big six is as follows

1) Light the taper before entering the sanctuary.
2) Stand at the center of the altar and bow (not genuflect even if there is a tabernacle on the gradine, because you are presumably carrying a fairly long snuffer with a lit taper in it - fire risk!).
3) Move to the right and light the innermost candle on the right hand side of the crucifix (assuming that we are facing east at an eastward facing High Altar), because this is the candle nearest to the Lord's heart.
4) Light the candle to its right and then the outermost candle on the right hand side.
5) Return to the center of the altar and bow.
6) Then light the candles to the left of the crucifix working from the innermost to the outermost.
7) Return to the center of the altar and bow.
8) Leave the sanctuary and extinguish the taper.
9) Have the dustcover removed after the candles are lit, and replace the dustcover before extinguishing them to prevent molten wax dropping on the fair linen either from the taper or from the inside of the snuffer.

Candles are extinguished in the reverse order - ie, starting at the outermost left candle and extinguishing last the candle next to the Lord's heart, with bowings etc as above.

If the big six has to be lit and/or extinguished from a space behind the altar (eg, from a set of steps because of the height of the candles above the altar) light and extinguish in the same order as described (ie, starting and finishing next to the Lord's heart) with as much decorum as can be achieved.

Fr Giles Pinnock SSC

Peter Hooper 24/9/04

I was always taught for lighting start on the right and finish on the left, and for putting out start on the left and finish on the right. The reason given was that the Gospel candle (left) is never burning on its own.

Peter Hooper

R G Spurway 24/9/04

The Lighting of candles
I was taught that the sequence of lighting began on the south side of the Sanctuary progressing to the North and the reverse order for extinguishing them. Simulating the fact that Christianity came from the southerly direction.
R G Spurway Ilfracombe PG5/24

Ashley Buck 24/9/04

I believe I am right in saying that, strictly speaking, they should be lit from the inside to the outside, starting with the epistle side of the altar. They should be extinguished from the outside to the inside, it not mattering particularly from which side first. In practice, of course, most people light them from the left to the right of the altar, all in a row, and probably extinguish them the same way. I doubt if anyone really notices!

Bro. Ashley Buck (S. John the Baptist, Coventry)

Les Haines 25/9/04

I agree with all who have replied to this question and it was dealt with in the Server Magazine in the Winter edition Volume 19 Number 12 Winter 2000 Page 38 and also mentioned the Pascal candle, during the season of Easter, that if not burning all the time it should be lit first and extinguished last.
Bro. Les Haines, St. John the Baptist, Torbay Chapter.

Terry Delaney 25/9/04

On the basis that one has the High Altar in the east and that you have an eastward facing mass the candles are lit on the Epistle, I.e. on the right, from outside inwards the crucifix and like wise on the Gospel side. At the end of Mass the candles are extinguished in sequence starting from epistle side inward to the crucifix followed by the Gospel side. In some churches they are extinguished starting from outer candle on the outer candle on the epistle side and then the outer candle on the gospel side then in sequence eitherside towards the middle finishing with the inmost candle on the gospel side.

Most of church ritual can be obtained from Fortescue O'Connell "Ritual Notes" and I believe the copyright was bought by Ealing Abbey sometime ago and still in print.

During the Easter season the Paschal Candle is also extinguished during exposition of The Blessed Sacrament and Benediction

Of Course the present practice of facing the congregation means that most altar have either two candles or cluster of three candles on each corner of Altar, I am not aware that there is any sequence for lighting these candles!

I hope that this may of help.

Kind regards

Terry Delaney
The Lone Suffolk Server

Tony Barber 25/9/04

The Gospel lights are first to be lit and last the be extinguished. Light starting from the Cross and returning to the Cross. Extinguish in reverse order. (light G1,G2,G3,E3,E2,E1, extinguish E1,E2,E3,G3,G2,G1).

Hope this helps, 

Regards, Tony Barber, (PG7/126 Chapter of St Osmund and St Swithun)