I was just wondering if there are any documents that specifically require the composition of liturgical candles to be made of beeswax.
Quite often I see paraffin candles being used for the sacred liturgy, whether traditional or contemporary and this just makes me feel a bit uneasy, since the Eastern Rite Catholic Churches and Orthodox only use 100% pure beesewax. What kinds of candles do you you use – and again, which documents support the practice?
Candles are interesting things. They do more than simply shed light or, in this age of electricity, create an ambiance. They, like we do, breathe in air. They move. They eat. They die. We use them as a sacrificial offering, for once they are used, they are gone for good. They stand in our place when we have intentions to pray for. We light them to avert storms. They remind us that, in this dark fallen world, the light of Christ will be victorious.
At one point the Sacred Congregation for Rites said that there had to be at least 51% wax in candles. You know, beeswax is pretty tough to keep standing up nice and straight in warm weather. A bit of stearine ensures that your candles are made of stearner stuff.
Currently, the legislation simply speaks of “candles” and does not go into detail about the composition of said candles. The USCCB website notes that, when a question was proposed to the Congregation for Divine Worship (now the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments), in 1974, the response was that no materials are spoken of in the universal law (Notitiae 10:80 (1974), no. 4), and bishops’ conferences have the competence to determine or specify material. The US Bishops’ Conference has made no specification, therefore, it is quite licit to use candles of various sorts. HERE
Oil lamps, which may be used as sanctuary lamps, are not candles, and may not substitute for altar candles. Neither are flashlights, pictures of candles, little electric flickering lights shaped like candles.
So, there is quite a bit of flexibility about the material of the candles, but the vector of the Church’s thought is pretty clear. Candles should be of a material that is for the most part natural. A high percentage real bee’s wax is preferred, keeping in mind that that 100% bees wax candles can get droopy in hot weather. They should produce a good flame without guttering. Tallow or animal fat is too smokey and smells bad. I suspect you won’t find many tallow candles. Wait until the EMP blasts us back to the 18th century. Heh heh… we’ll use tallow then, legislation or not! Also, I would like there to be a bit of flexibility from the Congregation in Rome on the use of Roman candles. ¡Hagan lío!
Nothing makes a church smell “Catholic” more than the lingering scent of incense, some wood polish, and bee’s wax candles burning. That combination alone is just about enough to get you thinking about converting or going to confession. Also, when I smell beeswax, I think of kistas… but I digress.
Some years ago, when I was in Norfolk, VA, I was given some homemade beeswax candles made boy who attended the TLM in the area. I used them in my chapel for Mass and there were simply splendid.