VOTIVE CANDLES
There is a good reason to believe that people have made various sorts of votive offerings since pre-historic times. Such offerings were not necessarily or obviously what we would understand as clearly having a ‘votive’ character; that is, as being related to a ‘vow’.
It was a common in pagan times to make votive offerings to accompany prayers in time of illness or danger, in association with funeral rites, and in connection with major ventures to be undertaken.
Secondly, votive offerings were made for purely honorific purposes, in order to express one’s regard for the gods or the emperor.
Thirdly, votive offerings were made to emphasize one’s sincerity in making a vow, since such offerings associated with prayer or the showing of honor, since people usually made their offerings with a view to influencing the gods to look favorably upon them thereby; so the votive offering was regarded as a sort of ‘down-payment’ on an even better offering which was ‘vowed’ to be made if the gods would answer the prayers of the offerer.
Lest we think ourselves superior to those people in pagan times who made such attempts to ‘propitiate the gods’ for selfish reasons, let us ask ourselves how often we have promised God we would do – or never again do – this or that if only He would change something or give us something! In this, as in most things, we tend to think and act much as our forebears did.
Neither the pagan origins of votive offerings nor their abuse throughout history, however, speaks against their proper use today. One example of a ‘good’ votive offering to God, in the Old Testament, is that of the childless Hannah who vowed to devote her son to the service of the Lord is she could only bear a son ( I Samuel 1:11-28). An example from the New Testament involves St. Paul (Acts 21:23-24; see also 18:18).
Obviously, votive offerings can take many forms, but they all involve the making of an offering to God in connection with a specific prayer intention, either of intercession, thanksgiving, or promise (see St. Luke 2:22-24).
This brings us to Votive Candles. They are a ‘Christianized’ version of the ancient offerings: they are lighted, a small monetary offering is made, and prayers are said on occasions of special prayer for the sick, the departed, etc; on anniversaries of Baptism, Confirmation, and Marriage; or in connection with vows made (for instance) in Advent and Lent and after Confession.
The offering of votive candles has much merit: they ‘cost us’ something, but it is an amount all can afford; the manual act involved and the visual image retained are intended to help us to recall the purpose for which the candle was lighted, for as long as it burns; this in turn prompts us to repeat our prayer of thanksgiving or petition, or to reinforce our vow. Also, the realization that the light is burning, even when no one is around to see it, reminds us that God ‘remembers’ the purpose for which we prayed even should we forget momentarily.
The lighting of a candle, whatever the occasion, and wherever, always brings an almost mystical sense of warmth, and illumination, and comfort, and hope, with which no electric light can ever compare. It is for this reason that when we think of “the Light of Christ” which illuminates our way and is the guiding beacon, we do not think of a light bulb or neon sigh; we think of a living flame.
With the proper motivation and intention, then, the lighting of votive candles is a valid and efficacious means of making frequent, affordable thank-offerings, of strengthening our intercessory prayers, and of helping us to fulfill our vows to God.
By E.S. Gale
Votive Candles
