The use of Candles in religion

Before the advent of electric lighting, candles and oil lamps were used for illumination. Until the 20th century, it was more common for candles to be used in northern Europe, but in southern Europe and the Mediterranean, oil lamps were the preferred form of lighting.
These days candles are used mainly for their aesthetic value and fragrance, particularly to set a soft, warm, or romantic ambiance, and for emergency lighting during electrical power cuts. Scented candles are used in aromatherapy.
Candles and oil lamps have been used in the religious ceremonies of many faiths for many centuries and despite the introduction electric lighting are still used to this day.

Here are some examples of how candles and lamps are used in each religion.

Christianity

In Christianity the candle is commonly used in worship both for decoration and ambiance, and as a symbol that represents the light of God or, specifically, the light of Christ. The altar candle is often placed on the altar, usually in pairs. Candles are also carried in processions, especially to either side of the processional cross. A votive candle or taper may be lit as an accompaniment to prayer.

Candles are lit by worshippers in front of icons in Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Eastern Catholic and other churches. This is referred to as "offering a candle", because the candle is a symbol of the worshiper offering himself or herself to God (and proceeds from the sale of the candle are offerings by the faithful which go to help the church).  Among the Eastern Orthodox, there are times when the entire congregation stands holding lit tapers, such as during the reading of the Matins Gospels on Good Friday, the Lamentations on Holy Saturday, funerals, Memorial services, etc. There are also special candles that are used by Orthodox clergy. A bishop will bless using dikirion and trikirion (candlesticks holding two and three candles, respectively). At Pascha (Easter) the priest holds a special Paschal trikirion, and the deacon holds a Paschal candle. The priest will also bless the faithful with a single candle during the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts (celebrated only during Great Lent).

In the Roman Catholic Church a liturgical candle must be made of at least 51% beeswax, the remainder may be paraffin or some other substance.   In the Orthodox Church, the tapers offered should be 100% beeswax, unless poverty makes this impossible. The stumps from burned candles can be saved and melted down to make new candles.

In some Western churches, a special candle known as the Paschal candle, specifically represents the Resurrected Christ and is lit only at Easter, funerals, and baptisms.  In the Eastern Orthodox Church, during Bright Week (Easter Week) the priest holds a special Paschal trikirion (triple candlestick) and the deacon holds a large candle during all of the services at which they serve.

In Sweden (and other Scandinavian countries), St. Lucia Day is celebrated on December 13 with the crowning of a young girl with a wreath of candles.

In many Western churches, a group of candles arranged in a ring, known as an Advent wreath, are used in church services in the Sundays leading up to Christmas. In households in some Western European countries, a single candle marked with the days of December is gradually burned down, day by day, to mark the passing of the days of Advent; this is called an Advent candle.

Buddhism
Candles are a traditional part of Buddhist ritual observances. Along with incense and flowers, candles (or some other type of light source, such as butter lamps) are placed before Buddhist shrines or images of the Buddha as a show of respect. They may also be accompanied by offerings of food and drink.  The light of the candles is described as representing the light of the Buddha's teachings, echoing the metaphor of light used in various Buddhist scriptures.

Hinduism
In almost all Hindu homes, lamps are lit daily and sometimes every day before an altar. In some houses, the oil lamps, or candles, at dawn, and in some, twice a day - at dawn and dusk - and in a few, it is maintained continuously.
A diya, or clay lamp, is frequently used in Hindu celebrations and forms an integral part in many social rites. It is a strong symbol of enlightenment, hope and prosperity. Diwali is the festival of lights celebrated by followers of dharmic religions.
In its traditional and simplest form, the diya is made from baked clay or terracotta and holds oil or ghee that is lit via a cotton wick.
Traditional diyas have now evolved into a form wherein waxes are being used as replacements for oils.

Sikhism

Lamps are lit in Sikhism on Diwali, the festival of light, as well as being lit everyday by followers of Dharmic religions.

Judaism
A yahrtzeit candle, lit on the Hebrew anniversary of a loved one's death
In Judaism, a pair of candles are lit on Friday evening prior to the start of the weekly Sabbath celebration. On Saturday night, a special candle with several wicks is lit for the Havdalah ritual marking the end of the Sabbath and the beginning of the new week.
The eight-day holiday of Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is celebrated by lighting a special candelabrum or Hanukkiyah each night to commemorate the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem.
A memorial candle is lit on the Yahrtzeit, or anniversary of the death of a loved one according to the Hebrew calendar. The candle burns for 24 hours. A memorial candle is also lit on Yom HaShoah, a day of remembrance for all those who perished in the Holocaust.
Candles are also lit prior to the onset of the Three Festivals (Sukkot, Passover and Shavuot) and the eve of Yom Kippur, and Rosh Hashana.
A candle is also used on the night before Passover in a symbolic search for chametz, or leavened bread, which is not eaten on Passover.

Kwanzaa
The Candle is also used in celebrations of Kwanzaa, which is an African American holiday which runs from December 26 to January 1. A Kinara is used to hold candles in these celebrations. It holds seven candles; three red candles to represent African American struggles, one black candle to represent the African American people and three green candles to represent African American hopes.

Humanism
For some Humanists the candle is used as a symbol of the light of reason or rationality. The Humanist festival of HumanLight often features a candle-lighting ceremony.

Satanism
During satanic rituals black candles are the only lightsource, except for one white candle on the altar. The dim lighting is used to create an air of mystique and the color of the candles has symbolic meaning.

Unitarian Universalism
A common element of worship in many Unitarian Universalism churches and fellowships is the lighting of candles of joy and concern. Here members of the congregation may come up to the altar or chancel, light a votive or other candle, and share a personal concern or joy with the community. Unitarian Universalism also incorporates candle-lighting ceremonies from other spiritual traditions, from which they draw inspiration.

Wicca
In Wicca and related forms of Paganism, the candle is frequently used on the altar to represent the presence of the God and Goddess, and in the four corners of a ritual circle to represent the presence of the four classical elements: Fire, Earth, Air, and Water. When used in this manner, lighting and extinguishing the candle marks the opening and closing of the ritual. The candle is also frequently used for magical meditative purposes. Altar candles are traditionally thick tall candles or long tapers which are available in many colors. In Wicca, the candles that are used come in a variety of colors, depending on the nature of the ritual or custom at hand. Some Wiccans may use green, blue, yellow and red, purple, white candles to represent the elements.

Raqs sharqi
In raqs sharqi, candles are used as a complementary element in some dance styles. The candles can be held either on the dancer's hand or above her head, depending on what the choreography demands.

BigCommerce - Easy to use e-commerce software

After a couple of years of experimenting with various providers of e-commerce software providers we have finally found one that ticks all the box's and is well worth a mention!

BigCommerce is the easiest way to start selling on line and is a reliable e-commerce platform that is easy to use that will help expand your business whilst having all the tools to grow with your business.

The BigCommerce e-commerce solution is also great for the more experienced e-tailer or anyone is looking to switch platforms because their old ecommerce software is outdated and clunky.

If you're an e-commerce website designer and looking for an e-commerce platform that is easy to customise then BigCommerce is also the product for you.

If you're interested in BigCommerce but would like to know more from someone with first hand experience please ask your question on this blog and we will be only to happy to answer.

Illumination with beautiful Candles

Beautiful candles have always been a decor tool that can be always used to light up the occasions and any festival. But it is impossible to light up a without a candleholder. In fact the immense beauty of candle without a holder is really insufficient and meaningless. These have their own magnificent shapes adding glory to any illuminative festival and occasion. That’s why there are several producers offering people a wide range of decorative and pretty holders that looks charming and attractive. Such holders cast a marvelous glow that is soothing to everybody’s senses.
There are a number of candleholders and other decors such as- Glass Votive Candle, Glass Tea Light Candle Holders, Frosted Glass Candles, Paper Lantern Candle Bags, Fairy Light Decorations, wrought iron etc., available at every place that works with any style of decor. Furthermore, these can also be given shape of plates, glasses and small lamps with a sufficient area to place the candle.

These items are a wonderful source of illuminating your events or festival that beautifies your occasions and are a source of appreciation for you. The decors are wonderful artistic piece in your events and are a fabulous way of decorating your homes, offices or any other place. Such items are also capable of creating a romantic feeling during the occasions like wedding and are also a source of making a divine environment during any religious festivals. There are also items like aromatic candles that are especially created to evolve the feeling required, according to its aroma. All such decors are perfect illuminators to fill you with the feeling of immense pleasure and happiness while celebrating your occasions whether it’s a birthday party or any festival.

Illuminators- its religious prospects

The use of illuminators and decors have always been involved for religious purposes too since it is believed that lighting is the way to remove yourself from darkness and leads you to a divine path where there is a divine connection of God and man. Religious places, especially churches, have been constantly using votive and tealight candles for offering prayers, where the candles are kept near the statue of Jesus Christ or the Blessed Mary. These candles are placed in a candleholder. This is their traditional way of praying in Roman Catholic churches.

At times these candles were kept near the icons of Jesus Christ or any holy icon. The candles were kept in a vessel full of sand or any round shaped container. Usually the worshippers keep the candles in a place that was quiet departed. The shape of such candles was long and thin. Such practices were followed in the Eastern Orthodox Churches. These churches have different traditions with that of the Roman Catholic Churches.
Churches like Anglican follow similar traditions with that of the Roman Catholic Churches.

Votive candles are considered a symbol of praying by many worshippers. Some worshippers light votive candles to pray for the souls of those people who have left their destructive bodies and died. These candles are usually lit near the cross. These were lit in homes or churches. Such traditions were followed in Lutheranism.

Besides the religious purpose these decors were used to enhance the interior of a place or outdoor yards. The votive holders and Glass Tea Light Candle Holders are also considered as an ideal for keeping on tables or desks.

Article Author: Nick Roberts

Candle Gifts for all occasions

Without a doubt candles make great gifts for almost any occasion – with the exception of gifts for small children of course! However, most people love candles and like them much more when they receive a candle gift from that special person. While a pack of plain white tealights may not be the most appealing gift, if you put a little thought into your gift, there are lots of candles out there that that will make fantastic gifts.

Flower Candles
Why not break away from the tradition of buying a bunch of flowers for that special lady and give her a candle in the shape of a flower.  These make a fantastic candle gift for almost any special occasion.  Available in a multitude of different flowers, colours and fragrances these make a great gift for any flower lover .

Floating Candles
Floating candles as a gift might send romantic undertones, so be careful if that’s not the intention when giving these candles as a gift. Floating candles are great for a lot of reasons - soaking in a hot tub, or as a table decoration for a romantic dinner for example - but they might not be the best candle gift for a friend or relative. That said, if you want to give someone a subtle message, these might be a great semi-romantic gift to give them.

Glass Jar Candles
Sometimes expensive, but even after the candle is gone, the person will still have the jar which can be used in a variety of ways, even refilling with wax to make a new candle. There's a varied selection of candles in a glass jar, meaning there's likely a jar candle for anyone on your gift list. Available in a multitude of designs, colours, and fragrances you can be sure you won’t go wrong with this candle gift.

Pillar Candles
These can be expensive depending on the size of candle, but they're solid and send a message of solidarity. For the most part, however, if you want to give a friend or work acquaintance a candle, a pillar candle will probably be the best bet. Size matters, obviously!

Flameless Candles
Obviously you will never beat a real candle flame, but for the older generation on your list, someone living in an enclosed space, or generally where safety can’t be compromised - a flameless candle might be the perfect gift to give. They give a similar ambiance and sometimes come with a candle fragrance but without the added risk of starting a fire. They're not for everyone, but for the purpose of candle safety some people will find these a fantastic gift.

These are but a few suggestions for candle gifts and there are plenty more fantastic candles out there that will make a great gift for that special person. 

Please visit Melt10 Candles for some more great gift ideas.

Candle Gifts

Melt10 Candles are pleased to be able to offer an extensive range of gift boxed candles and candle gifts just in time for Christmas.


The various styles and types of Candles, floating candles, and flower candles will not only make fantastic affordable Christmas Gifts, they can also be used for decorating your Christmas dinner table, and can also be used throughout the year for decorating dining tables, party tables and for other decorative purposes

Exquisite Centerpieces - What a Dining Experience!

Centerpieces are the final touch to the dining room that can bring out the wonder in your decor. If you are looking to spruce up your home dcor or even just planning for a special event, an exquisite centerpiece can transform your decor into a beautiful experience. From wonderfully elegant bowls or exquisite serving pieces, exquisite centerpieces can bring your dining experience to life!

When selecting the right centerpiece for your various occasions in your home, begin by focusing on the centerpiece that adds to the everyday occasions in your home. Overall, you will have several different centerpieces; one (or more) for each occasion you would like to highlight, but start with the occasion of everyday as that is where most of your time is spent. This will add to the variety of your everyday table dcor.

Candles used as centerpieces are only limited by your imagination. For both casual and intimate dinners, creative use of votives can be an alluring and attractive centerpiece. For the romantic candlelight dinner, allowing the votives and candles to provide most of the light will certainly add to the romance of the setting. And, if you are having guests over, votives sooth the atmosphere and create a relaxed and inviting environment.

When incorpoated with purpose, the proper centerpiece will quickly become the center of conversation in any dining room. Immediately when your guests are seated, the conversation focuses around the centerpiece being presented. And, when presented as a work of art, the well selected centerpiece becomes more than a functional platter or serving item. It really becomes ?art?. A platter or floral arrangement, for example, can make the difference between functionality and impression. Therefore, the inclusion of an exquisite centerpiece certainly adds to the entire dining experience.

Before entertaining your dinner presentation, be sure to shop the always changing exquisite centerpieces as can only be found at http://www.materialpossessions.com/

Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article150936.html

Design Ideas For Your Wedding Reception

The wedding reception is the part of that special day where the most time is spent and the most activities take place. There is much tradition attached to wedding receptions. These traditions need to be considered in the planning stage of the wedding. Some traditions can be altered to fit the desires of the couple and the expectations of the guests. The reception hall is going to be the center of all of this activity. It is a good idea to give some thought to the overall design theme of the reception. The design theme will determine the overall look of the reception hall and a carefully planned and executed design theme can add a great deal to the wedding.

It is important to match the design theme to the hall where the reception is to take place. There has to be a match here. It is important to have a complete idea of just how the hall is going to appear at the time of the reception. How many tables will there be? What kind of chairs are being used? How large is the dance area? Where will the head table be located? These are the types of questions that must be answered before a design theme can be planned.

The key elements to the design theme are centerpieces and flowers. The centerpiece and the table top decorations are the key areas of advancing the theme of the design. One good idea is to consider the season. If a wedding is in spring, a more normal design of bright and colorful flowers would be fine, but a fall wedding might feature a design theme more suited to autumn. A winter wedding can use a winter theme.

One good centerpiece idea is a floating rose display. You can make it easily by starting with any large clear glass container filled with water. Add some pink floating candles or red floating candles to the water and sprinkle artificial rose petals into the water and around the table top. The artificial rose petals can be purchased from wedding supply stores or candle shops. They are made of acetate, a silk like material. The sky is the limit for centerpiece design.

The other important element of the reception design is the floral arrangements. It is generally recommended that the actual placement and removal of floral arrangements be left to professional florists. It is not that you will be unable to create the arrangement that best expresses your design scheme, but rather that you are going to be very busy elsewhere on the wedding day itself. Once again, the decorating theme should match the hall. Large and tall arrangements work best in large halls. They fill space and also make a bold statement. Flowers can be part of the centerpiece design, and there are limitless ways to express a design theme with them It is a good idea to place an empty vase with water at each bridesmaid table for her bouquet. This not only preserves them, but they then become part of the table design.

Author:

Amy Nutt: Mill Brook Industries offers a large selection of quality church chairs, banquet chairs, office chairs.

http://www.millbrookindustries.com/

Terms: Articles may be reprinted provided content is not edited and links are kept live

Source: www.articledepot.co.uk

Floating Flower Candles