Church candles are an important part of any church service. Whether you're looking for church votives, taper candles, or pillar candles, we have the perfect match for your needs.

How do church candles make the experience more enjoyable for your congregation?

For many people, religion is a very spiritual thing that allows them to connect with God in ways they can't during any other part of their life. Choosing religious items like the best church candles and candle holders can help set the scene for your beautiful sanctuary and make your church feel its very best.

Read our blog post, the best church candles guide 2024 and related information for what you need today.

What are the best candles for churches?

There are many churches that offer candle light for you to use when praying, or even when you truly wish to sit and think. There's really no specific church candle that's been considered the official church candle. Here we look at the top candles for your church.

Altar Candles

Altar candles can be made from either beeswax or paraffin. The difference is that beeswax candles are more expensive, but they also burn brighter and cleaner than paraffin candles. Beeswax is also a natural product, while paraffin is a petroleum by-product.

Altar candles are used in the church to create a sense of beauty and religious awe. It's a way to make a service seem more grand and holy, as though God himself were present in the room. You can also choose from candlesticks or candle holders.

Candlesticks are the best church candles to use when you want a low level of illumination. Altar candlesticks look beautiful on their own, but can also be used as a base for other candles.

Sanctuary Candles

Sanctuary candles and sanctuary lights are the most popular choice for churches because they are safe to use and easy to maintain. The sanctuary light stands about 12" tall and is used in four different places within the church:

• At the altar
• On the ambo or pulpit
• At the lectern or podium
• Behind the altar or communion table.

The sanctuary candle comes in 3-day and 9-day options, both are used for special occasions.

Church Votive Candles

The church votive candle is a safe and convenient way to create the ambiance we want for our churches. Not only do we want you to see clearly during mass, but we also want people who attend mass to enjoy their surroundings as much as possible.

The church votive candle and the church votive stand are important for prayer. They're used for memorials and requiem masses. They're also used for baptisms, first communions, weddings, funerals, and circumcisions.

People who use church votive candles believe they're helpful in their prayers because of the soft light they emit. Many people believe that the colour of the candle represents a specific meaning as well.

Pillar Candles

Pillar candles are the largest type of church candle, and they must be burned in a holder so they don't burn anything else nearby. They're designed to provide steady light throughout the entire event.

Therefore, different types of pillar candles are made with different materials. For example, the corded pillar candle must be burned in a glass container to prevent the melted wax from flowing down the wick and pooling on another surface.

What are the special times in the liturgical calendar for church candles?

The liturgical calendar is full of special moments where you can celebrate with church candles. Here's what we mean.

Advent Candles

The liturgical season, or Church Year, begins on Advent Sunday, which comes four Sundays before Christmas. During this time, God's people are encouraged to prepare their hearts for the coming of Christ through prayer, fasting, repentance, and renewal.

The Advent wreath is a familiar sight in most churches during the Advent season. Its four candles symbolise hope, peace, joy, and love, with the central candle lit on each of the Sundays of Advent. The wreath is rotated so that a new candle can be lit each week.

Easter Candles

The Lenten Season, also known as Passiontide or Holy Week, begins with Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Thursday, which is the day before Good Friday. The purpose of this time is to prepare Christians for Easter through prayer, fasting, repentance, and self-denial.

The Liturgical Season of Easter begins on Easter Sunday with the celebration of Christ's resurrection. During this season, Christians are encouraged to celebrate the risen Lord in their everyday lives.

Easter candles are placed upon the altar during the Easter season, and are also used to provide additional light on Pascha Sunday.

Pentecostal Candles

The Pentecostal Season is celebrated 50 days after Easter, once Mary has returned to heaven. It's during this time that the Holy Spirit descends upon God's people as tongues of fire. The Trinity Season is celebrated on the last Sunday after Pentecost. It focuses on God's mysterious nature, as revealed in the Holy Spirit, Father, and Son.

Solemnity of the Body: Blood of Christ is a celebration of Jesus' Last Supper, during which he gave his body to be eaten and his blood to drink as a sacrifice for the remission of our sins.

Ordinary Time - Sanctuary Candles

Sanctuary lights are safe for many types of churches, although some older buildings might not allow them to be placed in certain areas. Sanctuary candles are much more common in Catholic churches, where they are available in bulk for weddings, funerals, or special events. They're extremely easy to transport and make an excellent gift for a church anniversary celebration.

For example, when it comes to the liturgical church year, there are eight major seasons that mark an important time in the cycle of the Christian calendar.

The most important thing to remember with church candles and accessories is that you have to find a balance between aesthetics and safety. There are certain places in the church where candles are supposed to be placed, but they need to be away from things like curtains or walls.

What colour church candle should you get?

When choosing a church candle, most people go with what they like, but there are some things you should think about before making your final decision. The colour of the candle is very important because different colours symbolise different things and make certain types of churches more welcoming to visitors.

The common colours for candles include: white, ivory, red, yellow, and green. Traditionally, white candles are used during Advent, Lent, and Easter. Red is used for Pentecostal Season along with the Holy Trinity Season.

Green or yellow are both used at different times of year depending on the church's tradition. For example, in most Byzantine Catholic churches, all four colours are used for the different celebrations.

What you should consider when choosing the right colour is how it'll fit in with your other decorations and what your goal is for using it.

When should the wicks be trimmed?

Every church candle has a wick used to keep the flame lit. This wick needs to be trimmed every time you light your candle, and they should also be cut before you put it away at the end of each service or event.

Trimming the wicks is crucial because if they are too long, then some of their wax will melt and end up on the candle holder or table below. This is a fire hazard, so it's a good idea to trim your church wicks as often as necessary.

Trimming church candles can be hard for some people because they may feel it isn't worth the time or effort for one or two inches of candle wick. However, if they are too long, you can accidentally cause a fire, or at least make someone nervous about lighting the next time.

What are paschal candles?

Paschal candles are made of an effigy or illustration of Jesus on the cross, which symbolises Jesus' victory over sin and death. These candles are usually paraded through the congregation on Easter before they are burned. They contain a decorative border meant to be used as a censer to provide symbolic protection for those who believe in it.

How do I choose the right size church candle holder?

When it comes to choosing the right candle holder for your church, there are many factors that come into play. First, it's important to think about the space you have available and how many people will be present for your event. Most candle holders require a 3" or more border around them, but if they are too close, it'll cause a fire hazard.

During Lent and Advent, smaller candle holders can sometimes be used because of the different types of prayers said during the services. Some people also like to use small candle holders during funerals or memorial services, because it'll give off a softer light that isn't too distracting.

Depending on your church, you may use something other than traditional.

Church candles available for purchase online

Church candles are a wonderful way to set the mood for your church event, but they can be difficult to buy if you don't know where to look.

Vanpoulles sells all types of candle holders and church candles that'll help make any service more spiritual.

Whether you need 1 or 100 at once, we have what you're looking for!

You'll also find traditional altar breads, altar wine, communion cups, and other religious accessories at our online church supplies store.

If there is anything else that might be helpful during your next Sunday service, stop by today!

See our Church Candles range below!