Round Robin: Holy Fire (entry 2 of 2)

Here is my second of my two Round Robin entries on the topic of Candlelight. For this one, I'm going to share some of my archived photos of candlelight at The Episcopal Parish of St. Michael and All Angels.



This was the scene on the Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday), December 13, 2009. On each of the four Sundays, the evergreen wreath is lowered from on high, and the priest celebrant (in this case Father John Smith) lights one more candle than the previous Sunday. There's some symbolic reason why of the third candle is rose instead of purple, but I don't remember the details at the moment. Wikipedia claims it's meant to be the combination of Advent purple and Christmas white.



April 11, 2009: Easter vigil. For part of the service, the congregation sits in relative darkness, little candles in hand. A single large candle is processed up the aisle (nave) by a priest, intoning "The Light of Christ!" The congregation sings back, "Thanks be to God!" The large candle lights the torchbearers' candles, which are used to light someone's candle in each row of the congregation. The light is then passed from candle to candle, until all are lit.



Usually there's at least one baptism during Easter Vigil. During that rite, the priest hands a candle to each newly-baptized person, or their parent if it's a baby or small child.




This very tall candle is the Paschal Candle. First lit at Easter Vigil, it is used until Pentecost Sunday, and on certain occasions thereafter. This shot is from June 28, 2009, when another baptism took place. I often sit right behind this candle. The baptismal candles are lit from the Paschal Candle.



And here's a shot from July 2007 that I suspect I have used before. Back then, the candlesticks ("torches") I and other acolytes carried on Sunday held real candles. Our church only has evaporative cooling, not true air conditioning, so in the height of Tucson summer the church gets quite hot. But if we used fans to keep the acolytes from becoming ill from the heat, the candles burned down quickly and unevenly. Sometimes I even got wax in my hair! The church then invested in new $800 candlesticks, featuring refillable oil-based plastic candles. They present a completely different set of problems, as I detailed in another entry in 2008.




Even on an ordinary Sunday, there are lots of candles to light. This was last Sunday (January 10, 2010).


Now that I've applied my typical overkill to this topic, let's see what the other Robins have come up with!

Linking List:
as of 11:15 PM MST, 01/16/10


Carly - Posted!
Ellipsis
http://ellipsissuddenlycarly.blogspot.com

Karen - Posted!
Outpost Mâvarin
http://outmavarin.blogspot.com

Hip Chick
Hip chick's photos
http://hipchickphotos.blogspot.com

Linda - Posted!
Mommy's Treasures
http://mommystreasures.blogspot.com

ellen b - Posted!
The Happy Wonderer
http://happywonderer.wordpress.com

boliyou
endomental
http://www.endomental.com

Vicki - Posted!
Maraca
http://mymaracas.blogspot.com

Jama - Posted!
Sweet Memories
http://mummyjam.blogspot.com

carolynUSA - Posted!
Ford Family Photos
http://carolyn1209.blogspot.com/2010/01/round-robin-challenge-candle.html

Sherrie - Posted!
Sherrie's Stuff
http://sherrie-plummer.blogspot.com

Lana G - Posted!
Above the Clouds
http://airmiles.wordpress.com

Ann
Sandcastle Momma
http://sandcastlemomma.blogspot.com

Gattina - Posted!
Keyhole Pictures
http://gattina-keyholepictures.blogspot.com

Julie - Posted!
Julie's Web Journal
http://www.barrettmanor.com/journal

Brianne **Welcome, New Member**
All Kids & No Play
http://allkidsandnoplay.blogspot.com

Sandy **Welcome, New Member** - Posted!
From The Heart Of Texas
http://sandytrefger.wordpress.com

Jen - Posted!
My Muskoka
http://mymuskoka.blogspot.com

Ruth - Posted!
The Scrabblequeen Knits, Too
http://scrabblequeen.blogspot.com

Peggy - Posted!
Holmespunfun Memes and Themes
http://holmespunfunmemesandthemes.blogspot.com

Freda Mans - Posted!
Day One
http://fredamans.blogspot.com/2010/01/round-robin-challenge-candlelight.html

You can also scroll down to see my other, non-religious Round Robin entry. And don't forget our other memes...

Monday Photo Shoot (A New Photo Shoot assignment posted each Monday)

Weekend Assignment (A New Weekend Assignment posted each weekend)


Karen