Candles and Festivals of Light

Part I

Candles brighten many occasions, but they are most prominent and most infused with meaning during the winter holidays. Among others, Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism and Kwanzaa use candles and lamps in their holiday celebrations.

Yule, deriving from old Norse "jól" and Old English "géohol" began as a celebration of the winter solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year. Archeologists have discovered that the sun shining through the upright lentils of England's Stonehenge signaled a time of feasting even as far back as Neolithic times. To primitive peoples, Yule was proof that the waning light would reverse its course, the sun would once again gain ascendency over darkness. Some peoples expressed it as the moon giving birth to the sun. Bonfires, the quintessential symbol of light overcoming darkness, were often a part of the ceremonies.

Christianity took the "pagan" Yule festival observed by the Scandinavian and Germanic peoples and reconfigured it into a celebration of the birth of Jesus, the Son of God, the Light of the World. This symbolism is most clearly exemplified at the Christmas Midnight Service.

Since the fourth century, Midnight Mass has been part of the Catholic Christmas ritual and other Christian denominations have included it in their rituals also. The regular church lights are dimmed or turned off. Candles, including altar candles and perhaps a white Christ Candle, provide the main source of illumination. The congregation sings religious Christmas carols and listens to readings from the Bible. Often a nativity scene is set up inside the church and at midnight the baby Jesus is placed in the manager. After lighting their candles from the Christ Candle, the ushers or other dignitaries light the candles of the first congregants in each pew, who then light one another's candles across the row until the church is filled with candle light, once again symbolically driving out darkness.

One of the oldest religions, Hinduism, also has a festival to celebrate light triumphing over darkness. The date of the five-day Dwali Festival of Lights, one of the most popular Hindu festivals, is determined by the lunar-based Hindu calendar (it began Oct. 27 this year but will begin Nov. 14 in 2020). The middle day of the festival always coincides with the total darkness of the new moon when no light is reflected onto earth. Lighting thousands of lamps, candles, even fireworks, collectively Hindus all over the world symbolically and literally drive out darkness with their light.

From the time of Moses, Judaism incorporated lamps and candles into their religious observances. Exodus 25:31-40 records the specifications God gave to the Israelites for the fashioning of a menorah, a seven-branched candelabrum, to be beaten out of pure gold. Used first in the portable sanctuary in the wilderness and later in the Temple in Jerusalem, the seven lamps of the candlestick were lit using freshly pressed and consecrated olive oil. The seven lamps burned throughout the night, from sunset of one day to sunrise of the next– again the symbolism of light dispelling darkness.

Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, commemorates a historic victory and a miracle that took place about 200 BCE. At that time, the King of Syria had conquered the Jewish people, banned the practice of Judaism and stolen the treasures of the Temple of Jerusalem, turning it into an edifice honoring Zeus. A Jewish rebel force, the Maccabees, eventually defeated the Syrians and took back the Jerusalem Temple. Because it had been defiled by the infidels, the Temple needed cleansing and rededication. The menorah was relit, but there was only enough consecrated, pure, olive oil for one day's burning. Yet miraculously the oil lasted eight days, which provided sufficient time for new oil to be consecrated.

The celebration of that miracle became the eight-day festival of Hanukkah, which uses a special nine-socketed menorah called the Hanukkiyah. One of the candle holders is taller or shorter than the other eight. This ninth candle, called the Shamash (servant or attendant) is used to light the others. Initially, the Shamash is the only candle in the Hanukkiyah. It is lit, a blessing is recited, and the first candle is placed on the right side of the holder and lit by the Shamash. On the second night, the first candle is moved one place to the left, a second candle is placed in the right-most position and the candles are lit starting on the left. This process continues until on the eighth day all eight candles are in the holder and have been lit, left to right, by the Shamash.

In 2019, Hanukkah begins on Dec. 22. Hanukkah is a family-oriented holiday and along with recounting the historical story of the Maccabees and the miracle of the oil, the evenings also include the recitation of special blessings, singing of Hanukkah songs, playing games and eating food, especially oily foods like latkes (potato pancakes) and jelly-filled donuts. Some celebrations even include the giving of small gifts or money to the children on each of the nights. In some cases, the child is gifted a check with the "pay to the order of" left blank so that he or she can write the name of a charity they wish to support.

Kwanzaa is a relatively new candle-centered holiday. Created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, Kwanzaa is a cultural, not a religious, holiday. The seven-day event takes place from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1 and celebrates African and African-American culture and history. Rather than focusing on literal darkness and light, Kwanzaa's focus is on knowledge as a light that dispels darkness.

Similar to the Jewish menorah, Kwanzaa employs a seven-branched candelabrum called the kinara. It has three red candles on the left, signifying the blood shed in the struggle for freedom and three green candles on the right symbolizing the fertile land of Africa. One black candle sits in the center, symbolizing the color of the people. Each candle focuses attention on one of the Seven Principles, as do the day's activities.

The black candle, lit first, stands for Unity, building a community that stands together. On the second day, the outermost red candle is lit and the day's focus is on Self-Determination, speaking for yourself and making choices that benefit the community. The outermost green candle is next and the day's emphasis is on Collective Work and Responsibility, helping others within the community. The rest of the red and green candles alternate, moving inward. The fourth day emphasizes Cooperative Economics, supporting businesses that care about the community. Fifth is Purpose, setting goals that benefit the community. Sixth is Creativity, making the community better and more beautiful. The final day focuses on Faith, believing that a better world can be created for communities now and in the future.

Part II of this article on holiday candle traditions will discuss more regional festivals.

 

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