Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy and dean of theology at the Regina Apostolorum university.
Q: Was there a liturgical law in place before Vatican II requiring the use of unbleached candles for requiem Masses, Lent, Advent and Holy Week? If so, has that law been abrogated or is it still in force? — M.L., Baton Rouge, Louisiana
A: To the first question we may answer affirmatively. There was a law regarding the use of unbleached candles on the aforementioned days.
To the second, no, the law is no longer in force. The reason is not because the law has been formally abrogated but because the Holy See no longer legislates on this subject and leaves such matters to the bishops’ conferences. Since this requirement is no longer in the missal and no bishops’ conference has legislated it, this specific requirement is no longer in force.
This may not be the same with regard to the norms regarding the composition of candles.
Even before the liturgical reform, beginning in 1902, the Holy See allowed bishops fairly wide latitude in determining the composition of candles so as to adjust to the availability of pure beeswax. According to the ceremonies book of A. Fortescue, J.B. O’Connor and A. Reid:
“The proportion of beeswax in church candles is regulated by law. The Pascal candle, the two candles for low Mass, six for High Mass, and the twelve necessary for Benediction must have at least 65 percent of real beeswax. All other candles used on the altar must have at least 25 percent of real beeswax. …
«So the Bishops of England, and Wales on 4 December 1906, and the Bishops of Ireland, in October 1905, directed that the Pascal Candle and the two principal candles on the altar at Mass should contain at least 65 percent of beeswax and that all other candles used on the altar should contain at least 25 percent of beeswax.»
In a footnote the authors add:
“A decision of the Sacred Congregation of Rites (13 December 1957) allows local episcopal conferences to modify the ruling of decree 4147.”
In the light of this 1957 decree, some bishops’ conferences made changes. For example, a 1961 decree for Italy determined that the minimum two candles required for Mass and the Easter candle had to have a minimum 10 percent of pure beeswax. Other candles used in church required at least 5 percent. Some paraffins and other vegetable and mineral waxes were also allowed in the mix.
Waxes and oils derived from animal fat was totally excluded. Artificial candles, within which there was a metal container with a spring that assured that the candles burned upward rather than downward, were considered as «tolerated.»
After the liturgical reform, the General Instruction of the Roman Missal is quite brief on this subject and in No. 117 simply describes their location and number without specifying anything regarding their composition.
An exception to this silence is the Easter candle. For example, the 1988 Circular Letter on the preparation for Easter published by the Congregation for Divine Worship states:
«The paschal candle should be prepared, which for effective symbolism must be made of wax, never be artificial, be renewed each year, be only one in number, and be of sufficiently large size, so that it may evoke the truth that Christ is the light of the world. It is blessed with the signs and words prescribed in the Missal or by the Conference of Bishops.»
For the United States, there is an official stance from the bishops’ conference. To wit:
“The Secretariat of the Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy has received a number of inquiries in the last year concerning the Church’s norms governing the use of candles and oil lamps in the liturgy. Many have asked whether oil lamps may be used as substitutes for candles during the celebration of the liturgy. The last time this question was addressed by the Secretariat was in the June-July 1974 edition of this Newsletter.
“The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) states the following with regard to the use of candles:
«Candles are to be used at every liturgical service as a sign of reverence and festiveness» (no. 269; see also no. 79).
“In a 1974 interpretation of GIRM 269, the Congregation for Divine Worship noted that the GIRM makes no further determination regarding the material of which candles are made except in the case of the sanctuary lamp, the fuel for which must be oil or wax. The Congregation then went on to recall the faculty that the conferences of bishops possess to choose suitable materials.
“Since the National Conference of Catholic Bishops has never employed the above-noted faculty to permit the use of materials other than wax in the production of candles, the use of such other materials either as a substitute for or in imitation of candles is not permitted in the liturgy. Therefore, oil lamps may be used only ‘in the case of the sanctuary lamp,’ as indicated above. Candles made of wax are to be used in the celebration of the Mass and other liturgical rites. Furthermore, because of their very nature, imitations of candles should not be used in the liturgy as, for example, ‘permanent’ paschal candles, nor should electric bulbs be used in liturgical celebration. In the interests of authenticity and symbolism, it is likewise unfitting that so-called electric vigil lights be used for devotional purposes.”
A 2005 document of the Bishops of England and Wales says regarding candles:
“In order that the symbolism of the candle be an authentic one, only genuine wax candles should be used in the liturgy. The use of fake ‘candles’ with wax or oil inserts, is not permitted at Mass.”
Some other countries have not legislated, but this has not been interpreted as leaving the former norm intact as in the United States but rather as allowing for alternative solutions. Thus over the last 50 years, the use of so-called «liquid wax» artificial candles have become very popular in Italy and other parts of the world. Certainly, almost every religious goods store in Rome, including those belonging to the Holy See, offers a wide selection of such «candles,» along with the liquid to refill them.
Their availability in Roman stores is, of course, no guarantee of legitimate use. And I have seen quite a selection of bizarre liturgical fantasies in Roman emporiums. It is true, however, that this form of candle is very common in the Eternal City’s churches and convents.
That said, I have been able to find no decree in Italy that has specifically authorized it, nor anything that has forbidden it. It would appear to be an application of the legal principle of “Qui tacet consentire“ or more fully: “He who is silent, when he ought to have spoken and was able to, is taken to agree.»
Papal celebrations continue to adhere to the traditional wax candles, and it must be admitted that from the symbolic and aesthetic points of view they are the more beautiful and apt.
The Church Fathers saw several symbolic meanings in the use of beeswax. Some saw the spotless wax representing Christ’s most spotless Body; the enclosed wick enclosed an image of his soul, while the glowing flame typifies the divine nature united with the human in one divine Person. The conclusive verses of the Easter Proclamations also testify to this tradition:
“The sanctifying power of this night
dispels wickedness, washes faults away,
restores innocence to the fallen, and joy to mourners,
drives out hatred, fosters concord, and brings down the mighty.
On this, your night of grace, O holy Father,
accept this candle, a solemn offering,
the work of bees and of your servants’ hands,
an evening sacrifice of praise,
this gift from your most holy Church.
“But now we know the praises of this pillar,
which glowing fire ignites for God’s honor,
a fire into many flames divided,
yet never dimmed by sharing of its light,
for it is fed by melting wax,
drawn out by mother bees
to build a torch so precious.
“O truly blessed night,
when things of heaven are wed to those of earth,
and divine to the human.
“Therefore, O Lord,
we pray you that this candle,
hallowed to the honor of your name,
may persevere undimmed,
to overcome the darkness of this night.
“Receive it as a pleasing fragrance,
and let it mingle with the lights of heaven.
«May this flame be found still burning
by the Morning Star:
the one Morning Star who never sets,
Christ your Son,
who, coming back from death’s domain,
has shed his peaceful light on humanity,
and lives and reigns forever and ever.
«R. Amen.”
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Readers may send questions to zenit.liturgy@gmail.com. Please put the word «Liturgy» in the subject field. The text should include your initials, your city, and your state, province or country. Father McNamara can only answer a small selection of the great number of questions that arrive.
