Paschal Candle - Eastern Usage

Eastern Usage

In the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches there is no direct correspondence to the Western Paschal candle. However, on Pascha (Easter) and throughout Bright Week, the priest carries a cross and Paschal trikirion (Greek: Τρικιριον; Slavonic: Троіца, troitsa) at all of the services, especially when censing, during the Little Entrance or when giving the Paschal greeting. The trikirion consists of three lit candles in a candlestick, which the priest carries in his left hand. In the Slavic tradition, the three candles may be white of different colors: green, red, blue. The deacon also carries a special Paschal candle which is a single large candle whenever he leads an ektenia (litany) or censes.

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