Paschal Candle - Meaning of The Paschal Candle

Meaning of The Paschal Candle

The flame of the Paschal candle symbolizes risen Christ as light of the world and his presence in the midst of his people. The Paschal candle is sometimes referred to as the "Easter candle" or the "Christ candle." The term "Paschal" comes from the word Pesach, which in Hebrew means Passover, and relates to the Paschal mystery of salvation. The tall white candle in many ways signifies the Divine pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night that lead the Israelites in their Exodus from slavery in Egypt.

The equivalent of the Paschal candle in the Eastern Orthodox Church is the Paschal trikirion which differs both in style and usage.

Read more about this topic:  Paschal Candle

Famous quotes containing the words meaning of the, meaning of, meaning and/or candle:

    Art is skill, that is the first meaning of the word.
    Eric Gill (1882–1940)

    All the moral laws are readily translated into natural philosophy, for often we have only to restore the primitive meaning of the words by which they are expressed, or to attend to their literal instead of their metaphorical sense. They are already supernatural philosophy.
    Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)

    I am quite serious when I say that I do not believe there are, on the whole earth besides, so many intensified bores as in these United States. No man can form an adequate idea of the real meaning of the word, without coming here.
    Charles Dickens (1812–1870)

    We say God and the imagination are one . . .
    How high that highest candle lights the dark.
    Wallace Stevens (1879–1955)