Lights

It is important for a Christian not only to participate in the divine services, but also to understand them, to assimilate them consciously. All Christians are called upon to teach and admonish one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing in grace to the Lord in their hearts (Col. 3:16). It would be unworthy not only of a Christian, but also of a simple human being as a rational being, if, being present at his true and incomparable divine services, he did not understand the language of the Church, did not clarify to himself the meaning of her statutory readings and hymns, and did not understand those symbolic sacred actions that are constantly performed before his eyes. In this case, there would be no attention, no interest, no warmth of feeling, no reverence, no faith, which is absolutely necessary for the reception of the grace of God, which is given here in the sacraments and prayers.

In this brochure we will try to explain the sacred actions (symbolic) used in the celebration of divine services in our Orthodox Church, as well as in the celebration of the Holy Sacraments and the most important requirements.

Let us say, first of all, about the significance of the use of lamps during divine services.

The use of lamps in divine services was primarily caused by necessity, since in the first days of Christianity, Christians, for fear of being attacked by persecutors, performed their divine services for the most part at night. But there is no doubt that the use of lamps was no longer considered only a matter of necessity, but also had a symbolic meaning. An indication of this can be found in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles (20:8), where it is said that in the upper room, which contained those gathered for the celebration of divine services on Sunday, many lamps were lit - a remark indicating that these latter were more than enough for one light. In particular, the symbolic significance of the use of lamps in divine services is revealed in the fact that from the very first times of Christianity they were used not only in evening and night, but even in daytime services, as is evident from the testimony of Paulinus, Bishop of Nolan (fourth and early fifth centuries). According to him, the bright altars at both the evening and afternoon services were set with lamps standing close to each other. In response to the reproach of the heretic Vigilantius to Christians for burning a whole mass of candles during the day in churches, Blessed Jerome said that Christians in this case do not act senselessly: lamps are used by them during divine services, especially when reading the Gospel, as a symbol of joy. Candles were used at baptism, when the person being baptized, and sometimes the godparents and those present at the baptism, held burning candles in their hands, were lit at burial, placed at coffins and before the images or remains of martyrs. The so-called inextinguishable lamps were also in use. Such a diverse and very widespread use of lamps in divine services forces us to look more closely at the meaning of their use and to find the most appropriate meaning for them.

Light, on the one hand, presents us with the world with all its innumerable virtues, on the other hand, it protects us from the danger of bumping into something, getting lost, damaging our body. Such a significance of light for the physical world can be likened to the meaning of Jesus Christ for the spiritual and moral world.

Christ in the Gospel is called in the Gospel the Light of the World, the Light in the Enlightenment of the Gentiles, the True Light that enlightens every man, etc. Whoever follows Him, says the Gospel, will not walk in darkness (of error and vice), but will have the light of life, because in Him is life, and this life is light for men. The name of Christ as Light is quite appropriate to Him also because in Him alone lies the truth that guides man to salvation, which helps him to take the path of truth and to follow it steadfastly, just as the visible light does not allow the traveler to stray from the straight path.

It is this lofty thought about the truth contained in Christ, which enlightens the essence and life of man, that finds a decent image in the lamps that burn during divine services.

The light they pour out is for us a symbol of the great Light of the world, Jesus Christ, and should remind us that He gave Himself up to death for the sake of freeing us from the power of darkness, and by this self-sacrifice brought the human being into the realm of light, and that we have consequently become followers of the religion of light. Further, this light reminds us to stand firm in our faith in Christ, to be faithful disciples of the Light, and to strive that the light of faith should always fill and enlighten our spirits.

But the burning flame not only shines, but also warms us, which is why it can signify Christ's love for mankind and serve as a reminder that we, on our part, should cherish a love for the light of truth, which warms our souls, arouse in ourselves a reverence which, like a fire that rises to heaven, raises our thoughts to the throne of the Most High.

And when a person is in the heat of reverence, feels himself in the realm of light, then his soul is joyful and light, which is why lamps during divine services can also mean the joy of a reverently minded Christian, as Blessed Jerome explains. In general, the illumination of the church especially contributes to the arousal of a solemn, prayerful mood of the spirit in the coming ones. And in an ordinary worldly festival, we feel well disposed when it takes place in bright sunlight; but the illumination of the temple gives us even more joy - spiritual joy, and we feel ourselves more capable of praying to the Father of lights, when we stand before the altar, as it were a sky studded with stars.

Priestly blessing