A Treasure To Be Shared

How far that little candle throws its beams! So shines a good deed in a naughty world. - Shakespeare A tidbit adapted from The Catholic Encyclopedia. (Edited by Gilbert) The word candle ( candela , from candeo , to burn) entered the English language as an ecclesiastical term in the eighth century. It was recognised in classical times as any type of taper in which a wick, typically composed of a strip of papyrus, was encased in wax or animal fat. The use of a great number of candles and lights was undoubtedly an important aspect of the Easter vigil, which dates back to Apostolic times. Eusebius ( Vita Constant ., IV, xxii) describes Constantine's "pillars of wax" that transformed night into day, while Prudentius and other authors highlight the churches' radiance. According to St. Jerome (342–347 – 419/420), candles were lit when the Gospel was read as a symbol of joy. (Migne, P. L., XXIII, 345) This remark, combined with the close association of lighted candles with th...